The Virtual Storage Integrator or VSI has been around for a while. Seems every release something new and exciting gets added that customer have asked for. The VSI 5.6 plugin for EMC is the latest version (9/13/2013) of the plugin to help streamline and simplify interactions between the vSphere client and the EMC storage used to support your Virtual Data Center/Private Cloud/Software Defined Data Center.
The VSI plugin can be downloaded for no extra charge if you have a current support.emc.com account (BTW so glad it is not powerlink anymore).
VSI Support and Downloads Page
You may just want to post a question on the EMC Community about the VSI. You can do that here.
Yeah community!
Enough background already what is new in the new version 5.6?
XtremIO Support
Awesome provisioning and visibility for the new all flash array from EMC. Ready now for the people with XtremIO and for the many waiting to get one. Coming soon!
Here is a quick demo of the XtremIO functionality. Select 720p for better viewing.
VPLEX Support
Our data mobility team is super excited about now supporting VPLEX provisioning in the VSI plugin. So now you are able to create the VPLEX datastores straight from the vSphere client. Very cool.
Update 9/23/13 Demo of VPLEX Provisioning with VSI
VMAX Provisioning with Striped Meta
We were all very excited when VMAX provisioning was added to the VSI plugin and now it is able to use the striped meta volume, which is a big deal for some VMAX users. This is an option now and you can select either method when provisioning to the VMAX.
Update 9/19/13 -> a demo from @drewtonnesen
Did you hear there is a new VNX?
The newest versions of the VNX are supported in VSI 5.6 and as you see in the slide the some of the coolest new features of the VNX will be available for use with the new VSI 5.6
I hope you are as excited about the newest release of the plugin. Remember that is supports vSphere 5.5 too!
If you have any questions please leave a comment of better yet start a thread on the community.