NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: ANNE SKAMAROCK
on STORAGE IN THE ENTERPRISE
06/05/01 - Today's focus: The storage is the network

Dear Wincenty Kaminski,

In this issue:

* Don't reinvent the wheel when designing SANs
* Links related to storage
* Featured reader resource

_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter sponsored by HighGround

Do you know what type of files you're storing?
How much of your storage network is crowded with internet
downloads?  Take control of your storage network resources
with HighGroundTM SRM. Realize productivity gains within your
IT staff, and create policies to enhance enterprisewide resource
knowledge. Receive your FREE white paper:  "Storage Management
Best Practices" at: http://nww1.com/go/2940088a.html
_______________________________________________________________
TECHNOLOGY & VENDOR NEWS ALERTS!
You have very specific information needs about a technology or
technology vendor and you  subscribe to a newsletter or go on-
line to find out about the strategic developments in this
specific area. But how do you stay up with the late-breaking
news? Network World now offers six very focused News Alerts to
keep you abreast of the most significant developments of the
week on LANs, Storage, Network/Systems Management, The Edge,
Cisco and Microsoft. As an added service, if there's impactful,
late-breaking news about one of these specific technologies or
vendors, by subscribing to our News Alerts, we'll let you know
what it is within hours. Subscribe today at
http://nww1.com/go/ad082.html
_______________________________________________________________
Today's focus: The storage is the network

By Anne Skamarock

Here in Boulder, Colo., most people participate in recycling of
one sort or another. I myself am a strong proponent of
recycling and reuse and believe that we also can use the same
philosophy to solve customer problems. Perhaps this is why,
every time I see storage-area network management software I
wonder why we aren't leveraging the work that has already been
done for traditional networks.

Traditional network management is made up of hardware and
software that focus on the three pillars of quality of service:
Availability, reliability and security. It seems to me that
storage networks require these capabilities as much or more
than traditional communications traffic.

Today, network management tools have matured to a point where
simple mapping and monitoring are not enough. They are expected
to not only monitor performance but also route traffic to
improve the quality of service to specific platforms. These
tools also must provide event isolation as well as correlation
capabilities that work with policy engines for automated
correction and/or escalation. There are bandwidth capacity
monitoring, trending and planning facilities as well as
component mapping and monitoring functions. These are the
customer expectations from this mature industry.

Well, guess what - these are also the customer expectations for
storage networking. As my colleague Mike Jude, puts it, "The
common thread through all the studies Enterprise Management
Associates produces is that customers want pervasive management
of the entire network infrastructure." When talking with CIOs
and data center managers, they look at their network
infrastructure and include storage as a necessary and value-add
component.

So Scott NcNeally, Sun Microsystems' CEO, was right when he
said, "The network is the computer." All the functions that
currently reside within the computer for monitoring,
prioritizing and balancing storage traffic must now be moved to
the network. We have a head start with the work that has been
done for the traditional communications network. The storage
and networking industries must leverage these technologies for
quick implementation of new functionality that will support
storage networks as well as communications networks to provide
customers the management value-add they require.

_______________________________________________________________
To contact Anne Skamarock:

Anne Skamarock is an analyst with Enterprise Management
Associates (http://www.enterprisemanagement.com).  She has
worked with networked storage for the last 15 years and is
currently focused on the storage practice within EMA. She
can be reached at mailto:askamarock@enterprisemanagement.com
_______________________________________________________________
RELATED EDITORIAL LINKS

Script: SAN audio primer
Network World, 04/30/01
http://www.nwfusion.com/archive/2001/119973_04-30-2001.html

LeftHand joins NAS, SAN data
Network World Fusion, 05/30/01
http://www.nwfusion.com/news/2001/0530lefthand.html

EMC targets SAN scalability, availability
Network World, 05/14/01
http://www.nwfusion.com/archive/2001/120678_05-14-2001.html

LeftHand device unites storage networks
Network World, 06/04/01
http://www.nwfusion.com/archive/2001/121294_06-04-2001.html

Archive of the Storage newsletter:
http://www.nwfusion.com/newsletters/stor/index.html
______________________________________________________________
FEATURED READER RESOURCE

User Excellence Award

If you've completed an interesting network project in the last
12 to 18 months, here's your chance to gain industry
recognition for it. Network World is currently accepting
nominations for its annual User Excellence Award. For more
information and an online nomination form, go to
http://www.nwfusion.com/nw/awards.html#excellence
Deadline for submission is June 11.
_______________________________________________________________
SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

To subscribe or unsubscribe to any Network World e-mail
newsletters, go to:
http://www.nwwsubscribe.com/news/scripts/notprinteditnews.asp

To unsubscribe from promotional e-mail go to:
http://www.nwwsubscribe.com/ep

To change your e-mail address, go to:
http://www.nwwsubscribe.com/news/scripts/changeemail.asp

Subscription questions? Contact Customer Service by replying to
this message.

Have editorial comments? Write Jeff Caruso, Newsletter Editor,
at: mailto:jcaruso@nww.com

For advertising information, write Jamie Kalbach, Fusion Sales
Manager, at: mailto:jkalbach@nww.com

Copyright Network World, Inc., 2001

------------------------
This message was sent to:  vkamins@enron.com