Overview of Major IT Storage Management and Monitoring Solutions

With the explosion of data and diversified applications, enterprise IT environments have become increasingly complex, making it difficult for IT departments to discover issues promptly, respond reactively, and maintain visibility over resources, especially when personnel change locations.

IT management software was created to address these challenges. This article introduces the main storage‑focused IT management solutions, grouped by vendor, and highlights their monitoring, management, and control capabilities.

IBM : Tivoli Storage Productivity Center (TPC) offers policy‑driven automation for capacity, availability, events, performance, and resource management, while IBM Omnibus (Netcool) provides real‑time, centralized monitoring of complex networks and IT domains with customizable filters and automated alert handling.

Microsoft System Center : Includes System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) for provisioning and managing virtual hosts, networks, and storage, and System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) for unified monitoring of services, devices, and performance across multiple systems.

HP BSM Solutions : Encompass HP OpenView, Storage Essentials, Systems Insight Manager, Operations Manager, SiteScope, Network Node Manager, Operations Orchestration, OneView, and uCMDB, covering monitoring, management, automation, and CMDB functions for storage and broader IT assets.

BMC BSM : Features ProactiveNet Performance Management (BPPM) for comprehensive monitoring, Atrium Orchestrator for workflow automation, Patrol for agent‑based resource observation, Portal for agent‑less monitoring, and Capacity Optimization for capacity planning and ETL integration.

CA : Offers Spectrum and Nimsoft Monitor (with Nimsoft now emphasized) for storage monitoring via SNMP and modular, extensible architecture.

EMC : Provides ViPR SRM (Storage Resource Management) for heterogeneous storage oversight and Data Protection Advisor for automated data collection, backup monitoring, and integration with VMware vCenter.

NetApp OnCommand Insight : Delivers a four‑module suite (Insight Assure, Perform, Plan, Discover) to monitor performance, optimize resources, and provide unified visibility across storage networks.

Hitachi Command Suite : Integrates Command Director, Device Manager, Dynamic Link Manager Advanced, Replication Manager, Tiered Storage Manager, and Tuning Manager for unified management of block, file, and content storage.

VMware vCenter Storage Suite : Includes the vCenter Plug‑in for storage device management via the vSphere client and the VASA Provider for exposing storage topology, configuration, status, and alerts to vCenter.

ZOHO OpStor : A SAN/NAS management tool that visualizes storage topology, monitors device health, and helps identify resource over‑ or under‑utilization.

Symantec (Veritas) : Veritas Command Central (now replaced by Veritas Operations Manager) offers a single control platform for managing physical and virtual servers, providing virtualization, analysis, and control of heterogeneous storage environments.

SolarWinds Storage Resource Monitor : Provides performance monitoring, hotspot isolation, capacity planning, VM‑to‑physical mapping, data classification, and reporting, with SRM Profiler and Orion modules.

Open‑Source Solutions : Nagios, OpenNMS, and Zabbix deliver free, community‑driven network and storage monitoring, with Zabbix also offering capacity planning and reporting capabilities.

Overall, these solutions enable enterprises to monitor, manage, and control their storage infrastructure, improving operational efficiency, reducing complexity, and supporting automation and scalability.