12.1 Strategic Objectives

12.1.1 Create Offensive as Well as Defensive Strategies

The preservation of data assets will remain a critical function for IT departments and storage professionals. However, the increasing growth and availability requirements for storage are likely to overburden storage administrators without additional help. As outlined in Chapter 11, "Managing the Storage Domain," clearing the decks of repetitive, labor- intensive functions defined as context provides the time and attention required to invest in new core functions. New functions might include changing the storage architecture, platforms, and management systems for more flexible, adaptive approaches.

Of course, the introduction of offensive approaches to storage networking must be in concert with defensive approaches. Due to continuous short-term requirements, the shift typically requires a medium- to long- term planning process, as shown in Figure 12-1. Fortunately, the planning, development, and implementation of defensive storage networking deployments often fit hand in hand with offensive approaches. Well-designed storage networks, particularly those that incorporate existing and new technologies such as IP networking, deliver the resiliency to serve both objectives.

Figure 12-1. Use a medium- to long-term planning process for offensive strategies.

12.1.2 Segment Strategies with Portfolio Management

Portfolio management enables IT managers and senior executives to segment, prioritize, and track IT projects. In a research survey conducted by Mainstay Partners in 2002, fewer than 21 percent of the companies had a process for prioritizing digitization efforts. Ultimately, this often leads to cancelled or poorly executed projects, difficulty in measuring project returns, and missed opportunities to tie technology projects to business strategy.

Today's high-growth storage environment can involve dozens of projects at a time, ranging from capacity expansion, to storage allocation, to backup and recovery procedures, to automated management.

A portfolio framework, such as that outlined in Figure 12-2, is a starting point for storage professionals charting a project management course. The first tier of projects fall under optimization and represent incremental improvement in existing processes for productivity improvements. These optimization projects need not necessarily involve new technology additions, but rather may simply be a reorganization of current infrastructure and management tools. Nontechnical processes, such as redefined administrative steps, may also contribute to optimization.

Figure 12-2. Sample portfolio segmentation: optimizing, reconstructing, inventing. (Source: Mainstay Partners)

The reconstruction tier goes one step further and typically involves new technology deployments. As opposed to linear improvement growth, reconstruction generates dramatic "step-function" improvements. The invention tier represents the greatest level of complexity, and accordingly the highest returns. New project deployments are the only way to achieve such returns, and IT managers and senior executives should recognize their inherent risk.

The development and management of a technology project portfolio requires well-defined and clearly communicated goals across multiple departments within the organization. Figure 12-3 highlights several key steps through this process.

Figure 12-3. Creating and managing the IT portfolio. (Source: Mainstay Partners)

Ultimately, according to Mainstay Partners, successful portfolio management provides the following benefits:

• Single set of metrics for evaluating investments.

• Consistent method for communicating internally and externally.

• Less waste due to dead ends or missed opportunities.

• Ability to stratify cost of capital according to risk/return profile.

• Consensus across the business around initiative priorities.

• Allows everyone to provide insight into the opportunities that exist in the firm.

The scope of storage administration within any medium to large organization now encompasses a diverse project portfolio, and the user scope extends far beyond a limited data center focus to one with global reach. Implementing a portfolio management process tailored to storage requirements helps structure and monitor organizational effectiveness.