|
 In
bad times, small companies are usually the worst hit. This,
says, Sandeep Dutta, is the primary reason why SMEs should
be tech-savvy and invest only in solutions that deliver tangible
business benefits
When
bad times come, small players are always the worst hit. While
large organisations typically have some ‘fat’ they
can shed, most small and medium enterprises (SMEs) run lean
and mean shops because that’s the only way they can survive.
This is why SMEs must be even more tech-savvy than big companies
and invest only in technology solutions that deliver tangible
business benefits. Today, most SMEs realise that a reliable
storage infrastructure to keep their data safe is as critical
to their business as anything else they can invest in. However,
many are still unclear as to how to go about getting this
in place.
What exactly is
storage?
Every bit of data you see on your computer screen resides
on some sort of storage device. This could be on disk drives
or disk subsystems, tape, CD-ROM, DVD or one of the many portable
storage devices flooding the market today.
Most SMEs use a combination of disk subsystems and tape systems.
Disk subsystems are bigger, higher capacity versions of the
hard disk sitting in PCs and are often attached to servers
running specific applications. Data stored on disk systems
can be retrieved very quickly.
Tape systems are usually used for back-up. Data is downloaded
off the disk subsystem, stored on tape a much more affordable
media and put away somewhere safe in case the original data
is lost.
Storage networking: Data having a good time?
Most companies today have heard of storage networking, but
have only the faintest idea of what it means and what benefits
it can deliver.
Put very simply, storage networking is about making a company’s
storage infrastructure and capacity available to multiple
departments by putting it onto a network. It enables data
sharing and capacity sharing two different things but both
beneficial to the company as a whole.
Data sharing makes sense in an age when information is the
lifeblood of any business. Different departments collect different
types of information but this is seldom shared. Storage networking
enables them to share the data electronically quickly and
efficiently.
By giving employees access to the right information at the
right time, companies can improve customer service, make optimal
use of their corporate data and respond faster to changes
in the marketplace.
The main benefit of capacity sharing is cost savings. Storage
is very decentralised in most organisations today as departments
buy their own storage or servers with storage attached. This
leads to a lot of wastage because of poor utilisation rates
usually in the 40-60 percent range resulting in a lot of spare
capacity lying around.
By centralising storage capacity and putting it on the network,
utilisation rates are likely to go up to 70-90 percent as
capacity can be assigned to departments as and when they need
it. While storage requirements will continue to grow very
quickly, companies who centralise their storage capacity will
enjoy significant cost savings.
New standards
New standards for storage networking are emerging everyday,
but one of these deserves a second look.
An emerging standard known as iSCSI (Internet SCSI) offers
SMEs many of the advantages of storage networking without
the costs and complexity often associated with building storage
area networks (SANs).
iSCSI-based storage networking provide access to storage devices
and storage area networks (SANs) over Ethernet-based TCP/IP
networks. Since most companies have an existing IP network
and the in-house skills to manage them, iSCSI storage is an
attractive option for SMEs looking for a reliable, affordable
storage networking solution.
Hope for the best,
prepare for the worse
Data protection is something large companies are very used
to providing for. A back-up policy is often part-and-parcel
of their overall storage management strategy. This is something
SMEs should also consider.
The first thing to realise is data protection is not an option,
it is an absolute necessity. There are hundreds of ways data
can be lost or damaged. An established back-up policy reduces
the grave consequences any data loss can have on a business.
Tape storage has been the preferred back-up medium for over
40 years. It is reliable, flexible and cost-effective. With
new standards incorporating the latest technology such as
the Linear Tape Open (LTO) standard established by IBM, Hewlett
Packard and Seagate companies can build back-up and recovery
solutions quickly and affordably.
Bytes for rent
Outsourcing is a popular solution for SMEs who understand
the need for a well-managed and reliable storage infrastructure
but have neither the skills nor inclination to handle this
in-house.
Renting storage infrastructure is actually very similar to
renting warehouse space, and almost as easy. There are some
clear advantages to outsourcing data infrastructure to the
experts.
Capacity is flexible. Companies can pay-as-they-use, on a
monthly basis, for as much capacity as they need; and rent
more or less space as their needs change. Today, cost per
megabyte is coming down fast and service level agreements
will guarantee whatever level of service and security a company
feels it needs.
Is there a flip side? Of course there is. Should the service
provider lose or damage a customer’s data, financial
compensation based on the terms of contract is available.
But can this offset the actual loss to the company?
While this is unlikely, as most service providers have more
stringent back-up and recovery policies than normal companies,
it is a valid point. Choosing a service provider with a proven
test record and infrastructure based on the latest technology,
would go a long way to improving the odds of any mishap.
How much will it cost? While it is impossible to predict how
much storage infrastructure will cost in general, there are
some simple rules that can be applied when budgeting for storage.
First, total up the company’s present storage capacity.
Add 10 percent for rounding errors, and then add 50-100 percent
depending on the company’s growth plan over the next
twelve months. Include any additional requirements in terms
of management capabilities desired, archive, back-up and restore
policies. Take this set of requirements and ask a couple of
storage vendors and service providers for a quotation. Keep
in mind that price alone should not determine the buying decision.
Look for solutions based on open standards to avoid getting
tied to one particular vendor or another. Ask for independent
benchmarks for assessing performance and service levels.
Playing with the big kids now
With almost 340 million Internet users in 2000, the Internet
has created whole new markets for companies and has also provided
the means for smaller companies to compete on a level playing
field with the largest companies.
SMEs who are playing to win in this exciting new arena must
make the best possible use of their corporate data and other
technology solutions to their advantage.
The author is country business manager-storage solutions,
IBM India
|
