Services subsystems In the area of block aggregation, IBM offers the IBM TotalStorage SAN Volume Controller (SVC), implemented in an in-band model. In the area of file aggregation in a SAN, IBM offers IBM TotalStorage SAN File System, a SAN-wide file system implemented in an out-of-band model. Both of these solutions will adhere to open industry standards. For more information about SMIS/CIM/WBEM, see the SNIA and DMTF Web sites: http://www.snia.org http://www.dmtf.org Why open standards? Products that adhere to open standards offer significantly more benefits than using proprietary ones. The history of the information technology industry has shown essentially open systems offer three key benefits: Better solutions at a lower price : By harnessing the resources of multiple companies, more development resources are brought to bear on common client requirements, such as ease of management. Improved interoperability : Without open standards, every vendor needs to work with every other vendor to develop interfaces for interoperability. The result is a range of very complex products whose interdependencies make them difficult for clients to install, configure, and maintain. Client choice : By complying with standards developed jointly, products interoperate seamlessly with each other, preventing vendors from locking clients into their proprietary platform. As client needs and vendor choices change, products that interoperate