Upon hearing so much buzz about storage provisioning, automated policies and storage area management (SAM) in recent months, I thought I'd do a little digging and see what I turned up around the Web. Here's a starter list or resources for anyone else who's also trying to get up to speed on these emerging SAN management areas:
InterSAN launches SAM software
Assistant News Editor Kevin Komiega did a good job describing the features involved in InterSAN's storage area management (SAM) product, Pathline, released in December 2001. Included in this article is a handy sidebar from Enterprise Storage Group's Nancy Marrone that explains the differences between SAM, storage resource management (SRM) and virtualization.(Dec. 7, 2001)
SOURCE: SearchStorage
http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid5_gci785194,00.html
Four contributors advise on users' SAN management wishes, challenges, SAM
A few of our contributing storage management experts shared what they thought about SAM in our recent discussion day event on storage management. In this Q&A excerpt, you'll read some interesting things from SearchStorage's Storage Management expert and CreekPath Systems' guru Jim Booth, along with Invio Software's Chris Hyrne.
SOURCE: SearchStorage
http://www.searchStorage.com/qna/0,289202,sid5_gci821475,00.html
SAN management issues, and how best to evaluate SAN management software offerings
Expert Marc Farley provides some good insights on which areas he thinks take the most time in SAN management and some good questions to ask prospective SAN management software vendors.
SOURCE: SearchStorage
http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/ateQuestionNResponse/0,289625,sid5_cid447628_tax286191,00.html
Provisioning: What is it?
SearchStorage SAN expert Marc Farley describes his own definition of storage provisioning in a SAN and why we'll be hearing a lot more about it.
SOURCE: SearchStorage
http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/ateQuestionNResponse/0,289625,sid5_cid431602_tax286191,00.html
Policy-based automatic provisioning
Enterprise Management Associates' Anna Skamarock weighs in on the need for automatic provisioning on storage networks. She does a good job describing the need and usage, and gives a great nod of support to InterSAN's Pathline product as one way to solve the current management/provisioning challenges. (Jan. 28, 2002)
SOURCE: Network World
http://www.nwfusion.com/newsletters/stor/2002/01196670.html
Fujitsu Softek virtualization home page
Granted, I am quite easily entertained. But, this site does present a very cool multimedia demo that gently guides the viewer through some of the key issues/limitations involved in managing storage area networks. This demo also describes how virtualization technology, like Fujitsu Softek's line (of course!), can mask the complexity involved. Despite the Fujitsu Softek pitch, it does an excellent job of educating the viewer about some of the issues surrounding the emerging field of virtualization and storage area management (SAM). Be sure to go to the bottom-right column of this home page, under the subhead of "How to Try." The demo can be accessed from a link called "Online Network Storage Pools Interactive Tour."
SOURCE: Fujitsu Softek virtualization home page
http://www.softek.fujitsu.com/en/products/virtualization/
Farley's original 2002 predictions
SAN expert Marc Farley shared his 2002 storage predictions in January including the fact that provisioning will be the new cause celebre.
SOURCE: SearchStorage
http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/ateQuestionNResponse/0,289625,sid5_cid429261_tax286191,00.html
The role of policy-based automated provisioning
The folks at CreekPath Systems use this article to describe the ecosystem involved in getting a storage area management (SAM) application to perform such duties as automatic application of storage network policies and meeting the service level agreements (SLA) of different applications who need access to the a SAN's resources. (Jan. 21, 2002)
SOURCE: SNW Online
http://www.snwonline.com/behind/management_san_01-21-2002.asp?article_id=91
EMC, BMC and Veritas crowned leaders in SAN management
Assistant News Editor Kevin Komiega reported earlier this year on who the Stamford, Conn.-based Gartner Group thought was the best-positioned to take a leadership role in the emerging SAN management market. Keep in mind, this Gartner report was back in November 2001. The company has likely seen more traction by other vendors since this list was compiled. But, it's a great start for readers who want to know the handful of vendors Gartner has been watching. (Jan. 22, 2002)
SOURCE: SearchStorage
http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/ateQuestionNResponse/0,289625,sid5_cid447628_tax286191,00.html
Other resources:
I'm missing literally hundreds of other great references to these technologies and products from our own SearchStorage archives, not to mention many other vendors in this space. So, let your mouse do the walking for you. Consider spending a few hours doing an advanced SearchStorage search for more information:
Run a search on storage area management or SAM
Run a search on storage provisioning
Run a search on virtualization
See also:
Our Best Web Links category on SAN management
Our recent Featured Topic on SAN management
