Is modular SRM right for you?
Ken Barth
02.17.2005
Rating: -4.50- (out of 5)
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SRM technology can help IT administrators optimize their storage environments and reduce storage management expenditures, but there is no single best answer as to how to deploy an SRM solution. For some organizations, an all-encompassing total enterprise deployment might be the best answer. However, not every organization has the same SRM requirements. The modular SRM model allows IT operations to selectively deploy SRM solutions, in order to target the major storage pain points that are impacting an organization's storage operations, application performance and ultimately, profitability.
Benefits of modular SRM include:
- Price: The pay-as-you-go SRM model enables your organization to solve its most critical storage management problems with immediate payback, but without the budget-busting expense of investing in a complete enterprise SRM solution. Instead, you can build a total solution piece-by-piece as budget allows and end up with an enterprise SRM package over time, if that's what's needed.
- Time-to-deploy: An organization with an urgent storage, server, backup, or application pain point can quickly get that problem resolved with a single targeted SRM module, rather than going through the evaluation, bid and budget approval and extended deployment timeframe required for a total enterprise SRM installation.
- Precision: Modular SRM enables you to deploy an SRM point solution that specifically targets your most serious storage/backup pain points, ensuring that the SRM deployment will actually produce the desired results.
- Modular, but not standalone: The framework of your SRM software must support a management of all deployed modules from a centralized console. At any time, if the organization chooses to add another module or launch an enterprise-wide storage/server/backup resource management initiative, the investment in the existing modules is protected as they always fit together as part of an integrated SRM software suite across the entire heterogeneous storage enterprise.
The cost, time to deployment and targeted pain point resolution make modular SRM an attractive option, enabling organizations to take a modest first step into SRM with an optional compatible growth path into a future full enterprise deployment.
About the author: Ken Barth is president and CEO of Tek-Tools, Dallas, Texas.
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