SNIA Demonstrates First Multi-Vendor Fixed-Content Solution Based on XAM

At SNW Fall, the SNIA demonstrated the eXensible Access Method (XAM) specification for the first time, showing a universal way for users to store and access unchanging or fixed data regardless of the application that created it.

Four distinct information management applications based on the SNIA XAM specification were provided by EMC, HP, Sun Microsystems, and Vignette, illustrating XAM's ability to protect end user information from technology lock-in. By decoupling storage systems from data applications, XAM meets long-term digital information retention requirements, allowing users to retrieve data, regardless of the application created it. In addition, XAM simplifies the way data is migrated from one disk subsystem to another.

Continuing its progress and momentum, more than 45 companies - which include software providers, storage vendors, and application developers - are participating in the initiative and its two associated Technical Work Groups. XAM development efforts are on-track as the association plans to deliver the specification in 2008, followed by its submission for ANSI and ISO accreditation. In parallel with the specification work is the development of the XAM Software Development Kit, which will be licensed to the industry.

The XAM specification is aimed at delivering value to three audiences: Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), storage end users, and storage vendors. XAM as a standard interface provides a framework for the coordination of information and content metadata among applications and storage systems.

The specification will help simplify the porting and testing procedures for ISVs and broaden the market for storage vendors. For storage users looking to automate their storage migration and align their efforts with compliance requirements, the XAM specification will help reduce vendor lock-in to long-term digital information retention solutions by decoupling the back-end storage from the application. The specification is also aimed at alleviating some of the challenges associated with migrating data from different storage devices within an electronic archive, which typically occurs every 3 to 5 years.

For more information on the XAM Initiative and specification, please visit www.snia.org/xam.