Question #2

Chirs Poelker identified this function as the killer application for a SAN:

a. Storage management
b. Backup
c. Capacity planning
d. File sharing

The correct answer is:
b. Backup

Learn more:

The vision for SANs is to have multiple applications and multiple systems used in one network. With a SAN, you can have many different data centers all managed in one place which enables your operation to be global in scope. A SAN is a suitable application for mail servers, file server resources, voice and video servers, database servers, and other high-performance application servers used for crm or data warehousing.

Using a SAN for a backup server is a "kiler application" because in a SAN all disks are stored in one central location, external to the server, so you can consolidate all of your data in a centralized location. This allows for better management of your data and it makes it easier to back up your data. In addition, storing your backup data in a place external to your main operation in case of a disaster makes your server less important, in case anything should happen to it. Overall, placing a SAN with all of your backup data external to other operations gives you a better ROI.

Related articles:

  • Expert opines on avoiding the 'ROI trap'
  • Developing ROI and business case support for SANs
  • Storage management strategies to maximize ROI: Customer case studies

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    This was first published in August 2003

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