While the number of topics being addressed at the IBM InterConnect event this year is almost too long to list, finding knowledge on virtually any major tech concern as it’s being handled by IBM is easy to find.

Along with the buzz around cloud services, traditional storage is remaining relevant, and Eric Herzog, VP of storage and defined marketing at IBM, joined John Furrier and Dave Vellante, co-hosts of theCUBE, from the SiliconANGLE Media team, to field their questions on how IBM is handling the changing storage market.

Flexible infrastructure

Things started off on a light note, with Herzog saying, “When you look at the software-defined infrastructure, the magic fairy dust is in the software.” From there, things quickly became more down-to-earth, as the discussion moved through cognitive configurations, oceans of data and analytic environments, all defined by software-defined storage.

“The world is evolving, and a lot of the customer base hasn’t gotten there yet… so [IBM’s] going to lead that charge. We’re going to ride the wave, not fight the wave,” Herzog said. With options of software-defined infrastructure and converged infrastructure available to customers, the ways in which IBM can tailor solutions to its customers’ needs are expanding, though Herzog noted, “All of our software-defined infrastructures… are designed for hybrid-cloud deployment.”

Storage adaptation

“Storage is incredibly tumultuous right now… it’s always open to innovation,” Herzog stated, pausing to address the way in which there are new waves of start-ups in the storage business every five to six years or so, drastically at odds with the usual practices in other computing-related areas. With applications, workloads and use-cases persistently changing in their specifics and solutions, the new parallel management of data and the availability of real-time cognitive data, new territory is being uncovered every day.

Wryly noting that “CIOs hate storage,” Herzog moved on to IBM’s newly-acquired Spectrum Virtualize software, which allows heterogeneous platform service configurations and writes a virtual back-end of all interfaced storage (not just IBM’s) for integration into traditional and flash-based systems. IBM’s intent, Herzog said, is to meet the needs of the DevOps, but also the traditional storage vendors.

Mergers and obsolescence

Also on the table was the Dell-EMC merger and its implications. While this could have provided enough conversation for a full segment by itself, the discussion was kept to just the key points, summed up by Herzog’s statement that every tech company should be asking itself, “How will the Dell-EMC merger impact the roadmap for the future?”

Also discussed was the coming transformation for VCE Co., LLC, which Herzog anticipated possibly ceasing to exist after the merger.

Watch the full video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE and theCUBE’s coverage of IBM InterConnect 2016. And join in on the conversation by CrowdChatting with theCUBE hosts.

Photo by SiliconANGLE