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Learn to apply best practices and optimize your operations.
Manage
Learn to apply best practices and optimize your operations.
Storage Decisions Downloads: Data Classification Track (S.F. 2007)
Data classification is at the core of nearly all modern storage management techniques and tools. Treating data as information with a specific, classified value to the company will allow storage professionals to manage storage systems more ... Continue Reading
Storage Decisions Session Downloads: Executive Track (San Francisco 2007)
C-level technology executives not only need to know the status of their current operations but meticulously plan for the future. Our "Executive track" sessions give these technologists an idea of where their storage should be and ideas on where it's... Continue Reading
Hot storage technology for 2008
In this month’s issue, learn about this year’s hottest storage technologies. These five storage technologies address storage infrastructure pain points to help your shop meet today’s challenges and beyond. We talk to experts at Storage Networking ... Continue Reading
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Comparing different backup strategies
Review the primary options for backup including direct, network and SAN, and determine which solution is best for your backup strategy. Continue Reading
Brocade: No slowdown in storage spending
Unlike other storage vendors, Brocade execs say they saw no significant reduction in spending from financial services firms last quarter. Continue Reading
Companies try green storage strategies to reduce power consumption
Storage administrators are trying to mitigate the growing problems of power cost and availability by turning to green storage -- a broad mix of technologies and tactics intended to reduce power consumption not only in the data center but across the ...Continue Reading
HP moves to automate storage management
HP's Automated Operations 1.0 suite takes the first step in combining storage resources acquired from AppIQ and Opsware, while integrating storage with other IT management services.Continue Reading
VMware's storage strategy: Simplify management
VMware executive Jon Bock discusses VMware's plans for better integrating its server virtualization software with enterprise storage.Continue Reading
How can RAID address green IT issues and power and cooling challenges?
RAID is a tool. It's one of several tools that you should have in your 'green toolbox' or your power and cooling toolbox, if you will. RAID comes into play when dealing with data that isn't frequently accessed...Continue Reading
How do 'preemptive rebuilds' work? What else can accelerate disk rebuild times?
On one front, rebuild times are actually getting better...Continue Reading
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How do RAID schemes and tactics work with hybrid flash drives?
RAID can be used for availability and for redundancy, but it can also be used for performance...Continue Reading
How to evaluate hardware-based data deduplication products
Learn about the pros and cons of hardware-based data deduplication products and which ones are proving popular, as well as in-band and out-of-band performance issues.Continue Reading
How to mitigate the performance penalties of data encryption software
Learn three tactics that can help you mitigate performance penalties when dealing with data encryption software.Continue Reading
EMC tips hand on data storage product roadmaps
EMC event showcases coming collaboration tools, SaaS and a clustered storage system, while showing its cards for integrating recently acquired technologies.Continue Reading
How to create a SAN performance baseline
To understand SAN performance and what is normal SAN behavior, you must have a performance baseline.Continue Reading
Best Practices: Tackling data migration
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...Continue Reading
New demands, higher salaries for storage pros
Our fifth annual Storage Salary Survey finds that time in the storage trenches is paying off with bigger salaries. However, stress levels and workloads are also rising, as respondents have to manage more storage with less money and increased ...Continue Reading
Report: Midmarket storage pros favor single-vendor strategy
How to integrate iSCSI and Fibre Channel, and make it work
Although companies of every size are embracing iSCSI SAN technology because of its lower cost and relative simplicity, there are situations where iSCSI and Fibre Channel coexistence makes sense. Here are eight best practices for integrating iSCSI ...Continue Reading
RAID turns 20: Do you still need it?
Storage pros are pulling down bugger bucks than ever and some, like Paramount Pictures' Kim Greene, have arrived at their dream jobs. Also in this issue: RAID turns 20: Do you still need it? And how solid state offers cool alternative to hard drives.Continue Reading
Users: Storage security becoming a priority
Storage administrators say that increased regulatory pressures and continued reports of security breaches are forcing upper management to look at new measures for protecting data.data.Continue Reading
How data deduplication works
Chapter one of our data deduplication handbook takes you under the hood to show how data deduplication works so you can maximize the efficiency of this data reduction technology.Continue Reading
How to calculate available disk space on a RAID 5
Storage management expert Ashley D'Costa answers a reader's question: "How do I calculate the disk space available on my RAID 5?"Continue Reading
Data storage advanced-level quiz
Are you up to date on advanced data storage technologies? Take our final exam and evaluate your knowledge of advanced data storage. This final exam isn't for the weak.Continue Reading
How to select a storage capacity planning tool
To select a storage management and capacity planning tool, first calculate how much storage is available and how much of your total storage capacity is actually being used.Continue Reading
Comprehensive guide to data storage management
Today, data centers must manage storage volumes that escalate at annual rates frequently exceeding 60%. Administrators need a versatile and robust suite of tools to report utilization and availability, streamline storage allocation, move data ...Continue Reading
Green storage debate dominates U.K. show
IT managers in the U.K. are faced with reducing IT energy consumption in light of exploding data storage growth.Continue Reading
Download NAS Upgrades Buying Guide: Chapter 2 -- NAS management software
You asked for it, so here it is -- a printable version of our NAS Buying Guide.Continue Reading
Storage Bin: Leaving you in good hands
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 ...Continue Reading
Best Practices: Finding the logic in volume managers
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.Continue Reading
How useful are storage benchmarks?
Most storage vendors like to tout how well their gear performed on benchmark tests, but the results may not always be as they first appear. The benchmarking process can be easily manipulated because of the large number of variables that influence ...Continue Reading
Top 10 tips for capacity management
Storage grid pushes the envelope
What started out as a test-bed project for Network Appliance is now a good example of architecting enterprise storage systems. The vendor's Kilo-Client project showcases how SAN booting and thinly provisioned snapshots can be used in a storage grid ...Continue Reading
Buying update: Storage managers' purchasing plans
The second installment of Storage magazine's 2007 Purchasing Intentions survey reveals some subtle changes in storage managers' buying plans but, for the most part, many storage shops are following through with the goals they laid out in the ...Continue Reading
Slow is OK
Slow is OKContinue Reading
Best practices for expanding or replacing disk arrays
No matter how much storage capacity you squeeze into a disk array, eventually it will run out of room. Tiered storage tactics and data deletion policies can help you stay one step ahead, but no matter what, you'll periodically need additional ...Continue Reading
Oracle NFS client simplifies managing 11g database storage
An NFS client developed by Oracle and NetApp and embedded in version 11g will make life easier for storage administrators managing the database when it's attached to NAS.Continue Reading
How to purchase a data encryption product
Data security is now a critical problem for every company, regardless of size. This buying guide explores the factors involved in purchasing data encryption hardware and software products.Continue Reading
How to reduce response time in a SAN
When it comes to storage area network (SAN) metrics and measurements, such as bandwith, input/output per second (IOPS) and utilization, more is usually better. However, when it comes to response time and latency (the amount of time it takes to ...Continue Reading
Storage Decisions: guide to data storage product news
Vendors at Storage Decisions are launching new NAS systems and data storage technologies such as heterogeneous snapshots and HBA-based authentication. Find out who's unveiling what in New York.Continue Reading
Session downloads from Storage Decisions in NYC
Download all the sessions that were presented to storage professionals at the recent Storage Decisions 2007 conference in New York City on topics such as backup, data protection, archiving, storage virtualization, purchasing patterns, storage ...Continue Reading
How SANs aid backup
The primary motivation for building a SAN is often to meet a pressing need for performance, scalability or both. But today's new SAN buyers are looking for more than performance and scalability; they're interested in better ways of protecting their ...Continue Reading
Storage Decisions Session Downloads: Executive Track (NYC 2007)
C-level technology executives not only need to know the status of their current operations but meticulously plan for the future. Our "Executive track" sessions give these technologists an idea of where their storage should be and ideas on where it's...Continue Reading
Storage Decisions Session Downloads: Architecture Track (NYC 2007)
Data classification is at the core of nearly all modern storage management techniques and tools. Treating data as information with a specific, classified value to the company will allow storage professionals to manage storage systems more ...Continue Reading
3PAR adds tiered storage management tool
The new version of the System Reporter management tool for 3PAR's high-end arrays now includes monitoring for tiered storage environments.Continue Reading
HP sorts out blade storage strategy
HP scraps plans for a backup blade based on software from FilesX but rolls out a blade version of its AiO storage box. It plans another blade next year based on its low-end VTL.Continue Reading
Best Practices: Pull the plug on high energy costs
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 ...Continue Reading
Storage Bin: Shining the green spotlight on storage
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.Continue Reading
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 ...Continue Reading
Ten tips to meet data compliance audits
Here are 10 tips that will help you prepare for, and master, the inevitable data compliance audits.Continue Reading
How to choose and implement a NAS aggregator
Rick Cook details network-attached storage (NAS) aggregator basics, suggests things to consider before implementing a NAS aggregator, and outlines the major players in the market.Continue Reading
How to choose an e-discovery tool
Here is a list of factors to consider when choosing an e-discovery tool.Continue Reading
Onaro adds capacity planning, plans VMware support
Onaro announces new modules for its monitoring and change management software that should allow users to check off some long-standing items on their wish lists.Continue Reading
Top 10 SAN news stories and tips
Back from vacation and need a recap of the most important SAN stories this year? Check out our Top 10 SAN news stories and tips for 2007.Continue Reading
Backup reporting expands to add capacity planning
Aptare adds capacity planning for primary data storage to its product line, joining Symantec in recent attempts to broaden the appeal of reporting software.Continue Reading
Iron Mountain CTO dishes on digital archiving plans
Fred Engel, Iron Mountain's new CTO of digital archiving, is tasked with integrating the company's acquisitions, including a sneaky one it just made in document management.Continue Reading
How to write an archiving program RFP
With so many archiving systems on the market, putting together a request for proposal (RFP) for an archiving program for structured, semistructured or unstructured data is a key step. It's equally important that your team is well-prepared to ...Continue Reading
Document management still a riddle to users
Snapshot: Chargeback still a hard sell
Chargeback still a hard sellContinue Reading
How to purchase the right NAS appliance
NAS appliances are frequently touted for bringing convenience and simplicity to network storage. Appliances include their own dedicated disks for storage and RAID, and most NAS appliances can be upgraded with more or larger disks for additional ...Continue Reading
How to make the right NAS gateway purchasing decisions
NAS gateways overcome the inherent limitations of scale and flexibility by utilizing externally connected storage as external standalone disk arrays. NAS storage capacity is typically expanded by simply adding more disks to the appliance, but this ...Continue Reading
Buying Guide for NAS management software
Learn the key evaluation factors for purchasing NAS management software in this Buying Guide.Continue Reading
NAS management software specifications
Network attached storage (NAS) appliances and gateways must be configured and managed using NAS management software that allows administrators to allocate space, manage RAID and storage behaviors, perform routine maintenance, and other tasks. ...Continue Reading
How to reduce risk with storage security policies
This tip outlines the importance of storage security policies and offers advice on how to make sure your storage security policies reflect real-world storage needs.Continue Reading
How to add more channels to a network
Storage expert Greg Schulz answers a reader's question: "What is the best way to get more channels in my network?"Continue Reading
Data Storage Management Survival School: Table of contents
Data Storage Management Survival School is dedicated to exposing all of the aspects of managing storage and how to optimize your environments to minimize the data management crunch.Continue Reading
New privacy rules may complicate records management
Experts say new bills before Congress and court decisions may further complicate things for U.S. companies already grappling with records retention, compliance and data archiving.Continue Reading
How to increase your storage energy efficiency
You can improve your storage energy efficiency by spinning down and powering off disk drives not in use, placing disk drives into a slower mode and using RAID levels and tiered storage.Continue Reading
Cutting-edge storage technology quiz
Are you considered storage savvy or storage sorry when it comes to the storage technologies available today? Whichever you are, taking our Cutting-edge storage technology quiz will help you to be better prepared heading into the new year.Continue Reading
Editorial: People and power
Best Practices: The ultimate archiving challenge
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 ...Continue Reading
IBM washes hands of IceCube storage project
IBM is spinning out its long overdue next-generation storage system, code-named IceCube, and is seeking $15 million in funding to commercialize the product.Continue Reading
Benefits of third-party data protection and recovery management tools
Mike Bollman of Houston-based Enterprise Products Partners L.P. wanted to be sure his backup app was doing what it's supposed to do, so he opted for a third-party data protection and recovery management tool. Also in this issue, learn how SAS and ...Continue Reading
Storage protocols quiz
Do you know your storage protocols? Would you know a CIFS from a NFS? Take our storage protocols quiz and test your knowledge of networking protocols.Continue Reading
How to choose the correct RAID level
This tip offers nine things to consider when deciding which RAID level is right for your organization's needs.Continue Reading
Iron Mountain buys Accutrac for records management
Continuing its effort to reinvent itself as an online backup and records management company, Iron Mountain announces its second acquisition in this market in as many months.Continue Reading
Storage Decisions Session Downloads (Toronto 2007)
Storage Decisions stepped foot for the first time in Toronto in June of 2007. Here are slide presentations that made their debut at the conference north of the border.Continue Reading
What to expect from a storage audit
This tip outlines the three main types of storage audits, what you stand to gain from each type and offers insight into the audit process.Continue Reading
Storage Bin: It's time to change the way you think about data
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 ...Continue Reading
Best Practices: The science of storage management
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.Continue Reading
Counting the cost of data theft
From disk drives to arrays: A primer on enterprise data storage
Learn about the data storage components that go into an enterprise storage environment, from the basic hard disk drive to RAID, JBOD, disk arrays, clustering and SAN and NAS networked storage.Continue Reading
Canadian storage managers pipe up
Managing remote offices, especially if they are located in the U.S. and governed by regulations not applicable in Canada, is causing headaches for Canadian storage pros.Continue Reading
How to secure laptops in seven steps
This tip outlines seven essential steps for protecting your company's laptops and offers practical advice on what you can do to get beyond the basics and develop a new mindset about laptop security.Continue Reading
LUN management at the heart of SAN configuration
LUNs are the basic vehicle for delivering storage, but provisioning SAN storage isn't just a matter of creating LUNs or volumes; the SAN fabric itself must be configured so that disks and their LUNs are matched to the appropriate servers. Proper ...Continue Reading
Data retrieval strategies: Document management software overview
This overview focuses on the role of document management software in data storage and how it can mitigate risk for the enterprise.Continue Reading
Data retrieval strategies: Retrieving email and database archives overview
This overview focuses on the considerations involved in email and database archives with an emphasis on retention and search to meet legal discovery requirements.Continue Reading
Storage rethinks power strategies
Negotiating for support
Over a period of just a few years, the amount you spend on support contracts could equal or even exceed the price of the product itself. But storage support contracts are usually optional, and both the extent of coverage and its cost are definitely ...Continue Reading
Storage Bin: 50 years of right is now very wrong
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.Continue Reading
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 ...Continue Reading
Storage managers in control
For the first time in five years, the amount of capacity storage managers plan to add this year dropped, according to the results of Storage magazine's latest Purchasing Intentions Survey. To be sure, the decrease was more of a sign that ...Continue Reading
Storage Decisions Session Downloads: Executive Track (CHI 2007)
C-level technology executives not only need to know the status of their current operations but meticulously plan for the future. Our "Executive track" sessions give these technologists an idea of where their storage should be and ideas on where it's...Continue Reading
Storage Decisions Session Downloads: Engineering Track (CHI 2007)
This track will look at SAN and NAS issues, distance demands, remote offices and how to build out systems.Continue Reading
Storage Decisions Session Downloads: Architecture Track (CHI 2007)
Featured in this track will be the popular Tiered Storage School sessions along with other sessions that can help any manager set up or administer this new architecture.Continue Reading
Storage Decisions Session Downloads (LV 2006)
Storage managers are hit a crossroads in 2006. Data in virtually every organization continued to grow at a breakneck pace -- and to keep up, storage networks continued to be built out. This effort was juxtaposed against the storage manager's need to...Continue Reading
Data retrieval strategies: Retrieving data from archives overview
This overview highlights some of the key issues involved with retrieving data from archives, such as data security, indexing and searching, and data retention.Continue Reading
What are SAS, SATA, Fibre Channel and FATA disk drives? When will there be an iSCSI disk drive?
Well, with the right marketing and packaging, we could say there's already an iSCSI disk drive today...Continue Reading
What advice do you have for long-term storage of disk drives and other media?
It's important to use the best practices recommended by your media manufacturer. For example...Continue Reading
How can I minimize disk vibration?
Any disk drive produces some level of vibration, and that vibration can then be carried to other drives through the physical drive trays or frames in an array.Continue Reading