Chapter 2. System overview 39
Transparent Cloud Tiering
IBM Spectrum Transparent Cloud Tiering is a new function that was introduced in IBM 
Spectrum Virtualize V7.8. Transparent Cloud Tiering is an alternative solution for data 
protection, backup, and restore that interfaces to Cloud Service Providers, such as IBM 
Cloud™, Amazon S3, and OpenStack Swift. Transparent Cloud Tiering is charged as 
additional priced software per IBM Storwize V7000 Controller.
The Transparent Cloud Tiering function helps organizations to reduce costs related to power 
and cooling when off-site data protection is required to send sensitive data out of the main 
site.
Transparent Cloud Tiering uses IBM FlashCopy techniques that provide full and incremental 
snapshots of one or more volumes. Snapshots are encrypted and compressed before being 
uploaded to the cloud. Reverse operations are also supported within that function. When a 
set of data is transferred out to cloud, the volume snapshot is stored as an Object Storage.
Cloud Object Storage uses innovative approach and cost-effective solution to store large 
amount of unstructured data and delivers mechanisms to provide security services, high 
availability, and reliability.
The management GUI provides an easy-to-use initial setup, advanced security settings, and 
audit logs that records all backup and restore to cloud.
For more information about cloud Object Storage, see this website.
2.6  Business continuity
Business continuity and continuous application availability are among the top requirements 
for many organizations. Advances in virtualization, storage, and networking have made 
enhanced business continuity possible. 
Information technology solutions can now manage planned and unplanned outages, and 
provide the flexibility and cost efficiencies that are available from cloud-computing models.
2.6.1  Business Continuity with HyperSwap
The HyperSwap high availability feature in the IBM Spectrum Virtualize software allows 
business continuity in the event of hardware failure, power failure, connectivity failure, or 
disasters, such as fire or flooding. The HyperSwap feature is available on the IBM SAN 
Volume Controller, IBM Storwize V7000, IBM Storwize V7000 Unified, and IBM Storwize 
V5000 products.
The HyperSwap feature provides highly available volumes accessible through two sites at up 
to 300 km (186.4 miles) apart. A fully independent copy of the data is maintained at each site. 
When data is written by hosts at either site, both copies are synchronously updated before the 
write operation is completed. The HyperSwap feature automatically optimizes itself to 
minimize data transmitted between sites and to minimize host read and write latency.
HyperSwap includes the following key features:
/SM590000Works with IBM SAN Volume Controller and IBM Storwize V7000, V5000, and V7000 
Unified hardware.
/SM590000Uses intra-cluster synchronous remote copy (Metro Mirror) capabilities along with existing 
change volume and access I/O group technologies.