Spectrum Control could be more user-friendly. IBM also needs to provide proper training to handle Spectrum Control because it's a complicated solution.

The initial setup for IBM Spectrum Control is a bit complicated. They should also make it easier to integrate and use the Cosmos Analytics tool, which is very complicated.

I want IBM to add a feature for microcode operations. We have, for example, plenty of storage devices, and I have to connect directly to every storage device, upload microcode, and start the upgrade procedure. 

I would like IBM to have something similar to Brocade Network Advisor. There is a repository with microcode, and you just download the microcode to the Spectrum Control, and after that, choose what storage devices you would like to upgrade and just start upgrading these devices. It would be very nice if it's simplified.

I would like to see is more information regarding the copy groups (the replication). We have set up remote replication with change volumes, and I would like see more information about the links between the two sites, so we can know if there are network packet drops that would affect the performance of the replication. These are the things that I am really interested in seeing in future updates.

The solution must support multi-vendor storage.

The pain points were, and may still continue to be, the fact that there are multiple components of the product which are installed, you might say, somewhat individually. There's an overarching package that says, "Install this. Install that." However, it's got a database which is, of course, Db2 for IBM. It's got other facilities that are used in the product, for example, to generate reports and what have you. Instead of pushing a button and wait and you're done, there's a lot of effort to get it right.

If we were to add VM level performance being able to monitor VMs on a VM level, then that would be good. Right now, the way Spectrum Control performs VM inventory, it does not really pull VM performance data. I would be nice if we could have this.

The database could be improved so that the complexity of installation could be easier. We would also like to have more granularity in the profiles and products for users. We would like to link the users to the tool to managers or auditors.