Utility computing: Get ready to charge for storage

In recent months, the buzz around utility computing by vendors has focused on a broad number of elements, not the least of which is the storage environment. But what may not be as visible is the crucial role storage management will play in this long-term trend. This is not to mention the changes you, the customer, will need to consider in how you manage storage operations -- especially in measuring the financial value of your storage.

Let me first dispell a few myths about what utility computing is and is not. First, utility computing isn't just a marketing gimmick by vendors to get you to buy more stuff. It is a redesign of the fundamental technologies found in the data center today, with the core promise of turning infrastructure components -- such as servers, storage, networks and applications -- into services that IT will be able to charge for, much like traditional utilities. Most of the motivation for doing this comes directly from customers who want to take control of the escalating costs of maintaining their data centers.

The second myth is a little more complex to explain. While significant portions of utility computing and storage are already available today, it will take most of this decade before you'll see utility computing come to fruition across all elements of the data center.

How storage management products fit into utility computing

There are a number of storage management core technologies that will contribute signific

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With few exceptions, many of these technologies are point products that are not well integrated, but you will start to see more of these blend together to address the goal of utility computing. These technologies now include:

Five steps to prepare your operations for the future of utility computing

What should storage customers do now to prepare for the impact of utility computing? Here are some quick suggestions to think about:

About the author: Jamie Gruener is a senior analyst, focused on the server and storage markets for the Yankee Group, an industry analyst firm in Boston, Mass. Jamie's coverage area includes storage management, storage best practices, storage systems, storage networking and server technologies. Jamie answers reader questions related to storage management issues for SearchStorage.com. Do you want to see more articles by Jamie Gruener or insights from other noted industry observers? Visit the complete Bits & Bytes column library.

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