Gartner defines container management as offerings that enable the deployment and operation of containerized workloads. Delivery methods include cloud, managed service and software. Container management may be required for containers running on-premises, in the public cloud, at the edge or a combination thereof. Associated technologies include service mesh, orchestration and scheduling, service discovery and registration, image registry, routing and networking, service catalog and management user interface, and API.
Gartner defines distributed file systems and object storage as software and hardware appliance products that offer object and distributed file system technologies for unstructured data. Their purpose is to store, secure, protect and scale unstructured data with access over the network using file and object protocols, such as Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3), Network File System (NFS) and Server Message Block (SMB).
Gartner defines ICS as a hybrid, multidomain (i.e., on-premises, colocation, edge and public cloud), consumption-based as-a-service offerings for enterprise mission-critical infrastructure such as storage, compute and networking. In this case, multidomain reflects the characteristics of a multicloud hybrid environment. ICS vendors combine their unique capabilities to provide API-centric control and vendor-managed data services planes for infrastructure onboarding, provisioning and SLA-based life cycle management and support. ICS offerings include software-defined infrastructure solutions and appliances for storage as a service (STaaS), compute as a service (CaaS), networking as a service (NaaS), and other data services offerings. Data services include backup, disaster recovery (DR) and ransomware recovery, optionally managed by IT staff and/or service providers.
Gartner defines primary storage with platform services as dedicated products and platform-native services for solid-state arrays or hybrid storage arrays, structured block data consumption-based offerings and software-defined storage (SDS) software. API-centric control and vendor-managed data services planes are used for primary storage onboarding, provisioning and AIOps-enabled SLA-based life cycle management and support outcomes. Platform-native services include the syndication and integration of complementary third-party storage products and data services as part of their managed services offerings. Products and services are available in traditional capex, subscription and consumption pay-for-use licensing.