EMC improves information lifecycle management with new EMC Infoscape software and consulting services

EMC Infoscape will enable customers to efficiently, accurately and easily search all corporate information in file systems, automatically classify information based on business value, manage the retention of unstructured information for compliance and facilitate policy-based and automated data migration across a tiered storage infrastructure.

This groundbreaking intelligent information management software will automate and orchestrate information lifecycle management (ILM) services such as information protection, data placement on tiers of storage, regulatory compliance and information security based on the information's value to the business. This class of software ultimately will enable customers to intelligently manage digital information in all its forms - by automatically discovering information, assessing its importance, and executing pre-defined ILM policies.

"With the growth of e-services and automation, enterprises and governments in the Middle East are creating massive volumes of unstructured information, which is leading to difficulties in identification and management of information for security, compliance, discovery and storage optimization purposes," said Mohammed Amin, General Manager, EMC Middle East Region.

"Organizations are faced with the challenge of determining which information is critical, which is important or unimportant, and which is non-business, and then assigning it to an appropriate storage system. Identification and classification of information is vital to be able to properly manage data, and with EMC Infoscape, we are giving customers in the region a powerful and comprehensive solution to address these challenges."

Brian Babineau, analyst with Enterprise Strategy Group, said, "ESG research estimates that organizations will retain over 35,000 Petabytes of unstructured information for business reference as well as to support legal proceeding and comply with several record retention regulations. The sheer amount of data will require organizations to re-evaluate and drastically improve their information management strategies. EMC Infoscape and the new Information Management Strategy Service will provide a unique and compelling offering in the market and help customers evolve and better execute on their information lifecycle management strategies."

EMC Infoscape leverages the investments EMC has made in software technologies - including the acquisitions of Smarts, Legato and Documentum. As a result, EMC brings multiple information management capabilities into one product, with one user interface, one customer installation and one management paradigm for information.

New Consulting Service - EMC Information Management Strategy Service

In addition to EMC Infoscape, the company announced that it will soon introduce EMC Information Management Strategy Service, a new consulting offering from EMC Global Services, to the Middle East. This service will help customers define proper policies, best practices and procedures to effectively and cost-efficiently manage unstructured information as it changes value throughout its life. Customers will receive a consultative engagement that helps them determine where data resides, how it is being classified and how to better leverage the data to address critical information placement, availability, protection and compliance requirements.

Mark Sorenson, EMC's Senior Vice President of Information Management Software, said, "With today's announcement, EMC provides customers with the most comprehensive solution offering to advance their information lifecycle management strategies. Infoscape provides customers with a number of capabilities that have been missing in today's information management products. Through file metadata and content-based classification, Infoscape gives customers visibility into their data so that it can be better managed according to its value. Only EMC Infoscape provides content and concept-based information classification, policy management and increased automation that deliver on these information management challenges."

Sorenson added, "EMC's acquisition strategy has always focused on improving an organization's ability to manage information from cradle to grave. By integrating best-in-class core technologies from recent acquisitions, we're now able to deliver a game-changing solution to our customer base. Today, EMC has the focus, the technologies and the resources to execute on a development project of this magnitude."