As the storage marketplace in SA continues to evolve, a few technologies are stepping into the limelight, while others are taking a back seat.
The reality is that each country`s demands vary, which is why it`s so important that we do a breakdown of storage trends that specifically impact our marketplace.
Despite the huge interest in SRM (storage resource management) solutions locally, a lack of data management understanding and budget constraints have put the software in the "not of critical importance" category.
This is pity as SRM takes away the complexity of managing organisations` storage infrastructure, while at the same time realising significant cost savings. Gartner recently commented that the mixture of multi-vendor storage hardware and software adds significant complexity to storage management.
"As a result, storage resource management is critical in the day-to-day management of an enterprise and is rapidly becoming one of the fastest growing segments in the software management marketplace," comments Gartner.
On the flip side, there are some SA companies that are deploying SRM, especially those who run mainframes and continuously aim to simplify storage management.
Looking at current storage interoperability issues, today`s hardware vendors no longer provide only just hardware, they are bundling software to achieve that critical mass. Fortunately, these vendors are still working closely with software vendors to curb interoperability issues.
At CA, we have access to all the code and are actively developing software that work with all hardware. Indeed, we have technology that works across competitive software and hardware to establish a single point of management.
The local disk and tape marketplace is an interesting one. We`re currently seeing a lot of disk-based offerings out there that aren`t necessarily sexy, but definitely more cost-effective. However, tape is not going anywhere - locally it is still the most predominant form of backup. Tape is easier to store off site and secure, while new tape technology will be offering that "write once" functionality.
In saying this, the highly anticipated ICT Act might change the backup marketplace, as disk is more sustainable over the long haul, whereas your tape backup won`t necessarily be readable in seven years time.
One of the most talked about topics in the marketplace today is storage virtualisation. At CA we have a saying: "all data is not created equal". What this boils down to is that you first need to understand your data before you start moving it, otherwise it defeats the purpose.
Also, intelligent data management (IDM) and storage virtualisation are completely different processes - the one sits on top of the other and should be kept apart.
At CA we`re partnering and managing on top of virtualisation, therefore reporting on and managing the whole environment. At end of the day the CIO wants one figure to present to the managerial team and not a breakdown of how storage virtualisation or IDM for that matter have benefited the company.
This brings us to one of key challenges faced by SA companies today and in all likelihood the future - the sufficient protection of their business-critical data.
More and more companies are aware that their critical data is being distributed to desktops and laptops, which is why it`s so important that we see a drive to secure this data. The reality is that laptop and desktop users can`t be expected to backup their data, it ultimately lies with the IT manager.
IT departments, therefore, have to put mechanisms - that are secure - in place to ensure that data is protected and backed-up.
Lastly, we should take look at on-demand computing. The vision of on-demand computing sees customers reaping the awards. With better alignment between IT and business, companies can enjoy significant levels of empowerment and greater responsiveness from their IT infrastructures.
However, managing on-demand computing is different challenge altogether. It is, therefore, important that companies` realise that in order to reap the rewards from it they have to embark on management strategy, deployed in stages.
At CA we enable the effective management of storage on-demand by providing solutions in four key areas:
* Networked storage management;
* Resource management;
* Business continuity; and
*Central command and control.
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