StoneFly IP SANs are based on the StoneFly StoneFusion operating system, which virtualizes physical storage resources into advanced iSCSI storage.  StoneFusion leverages StoneFly’s patented storage virtualization technology. StoneFly’s approach to storage virtualization decreases latency and I/O bottlenecks that are typical in conventional approaches by processing communications concurrently to improve overall system efficiency.  Each request, or communication, takes full advantage of system or network bandwidth to maximize iSCSI processing performance. 

Each StoneFly Storage Concentrator -- which forms the core of the company's IP SANs -- is a virtualization engine that offers IP-based, block-level provisioning to centralize storage management, control and monitoring of logical storage volumes. All StoneFly IP SANs offer advanced storage services such as active/active clustering, load balancing across multiple systems, asynchronous replication, synchronous mirroring, campus mirroring and snapshots.  StoneFusion also delivers enhanced VMware and Xen support to allow fast integration of networked storage with virtual servers for consolidated server and storage management.

SYS-CON’s Virtualization Journal’s “Readers’ Choice Awards”
SYS-CON's Virtualization Journal announced today its first annual Virtualization Readers' Choice Awards. SYS-CON's Readers' Choice Awards, also known as the "Oscars of the Software Industry" has been one of the most prestigious industry award programs for more than a decade. This year's virtualization awards will be given in 17 categories and award-winning products and services will be selected by Virtualization Journal readers.

Virtualization takes the cost and complexity out of IT, and can even help us reduce the CO2 footprint. IDC has stated that the virtualization services market alone is going to reach $11.7 billion by 2011 and in general this technology, which has been around for a good number of years, seems suddenly to be on everyone's mind.

In short, Virtualization is fast becoming a key requirement for every server in the data center, enabling increased workloads in server consolidation projects, efficient software development and testing, resource management for dynamic data centers, application re-hosting and compatibility, and high-availability partitions.

The tipping point, though - as anticipated by industry experts already back in 2005 - seems to be coming in 2008.

2008 will be the year of Virtualization with many companies offering their products and services, including: 3 Leaf, Acronis, Agilysys, Akorri, AMD, APC, Appistry, AppStream, Attune Systems, Avanade, BEA Systems, Blue Lane, Brocade, CA, Cassatt, Certeon, CiRBA, Citrix, ClearCube, Coraid, Crosswalk, DataDirect, DataSynapse, Digipede Technologies, Double-Take Software, Dynamic Network Factory, Ecora Software, Egenera, Embotics, EMC, Enigmatic, Enomaly, EqualLogic, Evault, eXludus Technologies, F5Networks, FalconStor, FastScale Technology, Fortisphere, GlobalFluency, Grid Dynamics, Hitachi, HP, IBM, InovaWave, Intel, KACE, Kidaro, Layeredtech, LeftHand Networks, Leostream, Mainline, ManageIQ, Marathon Technologies, Mellanox Technologies, Microsoft, Mid-Atlantic Computers, Mindbridge Software, Ncomputing, NeoPath Networks, Neoware, Network Appliance, Neverfail, Novell, Opalis Software, OPNET Technologies, Opsware / HP, Oracle, Panologic, Parallels, PlateSpin, Platform Computing, PolyServe, Provision Networks, Raxco Software, Red Hat, Reflex Security, rPath, Sagent Solutions, SAP, Scalent Systems, ScienceLogic, Seanodes, Splunk, Stoneware, StorageNetworking.org, Supermicro Computer, Surgient, SWsoft, Symantec, Tangosol, Thinstall, Tideway Systems, TOA Solutions, TRANGO Virtual Processors, Trigence, United Devices, VeeAm Software, Virtual Iron, VirtualLogix, Virtugo Software, Vizioncore, VMLogix, vmSight, VMware, vThere – Sentillion, Wyse Technology, XDS, XenSource, Xsigo Systems, and ZenithOptimedia.