Throwing caution to the clouds by Rich Castagna
There's a lot to like about cloud storage, and its benefits in terms of cost savings and convenience are attractive. But there are some residual effects you should consider.

NFS 4.1's pNFS: Big NAS performance boost by Terri McClure
With the parallel file system pNFS now part of the NFS 4.1 protocol, NAS storage will shift into a higher gear.

Rule #1: Know thy data by Rich Castagna
Data classification isn't just for document management systems anymore; it's the key to storage efficiency.

Is cloud-based backup right for you? by Lauren Whitehouse
Before deciding if cloud-based backup is a fit with your company, you need to understand the two basic flavors of cloud backup -- SaaS and hybrid.

Cloud storage gets even cloudier by Rich Castagna
The "cloud" part of cloud storage services used to mean some distant shore of the Internet. But vendors now tout their "internal clouds," cloud storage that never leaves your shop.

Service providers and subscribers benefit from cloud storage by Terri McClure
Cloud storage can reduce the cost of IT, but service providers must prove they have the proper data security models before larger firms will adopt the model en masse

Vendors must adapt to a new environment by Rich Castagna
Spiraling capacity growth, a deteriorating economy -- are there any vendors ready to step up and deliver the storage efficiency tools we need now?

DR readiness in a deduplicated world by Lauren Whitehouse
One of the big benefits of employing data dedupe for secondary disk targets is its ability to reduce the size of data sets, enabling replication with lower bandwidth requirements.

The glass is half full by Rich Castagna
You can wring your hands over a shrinking storage budget or you can do something creative about it.

A wealth of deduplication options by Lauren Whitehouse
Hardware-based products propelled deduplication into the mainstream, but now that most backup apps include dedupe, you'll have to carefully evaluate the options.

Rethinking cloud storage by Rich Castagna
Cloud storage vendors might find a silver lining to the current economic cloud as companies try to cut costs. But enterprise storage shops are still wary.

Data virtualization turns less into more by Steve Duplessie
Less physical data living and moving over our plumbing means we can have more virtual instances of that data, which drives even more value.

Is cloud storage the return of the service provider? by Terri McClure
Cloud storage is a service, just like what storage service providers attempted to do years ago. But the technology has evolved and this time, cloud storage is real.

Data on the brink by Rich Castagna
You might think your company's data is secured and safely backed up, but there's probably still a lot of crucial data that's out of the reach of your backup systems.

Think data, not equipment (Storage Bin 2.0) by Steve Duplessie
If IT can put itself back into a position of treating every decision from the perspective of the data itself, our effectiveness could be optimized.

Where does deduplication belong in backup? (Hot Spots) by Lauren Whitehouse
Should you go with a software-based approach that allows for policy-based deduplication or a hardware-based approach because it can be implemented quickly and easily?

Survival guide for storage managers by Rich Castagna
Extreme circumstances call for extreme actions. Here are four ways to trim or hold down storage costs this year.

Deduping: The rest of the story (Storage Bin 2.0) by Steve Duplessie
Where does it make the most sense to start dedupe?

Scale-out NAS poised for growth by Terri McClure
The compelling economic benefits of deploying scale-out NAS have the technology increasing its footprint in the general storage space.

Coming in Storage magazine's March 2009 issue
A sneak peek at Storage magazine's March 2009 issue.

Solid state looks good on the showroom floor: Editorial by Rich Castagna

Killing off infectious data: Storage Bin 2.0 by Steve Duplessie
Better start thinking about your data growth in deadly terms.

Faster disk drive rebuilds: Hot Spots by Terri McClure
RAID might not be the best choice for high-capacity drives. It's time to rethink your rebuild strategies.

New realities of green IT: STORAGE BIN 2.0 by Steve Duplessie
IT is often doomed to be caught in the crossfire of so-called green plans unless it's aligned with overall business goals.

Deep dive into SharePoint data recovery: HOT SPOTS by Lauren Whitehouse
Microsoft's popular collaboration application presents unique backup/recovery challenges, especially when it comes to protecting the data in a way that permits granular recovery.

GUIs are nice, but don't overlook command-line interfaces: BEST PRACTICES by Ashish Nadkarni
While command-line tools may have their roots in Unix environments, they've come a long way and can be used in the same manner to accomplish many tasks on multiple storage platforms.

Storage wishes for 2009: Editorial by Rich Castagna

Outsourcing clouds the green issue: Storage Bin 2.0 by Steve Duplessie
If you think shipping everything offsite is the best way to go green, you should think again.

A turning point for storage networking: Hot Spots by Bob Laliberte
By 2010 to 2011, most data centers should be onboard with converged networks. Will you be ready? If not, here's why you need to be.

It's time to pay attention to storage power use: Best Practices by James Damoulakis
Power and cooling isn't just a problem for the data center. According to Gartner Inc., storage managers place power consumption in a three-way tie for last place in terms of their concerns, a clear example of organizational misalignment.

The year of iSCSI storage--finally! (Editorial) by Rich Castagna

Storage Bin 2.0 The color of money by Steve Duplessie
If your actions will help meet the company's overall green objectives of making more money faster, you'll probably find your status growing along with your budget.

Hot Spots: Don't let SaaS costs sneak up on you by Lauren Whitehouse
There are plenty of good reasons to opt for backup storage as a service, but there are also plenty of questions you should ask before green lighting any move to online backup.

Best Practices: Why you can't go it alone by Ashish Nadkarni
Most IT departments are split into islands of expertise, like storage, servers and networks. But the time is coming when those disparate groups will have to learn to work together. Network consolidation is just one of the technologies forcing storage pros to build stronger interdisciplinary IT teams.

End in sight for Fibre Channel? by Rich Castagna
End in sight for Fibre Channel?

Backup by the numbers: Backup Purchasing by Rich Castagna
Results from Storage magazine's most recent Purchasing Intentions survey reveal that respondents will have to expand or alter their backup systems to protect ever-growing data stores.

Gen2 virtual tape libraries: Hot Spots by Lauren Whitehouse
From disaster recovery to capacity optimization and dedupe, the next phase of VTL products promises change.

Break those backup bottlenecks: Best Practices by Jeff Harbert
Backup performance tuning is an art, but identifying infrastructure bottlenecks is more of a strict mathematical exercise once you know the important numbers. And understanding the source of existing and potential bottlenecks makes it easier to find and resolve them.

Connecting the backup dots: Editorial by Rich Castagna

Keep it simple, stupid: Part deux: Storage Bin 2.0 by Steve Duplessie
Are you one of those companies that leaves inactive data on the most expensive architecture and applies stringent (expensive) processes to that same data? If so, wise up!

Migration projects need automation boost: Hot Spots by Bob Laliberte
If you have a data migration project in the works, challenge your storage vendor, storage software vendor or third-party consulting firm to deliver a solution that reduces the time, risk and cost of your project.

Don't get stuck with old backup ideas: Best Practices by Jim Damoulakis
The time has come to shed your traditional, compartmentalized view of backup and embrace a recovery-centric data management focus.

Coping with cloud storage: Editorial by Rich Castagna

Storage Bin 2.0: The life and death of information by Steve Duplessie
We sometimes complicate our processes to create a perception of increased value. Forget information lifecycle management and tiered storage; concentrate on the four simple stages of life for any kind of information.

Backup gets a boost: Hot Spots by Lauren Whitehouse
Snapshots, continuous data protection and deduplication are making their way into traditional backup products. By capturing, transferring and storing less data in the backup process, organizations can back up more data to disk--retaining data on disk for longer periods of time or enabling disk-to-disk backup for more sets of data than before.

Get your iSCSI game on: Best Practices by Ashish Nadkarni
iSCSI is a mature protocol for accessing storage and a solid alternative to Fibre Channel. Technologies such as blade servers and server virtualization benefit from iSCSI as it lets you minimize the number of connections required. And because everything is IP-based, there's no more need to waste slots for host bus adapters, which simplifies your configuration.

The big pipe: Editorial by Rich Castagna

What's red hot this summer? Common sense:Storage Bin 2.0 by Steve Duplessie
Information security, data deduplication and virtualization are booming. But as we finally put some of these common-sense themes into practice, we'll invariably expose the next set of weaknesses we'll have to contend with.

FCoE: Coming to a data center near you: Hot Spots by Bob Laliberte
Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) has the potential to reduce data center complexity and make the world a little greener by decreasing the number of cards, cabling and network devices in the data center.

Change that stands the test of time: Best Practices by James Damoulakis
We're embarking on a period of significant market segmentation, with vendors creating offerings to target price points and specific feature-set combinations for various audiences.

Dedupe and virtualization don't solve the real problem: Editorial by Rich Castagna

Storage Bin 2.0: Bridging the gap with just one word by Steve Duplessie
Do you want to once again rise to hold a prominent seat at the table of corporate glory? All you have to do is learn one simple word: "Yes."

Hot Spots: Data deduplication drama by Lauren Whitehouse
Deduplication is one of those influential, crucial technologies that comes along every few years. But the vendor landscape is changing quickly, with new entrants and a recent spate of acquisitions. Cut through the vendor hype by requesting real-world references and proof points.

Best Practices: Planting seeds of green by Ashish Nadkarni
Adopting green storage practices is all about being a good corporate citizen, trying to save storage operational costs and perhaps making a positive impact on the environment.

One throat to choke by Rich Castagna

Storage Bin 2.0: Virtualization: It's not just for breakfast anymore by Steve Duplessie
Storage has never received the glory for all of its virtualization efforts because the server side of the shop always seemed sexier, even though forms of storage virtualization have been around for years. But server virtualization and consolidation efforts might push storage virtualization into the limelight.

Hot Spots: Just say "Yes" to a new IT strategy by Bob Laliberte
Software will increasingly transcend the self-imposed technology barriers that have evolved in larger data center environments. The ability to create policy-based programs that not only automate processes, but empower others to help themselves, will dramatically improve efficiency.

Best Practices: Storage provisioning steps to keep your infrastructure healthy by James Damoulakis
To avoid inefficiency, the storage provisioning function must be brought into balance. Users must consider changes to process, responsibility and ownership, and identify areas where newer technologies can help.

Pivotal time for storage (Editorial) by Rich Castagna

Storage Bin 2.0: Winds of change push storage into a new era by Steve Duplessie
The transactional computing era is over. The Internet computing era is dragging data into the "cloud," and this new era will rain more files--and bigger files--down on you than you can ever imagine.

Hot Spots: Step one for DR: Server virtualization by Lauren Whitehouse
Server virtualization technology reduces the cost and complexity traditionally associated with remote replication for disaster recovery (DR) and DR testing, enabling organizations of all sizes to introduce DR where it didn't exist before.

Best Practices: High hopes for thin provisioning by Ashish Nadkarni
Thin provisioning is a promising way to address allocation and performance. One of the biggest challenges when using the technology is knowing where your data lives, and whether it can be tracked or recovered if there's a catastrophic component failure.

Cloudy future for storage? (Editorial) by Rich Castagna

Storage Bin 2.0: A perfect time to return by Steve Duplessie
Infrastructure 3.0 has lured Steve Duplessie out of "retirement." Read his thoughts about the third era of data and how all of this "brand-spanking-new stuff" will affect the market.

Hot Spots: Tap virtual servers, storage for all they're worth by Bob Laliberte
To keep pace with changes in the server and storage domains, organizations need to ensure that the I/O path doesn't become a bottleneck. Automated patch panels, N_Port ID Virtualization, Fibre Channel over Ethernet and InfiniBand are just some of the technologies that might resolve this issue.

Best Practices: Foolproof DR is still a moving target by James Damoulakis
Do you want to establish more predictable disaster recovery? We've outlined eight necessary elements that will help you coordinate and synchronize the various parts of your environment so they function together.

Blue in the face about green: Editorial by Rich Castagna

Hot Spots: A new level of backup reporting by Lauren Whitehouse
Backup success rates are improving, but reliable data recovery can still be a nightmare. The good news is that backup reporting tools can give you more insight than ever into the sometimes mysterious process of data protection.

Best Practices: The year ahead: Green power, weak dollars and more apps by Ashish Nadkarni
Tighter budgets could mean some belt-tightening in your storage shop. To save money, you might have to spend a little to take advantage of some of the key trends for 2008: virtualization, green storage and storage as a service.

Storage Bin 2.0: Time for RAID to die by Tony Asaro
Storage has changed radically since the invention of RAID. Some storage systems are reducing their RAID use, while others are moving away from the technology. And this is a good thing.

Editorial: Whaddaya mean you can't find it? by Rich Castagna
Whaddaya mean you can't find it?

Hot Spots: New Year's resolution: Get my storage organized by Bob Laliberte
Storage resource management (SRM) software can be one of the most effective ways to optimize your storage environment. But when it comes to SRM, you'd better look before you leap.

Best Practices: Unraveling tape encryption by Jim Damoulakis
With the emergence of new generations of tape drives featuring onboard hardware encryption, companies are revisiting their tape security practices in the hope that this new technology will solve security concerns at an affordable price.

Storage Bin 2.0: Ringing in a new storage market by Tony Asaro
The world of storage is complicated and diverse. But sophisticated users, armed with better research and networking tools than ever before, are finding they don't need one-stop shopping for storage technology.

Editorial: Welcome to archiving hell by Rich Castagna
Welcome to archiving hell

Hot Spots: The case for unified data management platforms by Lauren Whitehouse
A unified data management and recovery platform can improve performance, decrease complexity and costs, and make all copies of data more useful and accessible for electronic discovery purposes

Best Practices: Viewing virtualization from every angle by Ashish Nadkarni
Virtualization can be a tricky technology for storage managers who need to apply traditional standards while navigating new obstacles. But it's prudent to embrace it now so the storage team can enjoy the same benefits that the systems and applications teams have realized.

Storage Bin 2.0: Virtualization challenges by Tony Asaro
Some of the biggest challenges in the data center revolve around backing up and recovering data in a virtual machine environment.

Green, greener and greenest by Rich Castagna
Green, greener and greenest

Hot Spots: Web 2.0 storage: Challenges and choices by Bob Laliberte
Web 2.0 tools and strategies hold many potential benefits for businesses that deploy them, but their requirements for rapidly scalable storage and access, as well as persistent data, pose significant challenges for the IT staffs that need to build and manage the infrastructure.

Best Practices: Tackling data migration by Jim Damoulakis
Data center projects often involve migrating data, which is frequently a painful process that can lead to unplanned downtime and outages. It's time to adopt consistent, repeatable migration practices. Selecting the right approach is highly dependent on infrastructure limitations, data and platform types, time constraints and staff capabilities.

Storage Bin 2.0: Virtually changing everything by Tony Asaro
Server virtualization drives storage growth and dramatically drives the proliferation of storage networking. This is enabling the re-invention of how we manage, protect, store and access information.

Editorial: Web services for storage? It's already happening by Rich Castagna
Web services for storage? It's already happening

Hot Spots: On-demand technology sized right for SMBs by Lauren Whitehouse
Technology advancements such as deduplication and bandwidth optimization, as well as shrinking storage and bandwidth costs, are making online backup increasingly attractive for small- to medium-sized businesses.

Best Practices: Finding the logic in volume managers by Ashish Nadkarni
Host-based volume managers (also known as logical volume managers) are the most underrated or underutilized components in storage ecosystems. Here are seven reasons why they deserve some respect.

Storage Bin: Leaving you in good hands by Steve Duplessie
It's time for a changing of the guard for the Storage Bin column. Steve Duplessie, whose witty and perceptive insights have graced Storage magazine from day one, is stepping aside to make room for ESG's Tony Asaro to take up residency on our end page.

Slow is OK by Rich Castagna
Slow is OK

Hot Spots: VMware opens door for next-gen backup apps by Lauren Whitehouse
Virtualizing servers is becoming standard operating procedure in large and small companies. VMware and similar platforms are transforming data center management through server consolidation and business continuity improvements, but they're "breaking" a few things along the way, including data protection strategies.

Best Practices: Sorting out remote-office backup by Jim Damoulakis
Remote-office data has always been something of a corporate orphan when it came to backup. Once upon a time, "out of sight, out of mind" might have worked, but times have changed. Regulatory compliance, legal liability issues and the cost of producing data for ediscovery make it clear remote data can no longer be ignored.

Storage Bin: Who ate the backup? by Steve Duplessie
It's astounding that in this age of technological advancements we still talk about things like backup, let alone agonize over it.

Editorial: Backing up garbage by Rich Castagna

Hot Spots: Managing storage in a virtual server world
Server virtualization is the big data center story, and storage managers need to design their storage systems to take advantage of a virtualized server environment. There are steps you can take now to ensure that your storage systems are up to the task.

Best Practices: Pull the plug on high energy costs by Dianne McAdam
Spiraling energy costs are taking an increasingly big chunk of the data center budget. Data centers are grappling with rising electrical bills and, in some locations, limitations on the amount of available power are forcing IT anagers to rethink their basic processes.

Storage Bin: Shining the green spotlight on storage by Steve Duplessie
There's been a lot of hubbub lately about the greening of IT, and it's only going to get worse. Unlike most buzz/noise fronts that come and go, this one didn't start in the marketing department.

Editorial: Scramble that data! by Rich Castagna

Hot Spots: The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure: Help for storage teams by Brian Babineau
New FRCP regulations, in addition to other compliancy requirements, have led many IT departments to deploy enterprise search within business apps such as ecommerce and custom portal software. But these search apps can also be leveraged to make good use of the treasure trove of information that's sitting idle within enterprise storage systems.

Best Practices: Will your data recovery strategy work for DR? by Ashish Nadkarni
A simple data recovery solution is one that has the least amount of customization and is implemented with out-of-the-box technologies. If you need to create full-time positions to support your data recovery solution, it's time for a reality check.

Storage Bin: EMC's big boost for its competitors by Steve Duplessie
VMware has opened more doors for old and new players alike than any other movement in the last decade. And once a door opens, all sorts of things can come in.

Editorial: Backup done right and not so right by Rich Castagna

Hot Spots: The inevitability of tape encryption by Jon Oltsik
In the near future, encryption technologies will closely mirror the old "death and taxes" cliché as one of those things that are inevitable. Approximately 25% of enterprises have gotten the encryption message, but the vast majority are still on the sidelines.

Best Practices: The ultimate archiving challenge by James Damoulakis
Given current practices, it's questionable whether electronic information created and stored today will be usable 10 years or 15 years from now. The steps we take now will greatly affect the magnitude of the problem facing us (or our successors) in the future.

Storage Bin: Boring is good by Steve Duplessie
They may not be the sexy new technologies of the moment, but boring "vision" tools that provide insight and report on storage infrastructure are as necessary to your environment as ensuring that the system you run is getting power from the wall.

Editorial: People and power by Rich Castagna

Hot Spots: Database archiving to the rescue by Brian Babineau
More information privacy laws, record-retention regulations and data growth pose a challenge to database and storage groups.

Best Practices: The science of storage management by Ashish Nadkarni
Consistency and standardization are the keys to a disciplined storage operation. How much you can achieve depends on the size of your operation and the resources you have available.

Storage Bin: It's time to change the way you think about data by Steve Duplessie
The dynamic store is about speed and redundancy, while the persistent store is about infinite dynamic infrastructure, the ability to find things easily and an autonomous self-managing/self-healing infrastructure. Stop trying to make one into the other.

Editorial: Backup will get easier ... by Rich Castagna

Hot Spots: Time to learn from Microsoft's mistakes by Jon Oltsik
Security is a cradle-to-grave commitment that spans products, processes and personnel. Microsoft has proved that you can turn on a dime and remedy security shortcomings, and now some leading storage vendors are following its example.

Best Practices: Protecting SharePoint data
SharePoint's collaboration framework is gaining in popularity, but it has a number of data protection challenges that can result in significant levels of complexity rather quickly. Storage and data protection groups must work with application teams to plan an effective data protection strategy.

Storage Bin: 50 years of right is now very wrong by Steve Duplessie
A huge portion of the issues we face today in storage and throughout our infrastructure are caused by us trying to use the same systems, architectures and methodologies we're used to for data that has all new requirements.

Editorial: Top 10 reasons to find another vendor by Rich Castagna
Top 10 reasons to find another vendor

Hot Spots: Remote workers, stand up and be counted by Brian Babineau
Remote-office workers need to share their experiences with corporate IT because there are many different issues associated with working remotely and a wide range of products to address those problems.

Best Practices: Balance workloads with RAID types by Ashish Nadkarni
Vendors will tell you how beautifully parity-based RAID works in their storage subsystems, making it almost unnecessary to use any type of striped/mirrored RAID protection. But if you don't match the workload profile of the application to how storage is provisioned in the array, you could wind up with a poorly balanced system.

Storage Bin: Duplessie's theory of evolution by Steve Duplessie
Evolutionary changes in the storage world have opened the door to scores of smaller companies. Some of these startups have seized the opportunity, taking advantage of the current market dynamics. Good for them; but it's even better for you, with more choice and innovation than we've seen in a long time.

Editorial: Who will run the storage shop? by Rich Castagna
Who will run the storage shop?

iSCSI: Learn it or be left behind by Jon Oltsik
Thought you might get by without considering iSCSI storage? Think again. With continuous progress on the iSCSI protocol and steadily improving products, the technology is now gaining enterprise stature. Savvy users should prepare themselves now for iSCSI.

Are backups a waste of time? by James Damoulakis
Data protection is now much more specialized due to increased user expectations and new technology options. We need to rethink the way we approach risk and risk-related services.

We're in the midst of some seismic shifts in the storage world by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: Changes in the tech world can evolve subtly or may hinge on a big, revolutionary event. Either way, we're in the midst of some seismic shifts in the storage world, and both vendors and IT pros will have to adjust to a new world order.

Two smart guys by Rich Castagna
Two smart guys

Are you taking the iSCSI plunge? by Tony Asaro
iSCSI has grown from a theoretical standard into a real technology with real storage products. Although once considered by many to be a Fibre Channel killer, iSCSI has gained a substantial foothold without necessarily displacing Fibre Channel. Companies of all sizes are taking the plunge, and the iSCSI juggernaut appears to be unstoppable.

From worm to worst by Stephen Foskett
Everyone thinks about online data in the same way: You write it, read it, rewrite it and keep it forever. But many organizations have far more data that's written once, read a few times and kept alive forever. You might say this bulk data is "write once, read several times" (WORST), and it can bloat your storage environment.

Latest technological innovations coming from Europe by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: If you want to know where the latest technological innovations are coming from, go to Europe.

Classified data: For your eyes only by Rich Castagna
Classified data: For your eyes only

New storage standards from The Trusted Computing Group by Jon Oltsik
The Trusted Computing Group is a security standards body now venturing into the storage world. The group is about to release a spec that promises to provide a secure foundation that storage management vendors and users can leverage to improve the protection of stored data.

Back to DR planning basics by James Damoulakis
Business-impact analysis and planning is a necessary first step in preparing a disaster recovery plan. Without it, the likelihood of either overspending or coming up with an incomplete solution is highly probable.

Storage virtualization technologies have been purchased and implemented successfully for years by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: Storage virtualization technologies have been purchased and implemented successfully for years. The rest of the IT infrastructure must try to catch up and, ultimately, the only thing not virtualized within the data center will be the last guy standing.

Editorial: May the force be with you by Rich Castagna

Data backup versus data archiving by Brian Babineau
Companies should split backup and archiving into two separate initiatives to help them differentiate between copying data for recovery, and retaining data for future reference and retrieval.

Is it really a disaster? by Stephen Foskett
Was it really a disaster after all? It's important to distinguish operational recovery from disaster recovery because the tools and techniques used in each situation can differ significantly.

Recent storage company IPOs remind us that fast and loose spending isn't behind us by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: Just when we thought the fast and loose spending of the dot-com bubble was well behind us, a few recent storage company IPOs remind us that we really haven't gotten a lot smarter.

Waste millions of dollars or start archiving by Rich Castagna
Waste millions of dollars or start archiving

Tape encryption strategies by Jon Oltsik
Companies need to take a more strategic approach to tape encryption by building a services-based architecture that can meet today's needs and scale to accommodate future needs.

How to better connect storage to the business by James Damoulakis
We can learn from manufacturing processes and use a supply chain to storage to better align it with strategic business goals. To implement this model, a storage services plan needs to be multidimensional and encompass performance, availability, data protection, data movement and migration, and data retention.

A new startup promises recordless e-mail by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: A new startup promises recordless e-mail. Is this a stroke of genius that will reward the company with billions of Internet bucks, or is it the end of the world as we know it?

All-in-one backup by Rich Castagna
All-in-one backup

Outsourcing email archiving: the pros and cons by Brian Babineau
Outsourcing your e-mail archiving is a good alternative if you want to avoid the hassle of implementing archiving yourself. But right now, service providers are falling short and need to expand their product portfolios to meet user demands.

Untangling the encryption chain by Stephen Foskett
In many companies, data that should be safeguarded against loss or theft isn't getting encrypted. The main reason why so many storage managers are shying away from encryption is that they don't understand how it functions within the storage infrastructure.

Users don't care about storage and data, they only care about their own applications by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: Users don't care about storage and data, they only care about their own applications, so it's essential to deliver IT as a transparent service.

A whole new ballgame? by Rich Castagna
A whole new ballgame?

Rethinking data protection strategies by Heidi Biggar
Thirty-one percent of organizations say they'll experience significant revenue loss or another adverse business impact within one hour or less of application downtime--it's no wonder organizations are "rethinking" their data protection strategies.

Backup best practices are always evolving by James Damoulakis
Some new advances in backup, such as virtual tape libraries, represent evolutionary enhancements to the traditional backup process, while others like continuous data protection and single-instance storage are potentially far more transformational.

What's scarier--not being able to recover your data or recovering a smoking gun or two? by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: What are you most afraid of? Not being able to successfully recover your data or finding out that you can get it all back--but that you also recovered a smoking gun or two?

New backup techs need new thinking by Rich Castagna
New backup techs need new thinking

Getting started with encryption key management by Jon Oltsik
You've probably come to realize the importance of encryption in securing your storage environment. To do the job right, you don't have to become a security guru, but you do need to learn about encryption key management. Here's how to get started.

10 points to consider before deploying an e-mail archive by Dick Benton
Selecting an e-mail archiving application based solely on features and functions may result in unexpected administration costs. Consider these 10 points before deploying an e-mail archiver.

Some small tech upstarts might play big roles by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: The big storage vendors are always trying to steal a piece of each other's pie. But some small tech upstarts might play big parts in determining who comes out on top.

The wide world of tech support by Rich Castagna
The wide world of tech support

Getting started with database archiving by Brian Babineau
E-mail archiving gets a lot of the attention these days, but databases shouldn't be overlooked. Database administrators end up managing old and unchanging data within their production databases, so backups are constantly protecting data that hasn't changed.

How to count the cost of storage by Stephen Foskett
The cost of each gigabyte of storage is declining rapidly in every segment of the market. Enterprise storage today costs what desktop storage did less than a decade ago. So why are overall costs increasing?

More than 50% of the time electronic discovery requests aren't satisfied. by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: In the last year, 91% of large corporations have been through an electronic discovery request. Thirty-three percent of these companies go through one or more requests per month, while 66% of midmarket companies have the same issue. And more than 50% of the time, the requests aren't satisfied.

Standards efforts undermined by Rich Castagna
Standards efforts undermined

What is Information lifecycle security management? by Jon Oltsik
Information lifecycle security (ILS) is a new approach to securing data based on the value of the content. ILS defenses change over time as information ages and its value decreases.

Looking for disk in all the wrong places by James Damoulakis
If your shop is inundated by a steady stream of requests for more storage, you need to get control of your company's storage consumption. To understand the problem, you have to examine the overall request and provisioning process and recognize the roles that data management and protection policies play.

The storage show season is gearing up with lots of interesting vendor news by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: The storage show season is gearing up. With lots of interesting vendor news, legions of users attending and a juicy rumor or two, these storage soirees aren't just informative--they're fun, too.

The big switch by Rich Castagna
The big switch

A look at data classification products for e-discovery by Brian Babineau
New technology products that look inside data can help you classify and manage that data more effectively. But these tools can also be leveraged for e-discovery, allowing specific data to be found and acted upon quickly to satisfy legal requirements.

The rise of the ultra-dense array by Stephen Foskett
Disk drives are getting smaller and smaller even as their capacities rise. Now storage vendors are packing more disks than ever into smaller spaces, which saves costly data center real estate. But the denser arrays also have a downside--higher power consumption and more heat.

Time to think outside the box when it comes to data protection by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: The concept of "That's the way we've always done it" isn't going to work anymore, and it sure won't help you build an efficient disaster recovery plan. It's time to think outside the box when it comes to data protection.

The heat is on by Rich Castagna
The heat is on

Data storage security trends by Jon Oltsik
2005 was a big year for storage security, with major vendors doing more than just paying lip service. Vendors are beginning to integrate security into new products or add encryption capabilities. But there's a lot more to do in 2006 to build a secure storage infrastructure.

ILM isn't just tiered storage by James Damoulakis
Storage tiers are the first step toward true information lifecycle management. But they're only a small step—the key to ILM success is aligning your data with its business value.

Vendors need to create products specifically for SMBs by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: All too often, storage vendors treat small- to medium-sized businesses as second-class citizens. SMBs have the same needs as enterprises, so rather than giving them hand-me-downs, vendors need to create products specifically for this group. Vendors just might find that those products have the features that enterprises want, too.

Storage tears by Rich Castagna
Storage tears

Disaster Recovery Extra: Editorial by Rich Castagna

Deploying Intelligent Information Management applications by Brian Babineau
By deploying Intelligent Information Management applications, organizations can improve resource management by eliminating the storage of duplicate data, reduce risk by quickly responding to discovery requests, comply with record-retention and privacy regulations, and restore the right data faster.

Misplaced priorities by Stephen Foskett
In this age of compliance and despite well-publicized cases of data theft, a recent security survey from GlassHouse Technologies indicates that few companies are paying much attention to storage security.

The winners of Storage magazine's Products of the Year were surprising by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: The winners of Storage magazine's Products of the Year were surprising, as so few of them were big-name storage vendors. Here's Steve Duplessie's take on the subject.

Standards or product development? by Rich Castagna
Standards or product development?

Continuous data protection technology trends in storage by Jon Oltsik
Continuous data protection (CDP) has great potential benefits, but it shouldn't be viewed as an isolated technology widget. Rather, CDP should be treated as a little piece of a much more profound process and business change.

Virtual reality: The inevitability of storage virtualization by Jim Damoulakis
Storage virtualization has been a controversial subject for years. But now that we know the technology actually works, what's keeping it from widespread adoption?

IT vendors have spent more time and money helping to inflate the tech bubble than on building successful products by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: For a few years, the IT vendor world spent more time and money helping to inflate the tech bubble than on building successful products. When the bubble burst, it put us in a hole that we're only now digging our way out of.

This is only a test by Rich Castagna
This is only a test

How safe is your archived data? by Jon Oltsik
With government regulations like HIPAA and SEC 17a-4, archiving has become a global requirement. But how safe is all that archived data?

A toaster oven in the data center by Stephen Foskett
The midrange array market may still be hot, but storage managers are wary of getting burned. While midrange vendors keep piling on the features, storage pros are becoming disenchanted with midrange systems despite their more modest price tags.

Marriott's lost tapes are just the latest in a string of high-profile storage snafus by Steve Duplessie
Storage bin: Marriott's lost tapes are just the latest in a string of high-profile storage snafus. But with plenty of viable security solutions available, there's simply no excuse for these very public blunders.

Startups and standards by Rich Castagna
Startups and standards

No more dodging storage security by Jon Oltsik
You may have been dodging the issue for some time, but in 2006, storage security will finally get the attention it requires from vendors, analysts and even users.

Cut big backups down to size by James Damoulakis
Disk-based backup can help companies struggling with the inefficiencies of tape, but you may experience sticker shock at the cost of moving to disk. Data-reduction technologies can trim backup data down to size, and make the price of disk a little easier to swallow.

2005 was a remarkable and productive year in storage by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: 2005 was a remarkable and productive year in storage.

New demands, new opportunities by Rich Castagna
New demands, new opportunities

The next phase of storage networking by Mark Schlack
The next phase of storage networking.

Storage trends for 2006: iSCSI and security by Jon Oltsik
Part one of Jon Oltsik's predictions for the top storage trends of 2006 are revealed. Keep an eye on smart storage networks, iSCSI and security.

Get ready for real ILM by Stephen Foskett
ILM product initiatives today generally amount to little more than repackaging old products with new names, says Stephen Foskett. But you can still get ready for real ILM with tiered storage, consolidation and a service-oriented approach.

How old are your data backup tapes?
How old are your data backup tapes?

Storage market is a soap opera by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: The storage market is a soap opera filled with subplots and backstabbing. But trying to win business by lying about your competitor's product or service is a loser's maneuver.

Low risk or low gain? by Mark Schlack
Low risk or low gain?

The business aspect of data storage security by Jon Oltsik
Storage professionals are finally beginning to pay attention to security, but they need to consider risk from a business perspective and include people, processes and technologies in their assessments.

CDP poised to replace traditional backup methods by Jim Damoulakis
Continuous data protection (CDP) applications are quickly becoming a force in the backup market. In fact, CDP is poised to replace traditional backup methods.

How many backup apps do you have?
How many backup apps do you have?

How good is your disaster recovery plan by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: Just how good is your disaster recovery plan? That is, if you even have one. But even the best-laid plans may fail in the face of overwhelming disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and Sept. 11.

Keeping the connected world connected by Mark Schlack
Keeping the connected world connected

Getting serious about data storage security by Jon Oltsik
A new survey indicates that recent high-visibility security breaches have caused storage managers to take storage security seriously.

Who should control the SAN? by Stephen Foskett
There's a tug-of-war going on over the storage network. Network people want to manage it, and so does the storage staff. But who should control the SAN?

Do you set disk quotas?
Do you set disk quotas?

Storage Bin: Behind the scenes by Steve Duplessie
Some small startups are smart, and they're responsible for much of today's storage innovation. But the storage giants might be even smarter—they're selling the startups' products.

Nothing but backup by Rich Castagna
Nothing but backup

Microsoft gets serious about storage with Data Protection Manager
Data Protection Manager--a new product from Microsoft--proves once again that Microsoft should be taken seriously when it comes to storage.

Vital steps for creating an effective compliance strategy
Regulatory compliance isn't just about data retention. To ensure your compliance plan can stand up to an audit, consider these vital steps for creating an effective compliance strategy.

How to store huge amounts of data in a smaller box by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: We've finally discovered how to store huge amounts of data in a smaller box. Now we just have to figure out how to find it all.

Is your job about to change? by Mark Schlack
Is your job about to change?

Behind the firewall
EMC acquires Rainfinity in fire sale ... VoIP and SATA arrays inflate storage archives ... Who won the bid for HP's new midrange tape library?

Snapshot: Full data backups
How often do you do full backups?

Why Windows is storage-friendly by Stephen Foskett
It's time to take Windows' storage features seriously. Two key technologies-Multipath I/O and the Volume Shadow Copy Service-demonstrate why Windows is much more storage-friendly than people think.

Behind the firewall
Engenio turning NetApp business away ... EMC's Invista meets Maranti's CoreStor switch ... Intel and LeftHand bond.

Wanted: Better support by Mark Schlack
Wanted: Better support

Getting serious about storage resource management tools by Jon Oltsik
Times have changed. Storage resource management tools--once dismissed as hype--are becoming more and more useful.

Smaller storage companies have proven that they can innovate by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: A handful of big companies dominate much of the storage market, but some of the smaller guys have proven that they can innovate and have caught the eye of savvy storage managers.

Snapshot: Multiple SAN fabrics common
How big is your SAN?

When consolidation doesn't bring integration by Mark Schlack
When consolidation doesn't bring integration

Behind the firewall
Invista: What's in a name? ... Apple slicing up its business ... Can you spare $500,000 for a Magic Quandrant?

Storage security basics by Jon Oltsik
Is your firm focusing on performance and availability instead of security? Do you consider security "someone else's job"? If you answered "Yes" to these questions, you need a storage security wake-up call.

Adopting an internal service provider or utility model by James Damoulakis
Aligning policies and processes is a significant stride toward building a consolidated service provider model.

Storage Bin: The new vendor conundrum by Steve Duplessie
Security and privacy are giant data issues. Vendors who speak the new "solutions" language, and deliver products that offer encryption functionality, will steal market share from those who don't.

Snapshot: Disaster recovery plan development
Do you have a DR plan?

Virtual appeasement by Mark Schlack
Virtual appeasement

Behind the firewall
StorageTek for sale? ... Cisco still bypassing disk ... Iron Mountain or Sandy Slope? ... Centera's space issue.

Hot Spots by Jon Oltsik
Storage networks are no longer the playground of the digital elite. Many smaller organizations are now deploying SANS, but they should proceed with caution.

Performance indicators to help you hone your storage environment by Stephen Foskett
Metrics can improve your organization's service and user satisfaction. Here are some key performance indicators that will help you hone your storage environment.

Storage Bin: Not invented where? by Steve Duplessie
The single biggest hurdle to IT professionals getting their hands on new technology is the "Not Invented Here" syndrome.

Snapshot: Snapshots for data protection
Do you take snapshots?

Realigning the stars by Mark Schlack
Realigning the stars

Moving from tape to disk: A six-step guide by Jon Oltsik
The benefits of disk-based backup are appealing, but moving from tape to disk takes planning. These six tips will help you build a solid game plan to ease your transition.

10 reasons why your DR plan could be in trouble by James Damoulakis
Is your firm's DR plan more talk than action? Here are 10 reasons why your DR plan could be in trouble.

Storage Bin: The changing role of tape by Steve Duplessie
Respondents to a recent ESG survey said they've replaced, or will consider replacing, tape with disk.

Snapshot: Encrypting backup data
Do you encrypt your backup?

Signs of progress by Mark Schlack
Signs of progress

Behind the Firewall
EMC auditioning for the tape encryption bandwagon ... Veritas Backup Exec: Get out your crystal ball ... Has Adaptec bailed on its iSCSI business?

Storage security policies for data backups and tape by Jon Oltsik
If you think host security is more than adequate to protect your storage, think again. Your backup and tape rotation practices could be putting your data at risk.

Tap into Windows' hidden resources to make it enterprise-worthy by Stephen Foskett
Windows often gets a bad rap when it comes to storage, but you can tap into Windows' hidden resources to make it more enterprise-worthy.

Storage Bin: The devil is in the details by Steve Duplessie
"Close" isn't good enough for disaster recovery and security planning. Overlooking what might seem to be a minor detail could result in major consequences.

Snapshot: Remote office storage management
How do you manage remote office storage?

What's next for HP? by Mark Schlack
What's next for HP?

Behind the Firewall
HP's search for a new CEO ... Xiotech explores its customers' IP storage and ILM needs ... VMware defending its turf?

Network-attached storage appliances: Not just for consumers by Jon Oltsik
Smart storage managers will keep an eye on the emerging consumer market for NAS appliances. The developments there are likely to bubble up to SMBs and enterprises.

Replicating data using host-based replication
Replicating data using storage controller-based and network-based products may be the most popular options, but don't overlook host-based replication. Here's why.

Storage Bin: Who's hot and who's not? by Steve Duplessie
The storage industry has regained some of its momentum—but it's not just the big players who are heating up. Persistence has paid off for smaller companies with big ideas.

Snapshot: Storage purchasing
Why did you make your last storage purchase?

A new generation of storage networking by Mark Schlack
A new generation of storage networking.

Behind the Firewall
Cisco opts for EMC, gives NetApp the cold shoulder ... Digi-Data looking for new direction ... Brocade and Cisco prey on McData-CNT merger doubt.

New data storage trends: Networked information service by Jon Oltsik
The storage game has undergone a radical change, with storage hardware and software now being transformed into a networked information service.

Mitigating risk is challenging and can be very expensive by Dick Benton
Identifying risks and taking preemptive action seems like a common-sense task, but mitigating risk is challenging and can be very expensive.

Storage Bin: Speak plainly, please by Steve Duplessie
For the new year, let's translate erroneous and misleading vendor babble into plain, simple English.

Snapshot: Managing storage for legacy systems
How do you manage storage for legacy systems?

Thumbs down on Veritas merger by Mark Schlack
Thumbs down on Veritas merger

Behind the Firewall
Cisco users vent their frustration ... EMC keeps it in the family ... DataCore: New owner or new prospects?

Storage efficiency tips for the year ahead by Jon Oltsik
Start the New Year off right with these five suggestions on how to run a more efficient storage shop.

Stop worrying about managing data growth and just do it by James Damoulakis
If you think data is growing at a fast rate now, wait until new technologies like RFID and XML take hold.

Smart storage people still aren't demanding standards by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: It boggles the mind to think that smart storage people still aren't demanding standards.

Snapshot: Successful data backups
How confident are you of your backups?

A glimpse of the future by Mark Schlack
A glimpse of the future

Behind the Firewall
NetApp makes a believer out of SAP ... Is Zantaz too cool for SMBs? ... Is Cisco giving away product?

Data storage trends: Information lifecycle management by Jon Oltsik
Looking forward to 2005

The storage revolution by Stephen Foskett
The storage revolution

IBM takes a step forward by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: IBM takes a step forward

Snapshot: Remote mirroring for data
Do you mirror your data remotely?

Editorial: Common sense triumphs by Mark Schlack
Common sense triumphs

Behind the firewall
Low-cost drives not created equal ... Microsoft checks out PolyServe ... Regulation rouses interest in data encryption.

Hot Spots: Bring disaster recovery home by Jon Oltsik
Disaster recovery services offer convenience and economy, but they may not protect your company's data sufficiently--maybe it's time to bring DR back in-house.

Best Practices: Backup operations redux by James Damoulakis
Readers comments on July's column on 10 steps for better backups raise some new issues.

Storage bin: A business with a heart by Steve Duplessie

Snapshot: Network-based storage services
Do you run network-based storage services?

Editorial: Storage sylin's by Mark Schlack
Storage stylin's

Behind the firewall
EMC's troubled sales team ... Odd naming conventions.

Hot Spots: Remote control by Jon Oltsik
Letting remote and branch offices deal with storage security on their own is courting disaster.

Best Practices: Get your storage management group up and running by Stephen Foskett
Follow this methodical plan to build an effective storage management group with clearly defined responsibilities.

Storage Bin: Einstein was an awful shortstop by Steve Duplessie
Einstein was an awful shortstop

Snapshot: Implementing iSCSI storage systems
Will you implement iSCSI?

The question to the answer by Mark Schlack
The question to the answer

Behind the firewall
EMC sales reps pushing Clariion ... No iSCSI target code for Windows 2000 ... No Engenio IPO for now.

Best practices: Tackling storage provisioning by James Damoulakis and Dick Benton
Before you even think of provisioning new storage, it's essential to create specific procedures for this multilevel process.

Storage Bin: Cool summer storage news by Steve Duplessie
End-of-summer storage news.

Snapshot: Backup up desktop data
Is anyone backing up desktops?

Hot Spots: Protecting the unprotected by Jon Oltsik
You've been warned: Unprotected laptops may be putting your company's data at risk.

Channeling storage problems by Mark Schlack
Channeling storage problems

Behind the firewall
DataCore and Stonefly terminal? ... Quantum's SDLT 600 not shipping soon ... EMC's Clariion a bargain?

Data storage trends: Fabric intelligence by Jon Oltsik
Fabric intelligence is certainly still in the early stages, but there's overwhelming evidence that suggests it's a good idea.

Best practices by Stephen Foskett
Here's how to distinguish best practices in storage from sloppy ideas and unproven methods.

Innovative smaller companies are ready to topple the storage giants by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: There's many innovative smaller companies out there that are ready to topple the storage giants.

Snapshot: Reusing tape cartridges
Reusing tape cartridges

Focus on the basics by Mark Schlack
Focus on the basics

Behind the firewall
Is Nimbus a misnomer? ... More changes in HP's storage group ... EMC keeping PowerPath support secrets?

Long-distance data storage by Jon Oltsik
Long-distance storage seems to be on everyone's mind lately.Here's what you can do to make sure you're ready.

10 simple rules for better backup by James Damoulakis
Whatever backup technology you use, you still need to follow the fundamentals. Here are 10 simple rules for better backup.

Ignore the information lifecycle management hype by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: Ignore the information lifecycle management hype--backup and restore are still the real problem in 95% of IT shops.

Snapshot: Technical support for storage systems
How is Your Field Support?

And now for something new by Mark Schlack
And now for something new

Behind the firewall
EMC outsourcing ... NetApp NearStor mania.

Disaster recovery planning: Ensuring success by Jon Oltsik
So much can go wrong with disaster recovery. What can you do to ensure all goes well?

Five rules to help you build a storage strategy by Stephen Foskett
Metcalfe's law explains how the Internet works. But what about storage? Here are five rules to help you build a storage strategy.

Give startups a chance. by Steve Duplessie
Storage bin: All Steve is saying is give startups a chance.

Snapshot: Virtual servers and storage
Virtual server technology.

Veritas' StorageCentral formidable storage resource management application by Darryl Brooks
Veritas' StorageCentral may be Windows-only, but it's still a formidable storage resource management application.

Putting storage security policies in place with information life cycle management by Jon Oltsik
Vendors promise that in the future, ILM will make your life easier, but it ignores security. Start putting security policies in place now.

Get ready for Sarbanes-Oxley by James Damoulakis
This November, a new portion of Sarbanes-Oxley will go into effect. Here's how to set up the right storage management practices so your organization will be ready.

Disaster recovery for the masses by Steve Duplessie
Storage bin: Disaster recovery for the masses may be a reality in the not-so-distant future.

Dinosaurs walk the Earth by Mark Schlack
Dinosaurs walk the Earth

Snapshot: Storage certifications
Are You Certified For Storage?

Behind the firewall
EMC is going iSCSI ... HDS is in step with disk backup ... Build your own NAS? ... NetApp's OnTap OS experiencing code confusion ... SNIA has free stuff for you.

Intelligent confusion by Mark Schlack
Intelligent confusion

Storage vendors need to start thinking about security by Jon Oltsik
Everyone--except storage vendors--is concerned about security these days. Here's how to get them thinking in the right direction.

How many storage admins do you need? by Stephen Foskett
When creating your dedicated storage management group, there are better ways to determine staff levels than relying on a simplistic metric based on the number of terabytes per manager.

Storage vendors should have knocked EMC down when they had the chance by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: Storage vendors should have knocked EMC down when they had the chance. Now, it may be too late.

Snapshot: Number of terabytes of disk capacity managed
How Many Terabytes Do You Manage?

Why don't storage managers consider renting storage? by Darryl Brooks
Your pack-rat neighbor uses public storage to stash belongings that don't fit in his tiny townhouse. So why don't storage managers consider renting storage?

Behind the firewall
Desktop-class Fibre Channel to replace ATA and SATA? ... LTO getting wormy? ... Open fabric management delayed until 2005 ... Cisco MDS switch not working as well as expected ... EMC launching tape.

Behind the firewall
LSI Logic and StorageTek team up for storage arrays ... EMC lures users from Veritas with freebies ... ILM backlash begins ... Brocade's Meteor will descend from the heavens soon.

Less tape talk, more tape testing by Mark Schlack
Less tape talk, more tape testing

The benefits of application-specific storage by Jon Oltsik
In order to reap the benefits of application-specific storage, storage managers need to communicate with IT and business managers to gain a better understanding of their storage needs.

Creating effective data storage policies by Stephen Foskett
It's essential to create sound strategic, tactical and organizational policies to keep your organization from running amuck.

Companies are doing interesting things with object-based storage that might make ILM useful. by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: So far, all of the ILM talk has been fluff. But there are some companies that are doing interesting--and potentially revolutionary--things with object-based storage that might make ILM useful.

Snapshot: Do You Boot From the SAN?
Do You Boot From the SAN?

Review of Computer Associates' BrightStor Enterprise Backup software by Darryl Brooks
We review Computer Associates' BrightStor Enterprise Backup software. It distinguishes itself from other backup products with its high performance and uncomplicated administration.

How to get the best service for the least amount of money by Darryl Brooks
Bringing in outside consultants and engineers can be risky. Read this article to find out how to get the best service for the least amount of money.

Hot data storage startups by Jon Oltsik
There's finally some good economic news in the IT world, so perhaps it's time to investigate new storage startups. This article details the most innovative startups in the industry today.

Geeks and spies are running storage security by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: Geeks and spies--not business people--are running storage security, and that's not a good thing.

Implementing new data storage technologies by Stephen Foskett
There are many new technologies that you may want to try, but you need to implement them with new processes and procedures to maximize the benefits these new products bring.

Lost world or lost opportunity? by Mark Schlack
Lost world or lost opportunity?

Behind the firewall
Veritas and Legato backup woes ... Cisco fails to foster storage knowledge ... Microsoft is playing musical chairs ... Startup Mendocino gobbles up Vyant's intellectual property.

Snapshot: How is Your SAN Architected?
Cost per megabyte dropped 2 cents in 2003

One-stop shop or flop? by Mark Schlack
One-stop shop or flop?

Behind the Firewall
EMC's billion-dollar spending spree ... Acopia Networks is the talk of the town ... NearStore R150 has disappeared ... Replicus is no more ... Quantum's disk-based backup postponed.

Brocade XPath Technology standard by Darryl Brooks
Brocade has just submitted its XPath Technology to the T11.5 task group to adopt as the new standard for the Fabric Application Interface Standard. Here's a look at how it could change your life.

Get your storage team serious about data storage security by Jon Oltsik
Storage teams are still confused about their place in information security, and security isn't an issue you can afford to ignore. Here's how to organize and empower your team.

Disaster recovery planning on a budget by James Damoulakis
Tips on how to plan a disaster recovery initiative that helps you get the most bang for your buck.

Best and worst list for 2003 by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: Steve Duplessie's best and worst list for 2003.

Snapshot: Using NAS for databases
Do You Store Any Databases On NAS?

What a difference a year makes by Mark Schlack
What a difference a year makes

Behind the firewall
Brocade's future in question ... NetApp loses voting power ... Tape drives and tape media complaints ... EMC searching for a new Dell ... Emulex's acquisition of Vixel is all good news.

Booting from the SAN by Darryl Brooks
Although booting from the SAN isn't a widespread practice, it gives an organization many choices in the way it manages server and storage infrastructures.

Tiered storage: Heterogeneous vs. homogeneous by Stephen Foskett
Tiered storage is a hot idea, but implementing it can be trickier than appears. This article defines the two different approaches--heterogeneous and homogeneous--and helps you choose the strategy you should employ.

How to manage your data storage growth by Jon Oltsik
The growth seen by Hopkinton, MA, the home of EMC, is similar to the challenges faced by IT professionals. Here's how to manage your growing storage town.

EMC and NetApp still think they're competitors by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: EMC and NetApp still think they're competitors; they spend time and money planning defense strategies. Maybe if they paused to think for a minute, they'd see that they're two successful companies growing in vastly different directions.

Snapshot: Single initiator zoning
Do you practice single-initiator zoning?

Bullying vendors and voiceless users by Mark Schlack
Bullying vendors and voiceless users

Insurance company tests its ability to recover by Darryl Brooks
It's been two years since Sept. 11. In this article, an insurance company tests its ability to recover from a similar disaster. How would your company fare?

Creating a model for data backup capacity by James Damoulakis
Creating a model for backup capacity will assist you in forecasting your storage needs for a given budget cycle. This way, you can consolidate your storage purchases and save big bucks.

Creating a comprehensive data storage automation plan by Jon Oltsik
Vendors keep creating new acronyms, but are they doing you any good? Ignore the hype and develop a methodical plan toward a comprehensive storage automation plan to ensure success.

Money machine for storage startups heating up again by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: Amazing but true: The money machine for storage startups is heating up again, but there doesn't seem to be too much correspondence between funding and potentially useful products.

Snapshot: Server disk drives
Which is your standard server disk drive?

Making sense of data storage management options by Stephen Foskett
The key to making sense of the the bewildering amount of storage management products offered today is knowing what you need and ignoring the rest.

Storage and security groups working together by Jon Oltsik
Get ready to meet your new partner. Over the next few years, storage and security groups will be working more closely together.

IT people scrambling for a few bucks while they attempt to tackle monumental tasks by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: At the beginning of a budgeting cycle, poor IT people begin scrambling for a few bucks while they attempt to tackle monumental tasks.

Behind the firewall
Times have changed: Users are raving about IBM's TSM ... A mass exodus from HP's storage group? ... McData buys Nishan on the cheap ... 10Gb products lagging ... Microsoft goes storage.

How to pick the right protocol for your SAN by Darryl Brooks
There are four different protocols for sending long-distance SAN traffic. This article will help you pick the right protocol for your SAN.

The crisis in software by Mark Schlack
The crisis in software

Snapshot: Email archiving
Do You Archive Your E-mail?

Now that the lights are back on... by Mark Schlack
Now that the lights are back on...

Keeping more useless data online by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: We may be keeping more data online than ever before, but we are also keeping more useless data online as well.

Avoiding backup nightmares with data backup reports by James Damoulakis
The key to avoiding common backup nightmares that plague most storage managers is having clearly defined backup reports.

Centralizing remote-office data backup by Jon Oltsik
Centralize your backup, or you may never be able to recover from disasters. You may also fail to comply with federal regulations.

Dense wavelength division multiplexing for disaster recovery by Darryl Brooks
It's been two years now since the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and there are new options for disaster recovery. In this first of a two-part series, we critique DWDM.

Behind the firewall
Will Cisco acquire McData? ... EMC really wants to get into the tape business ... Business is booming at Dot Hill ... Fujitsu Softek's new moniker.

Snapshot: Backup procedures
What's Your Backup Philosophy?

Recovering from a data center disaster by Darryl Brooks
Your worst nightmare -- of your data center suffering a catastrophic disaster -- has come true. Now what?

Getting started with data storage efficiency
Don't get stuck in the old mode of consolidation and miss opportunities for greater efficiency.

More cool technology coming out over the next year than at any other time in storage history by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: Summer thoughts: There's more cool technology coming out over the next year than at any other time in storage history.

Editorial by Mark Schlack
After the winter, what to plant?

Behind the Firewall
Telcos make switch choices ...Why the FBI was at EMC ... Startups to watch ... Tape shows surprising strength.

Do you encrypt your backup tapes?
Do You Encrypt Your Backup Tapes?

Veritas SANPoint Control compared with EMC ControlCenter by Darryl Brooks
In the second part of a two-part article, we review Veritas SANPoint Control and compare it with EMC ControlCenter.

What are your backup, DR and data retention policies? by James Damoulakis
Can you describe your backup, retention and disaster recovery policies? And do they correctly address your business needs?

Intelligence belongs in the network and on the switch by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: Intelligence belongs in the network and on the switch, but it's not going to get there in a jiffy.

How to build a storage security strategy for your enterprise
According to a Morgan Stanley December 2002 survey of 225 CIOs, security spending tops their 10 highest priorities for 2003. This article details how to build a thorough, companywide security strategy.

Is compliance the next killer app? by Mark Schlack
Is compliance the next killer app?

Behind the firewall
Sun and AppIQ place bid for BMC ... Legato has risen from the dead ... Paceline really is dead ... Buzz on EqualLogic's iSCSI arrays ... Could Fibre Channel cut off TOEs?

Snapshot: 4Gb/s Fibre Channel Switches
Would You Buy a 4Gb/s Fibre Channel Switch?

Do you know where you're headed? by Mark Schlack
Do you know where you're headed?

Behind the Firewall
Brocade and Nishan get cozy ... Cash register rings at start-up 3PAR ... Beware of DMX discounts ... Compliance: This year's hot button?

Does EMC ControlCenter live up to its claims? by Darryl Brooks
In the first part of a two-part article, we review EMC ControlCenter. Does it live up to its claims?

Are you keeping your SAN secure? by Stephen Foskett
Are you keeping your SAN secure? Here's a start on process and infrastructure to safeguard your pooled data.

Creating a reference data storage policy
Reference data growth is exploding, but many shops still use high-priced transaction-class storage for it. A smart reference data policy can help you squeeze more out of your storage dollars.

Compliance with government regulations for data retention become a real requirement for storage. by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: Your life might be getting more complicated. Make that will be getting more complicated, as compliance with government regulations for data retention become a real requirement for storage.

Will you favor standards-based storage?
Will You Favor Standards-based Storage?

Finally, a storage user group by Mark Schlack
Finally, a storage user group

Get ready for new storage management tools
You've selected your tools for implementation. Now get ready to deploy them.

Keeping your eyes on all of your devices might require more than just two eyes by Darryl Brooks
Keeping your eyes on all of your devices might require more than just two eyes.

Is HSM ready for open-systems storage? by James Damoulakis
Is HSM ready for open systems or has is it had its day?

The world of storage is healthier than ever by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: Ignore the doomsayers.The world of storage is healthier than ever.

Do you ever test your backups?
Do You Test Your Backups?

Wake-up call for vendors by Mark Schlack
Wake-up call for vendors

Behind the Firewall
Problems with EMC's Control Center ...Whither Legato ... Good news at iotech ... Straightening out FalconStor rumors

Controlling storage capacity
Storage capacity is rapidly growing. Here's how to control it. Hint: Storage management software isn't the answer.

Keep your SAN secure through zoning by Darryl Brooks
Keep your SAN secure through zoning.

Real-world data storage utilization by Stephen Foskett
Stephen Foskett takes a real-world look at how storage is being utilized and the answers are shocking.

Why won't EMC let us time the DMX against the competition by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: Why won't EMC let us time the DMX against the competition?

Will you implement an iSCSI SAN?
Will You Implement an iSCSI SAN?

Data storage consolidation guidelines
Consolidation sounds good, but here are some guidelines to determine if it will work for you. Plus, seven steps to getting it done.

How to block the four paths to your data by Darryl Brooks
Hackers can't get into your SAN? Baloney! Here's how to block the four paths to your data.

What's better for backup: tape or disk? by James Damoulakis
What's better for backup: tape or disk? Both, actually, and here's why. The answers may surprise you.

Annual awards for the best and brightest in the storage industry by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: Steve Duplessie gives out his first annual awards for the best and brightest in the storage industry.

Here we go again by Mark Schlack
Here we go again

What's new with you? by Mark Schlack
What's new with you?

Behind the Firewall
Cisco bandwagon grows ... Does anyone really own a Nexsan? ... Remember when IBM was in storage?

Hot Spots: Storage services groups
Being in tune with your company's initiatives can help you stay afloat in the tidal wave of trends.

Can Brocade's SilkWorm 12000 take the pain out of expanding your SAN? by Darryl Brooks
Can Brocade's SilkWorm 12000 take the pain out of expanding your SAN?

Measuring data storage utlization by Stephen Foskett
If you're figuring your space utilization from the host side, you're getting the wrong answer. Here's how to get a truer utilization picture.

The iSCSI rollout--it's about time. by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: The iSCSI rollout--it's about time.

Snapshot: Where do you store end-user files?
Where Do You Store End-User Files?

Defining a storage services model
Defining an IT services model can help you make better decisions.

Who should be charged with managing your SAN hardware? by Darryl Brooks
Raise your hands: Who should be charged with managing your SAN hardware?

Developing a strategy for data archiving by James Damoulakis
A look at data archiving and the strategy you'll need to ensure you're saving the right information.

LTO might not be long for this world. by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: LTO might not be long for this world.

Keep your eyes open by Mark Schlack
Keep your eyes open.

Snapshot: Who runs your SAN?
Who's Responsible for Your SAN?

Behind the firewall
Netliant going to the dogs ... JNI dumps InfiniBand ... The British aren't coming, The British aren't coming ... McData vs. Brocade: No love lost.

Out with the old, in with the new by Mark Schlack
Out with the old, in with the new

Behind the firewall
Where's Legato? ... CA finally gets its due ... Will spin out iSCSI disk arrays for food.

Creating a storage services group
Now that you've created a storage services group, it's time to roll it out.

Part two on troubleshooting your SAN. by Darryl Brooks
Part two on troubleshooting your SAN.

Don't let vendor doublespeak prevent you from innovating by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: Don't let vendor doublespeak prevent you from innovating.

SNIA's new heterogeneous storage management solution by Stephen Foskett
SNIA is promising a new solution that manages heterogeneous storage environments. Will it deliver?

Snapshot: Deploying IP storage technology
Will you deploy IP storage technology?

Time to sign up by Mark Schlack
Time to sign up.

Behind the firewall
Latest Veritas follies ... Switch guys duke it out ... Cisco's big secret ... Yikes! Gadzoox lives ... Microsoft makes SCSI.

Hot Spots: Create a storage services group now by Jon Oltsik
Our new columnist looks at creating a storage services group.

Guidelines to troubleshooting your SAN. by Darryl Brooks
Guidelines to troubleshooting your SAN.

Pick the right database backup option by James Damoulakis
Pick the right database backup option.

Integration by James Damoulakis
Pick the right database backup option.

It still comes down to good old backup and restore by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: After all these years, it still comes down to good old backup and restore.

Do you use 1Gb/s or 2Gb/s switches?
Do you use 1Gb/s or 2Gb/s switches?

What are they thinking? by Mark Schlack
What are they thinking?

Behind the firewall
Legato still waiting for buyer ... McData joining the midrange switch game? ... Microsoft sacks StorageNetworks.

It's not all gloom and doom for the storage industry. by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: It's not all gloom and doom for the storage industry.

Lower your costs by implementing enterprise-class libraries by Darryl Brooks
Lower your costs by implementing enterprise-class libraries

The good--and bad--of storage vendor independence by Stephen Foskett
The good--and bad--of vendor independence.

Snapshot: Block-based storage
How much of your data is block-based?

Innovating carefully by Mark Schlack
Innovating carefully

Snapshot: What do you want from storage vendors?
What do you want from storage vendors?

Andiamo: Now you see it, now you don't by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin - Andiamo: Now you see it, now you don't

Make your SAN administrator's life easier with Brocade's Fabric Manager by Darryl Brooks
Make your SAN administrator's life easier with Brocade's Fabric Manager.

How to select and implement a tape library - effectively by James Damoulakis
Select and implement a tape library - effectively.

Don't sell yourself short by Mark Schlack
Don't sell yourself short.

Snapshot: Using multiple storage array vendors
How many array vendors are in your shop?

Introducing new data storage technologies by Stephen Foskett
Introducing new technology to your department isn't as easy as it sounds.

Avoiding failure in the SAN is easy, back your switch up by Darryl Brooks
Avoiding failure in the SAN is easy - back your switch up.

Where in the world is iSCSI? by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: Where in the world is iSCSI?

Don't get burnt in the fire sale by Mark Schlack
Don't get burnt in the fire sale

Are your backup processes up to snuff?
Are your backup processes up to snuff? Here's how to rate them.

Get creative with scheduling backups by Darryl Brooks
Get creative with scheduling backups.

Get creative with scheduling backups by Darryl Brooks
Get creative with scheduling backups

Give the people what they want - better automation by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin: Give the people what they want - better automation.

Snapshot: How users manage capacity
Do you know how much data you have?

Real problems, virtual solutions by Mark Schlack
Real problems, virtual solutions

Snapshot: Using IDE drives
Would you let IDE store your data?

A further look at business continuance volumes by Stephen Foskett
A further look at business continuance volumes.

Scalable SANs start with good switch links by Darryl Brooks
Scalable SANs start with good switch links

Security - from a storage perspective by Steve Duplessie
Storage Bin - Security - from a storage perspective.

Leopard tries on new spots by Mark Schlack
Leopard tries on new spots

Microsoft needs to get its storage act together by Mark Schlack
Microsoft needs to get its storage act together

Welcome to the first issue of Storage by Mark Schlack
Welcome to the first issue of Storage