Proximal Data, the leading provider of patented hypervisor I/O intelligence technology, today announced AutoCache 2.0, the latest version of its hypervisor-based caching software that removes I/O bottlenecks and increases virtual machine (VM) density and performance by up to three times with absolutely no disruption to IT operations. AutoCache 2.0 now includes role-based administration features and multi-hypervisor support to meet the specific needs of cloud service providers.

AutoCache 2.0 supports resource sharing within VMware vCenter and vSphere environments, creates specific access rights for the AutoCache VMware vCenter plug-in, enables administrators to modify host level and VM cache settings, and collects data over time for performance analysis and bill-back.

AutoCache 2.0 additionally supports numerous enterprise and cloud service provider requirements by providing a caching solution for both Microsoft Hyper-V and VMware ESXi hypervisors. AutoCache can be deployed with a wide variety of flash devices, supports pre-warming of the cache for vMotion to meet service level agreements, and is integrated with all vCenter functionality for single-screen management. A core tenet to AutoCache's design is its ability to enable nondisruptive implementations and operation.

"As a cloud and virtualization infrastructure provider, we welcome AutoCache's support for our specific service providers' requirements, particularly the role-based administration with its ability to create specific access rights and modify cache settings using the AutoCache vCenter plug-in," said Mark Almeida-Cardy, director of engineering at Artisan Infrastructure. "We have been running AutoCache for six months continuously, gaining operational efficiency with no disruption."

"We aim to meet the needs of all customers who are managing virtualized environments by developing capabilities that add flexibility and convenience as well as optimize I/O caching performance," said Rory Bolt, CEO of Proximal Data. "With AutoCache, customers have a fast, efficient caching solution that works within either Hyper-V or ESXi. Customers are able to accelerate the performance of applications that are critical to their businesses and bottom lines."

AutoCache 2.0 is being demonstrated in partnership with Micron in its booth, #1635, at VMworld this week. The demonstration will show AutoCache 2.0 software accelerating I/O performance by using a Micron p320h PCIe Flash card, and it will show specific new features that are designed to ease the life of a cloud service provider. The Micron Flash card's performance and endurance in combination with AutoCache's adaptive caching algorithms make it the ideal solution for broad adoption of server-side flash caching in virtualized environments.

"Micron is addressing enterprise customer objections to widespread flash adoption. Our flash devices are designed to hit various price points. Proximal Data ties it all together by making flash easy to deploy in virtualized environments," said Allen R. Holmes, vice president of NAND Solutions Group Marketing at Micron Technology. "This is a winning combination: no compromises, no risks, no disruptions."

AutoCache is the only patented hypervisor solution designed specifically to increase VM density in virtualized servers and accelerate business application performance. With its I/O Intelligence, AutoCache automatically characterizes I/O in real time and dynamically places hot I/O into a local PCIe flash card or solid-state disk (SSD), then intelligently supplies priority data traffic to VMs. AutoCache dynamically adjusts to changing workloads and will not impact high-availability processes such as vMotion. This incredibly simple solution is also the most cost-effective way to take advantage of the performance benefits of enterprise flash, converting a modest flash investment into a huge value.

Availability and Pricing

AutoCache 2.0 for ESXi is available now from Proximal Data resellers with support for Microsoft Hyper-V available in Q4. Pricing starts at $999 per host for flash caches less than 500GB.