Storage Management
Date:
By: Tony Lock
Classification: Research Report
The massive number of tools that fall under the umbrella of “Storage Management” makes it difficult for every feature to be fully assessed. This is a complex field with many different facets. However, it is clear that in most areas there are a small number of leading suppliers. Some vendors like to think of themselves as all things to all men and have offerings that compete in almost every field, but this is rarely the case.
The report will consider the evolution of the market place and assess the drivers that modern business methods are placing upon Storage Management. Supporting information outlining current market activity and the most important issues facing prospective purchasers of Storage Management products are assessed. Major issues facing storage professionals include the effective management of heterogeneous systems and the rapidly expanding volumes of data in the face of growing skills shortages and budget pressures. Keeping up with rapidly evolving technologies such as NAS and SAN, storage consolidation and the potential use of “storage as a service” opportunities present further challenges that must be addressed. A brief overview of the solutions available from a number of suppliers will be provided.
Ultimately, the product offerings from selected major vendors are assessed on their functional coverage. The report concludes with a high-level comparison of the offerings evaluated against these criteria. The report is designed to support users understanding of the Storage Management Marketplace, what to look for and where to look for it.
