1.4 Charting a Storage Networking Roadmap

Behind every successful corporation lies a set of core competencies that provide a competitive edge ”FedEx has logistics; Wal-Mart, inventory management; Dell, supplier management. Today, with information as a key corporate asset, data storage management is as vital to business success as other operational functions. The starting point for developing data storage management as a core competence is an effective roadmap.

Certain companies are known to "get" technology. They are frequently the ones that have integrated business planning with IT development. By fostering a corporate culture that supports exchanges between business units and technology development, positive reactions develop that lead to defending, supporting, and expanding existing business. Additionally, the interaction can drive new business and lead to broader technology capabilities of a more effective organization.

As the lifeblood information assets of corporations, data storage requires development of independent plans and strategies that integrate with business objectives and related technology investments. Specifically from the storage perspective, three areas form the basis of an effective roadmap. The first is utilization and efficiency ”ensuring adequate, yet not overprovisioned storage resources to serve the organization. A well-designed infrastructure using networked storage makes this feasible . Business continuity is the second component of the roadmap, guaranteeing data availability to all participants anytime , anywhere . Finally, storage competency, or storage agility, completes the roadmap. Those organizations that develop the best infrastructure, policies, and procedures to deal with explosive storage growth stand to lead the pack. Storage competency translates to business-savvy operational agility for maneuvering ahead of the competition.

The following chapters outline a complete storage networking roadmap, as shown in Figure 1-2, for organizations starting from the ground up or looking to improve upon longstanding installed infrastructure. From architectural basics, to control points, to strategies for continuity and agility, the book serves as both practical guide and navigational companion to understand the world of storage networking.

Figure 1-2. Charting an effective storage networking roadmap.