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Intelligent storage design and management is critical for the modern business

The need for storage is well understood in today’s business world, as the data explosion and the evolution of technology has meant that the majority of business critical data is now kept electronically and must be backed up. However having storage itself simply is no longer enough, as the sheer volumes of data that businesses are required to handle these days necessitates efficiently designed and managed storage systems if organisations are to function optimally.

If a storage system is not properly designed and is badly managed, it can lead to problems with disaster recovery and business continuity as the storage and backup will not perform correctly and data that is needed may not be able to be accessed. It is pointless to back up data if it is not being stored correctly, so the design of a storage system is of the utmost importance.

Properly designed storage will not only ensure that this feature functions correctly, it can also enable organisations to save money. If storage systems are designed well from the outset it will ensure that storage is optimised and technologies such as de-duplication will prevent unnecessary storage of duplicated files so organisations will not have to continuously purchase additional storage devices to maintain their data. Well designed storage also makes data retrieval faster and easier, saving the frustrations associated with being unable to locate necessary files.

When designing storage there are several factors that should be taken into consideration, the first of which is whether organisations wish to manage this internally or outsource it. It must also then be decided whether backup data should be stored onsite or offsite, and then areas such as access management, software considerations and fire proofing need to be considered. There are pros and cons to each scenario and organisations need to decide what works best for them. It is also necessary to decide what will be done with the stored information once it has passed the mandatory five-year storage period, and the people who work with the data and the storage system need to be educated and trained.

On a more technical note, there are certain factors to be considered when actually implementing a storage system that can impact the performance and reliability of the solution. The first of these is track alignment, as if a storage disk is not track aligned it can negatively impact performance by slowing the system down. There are several utilities that are available such as Microsoft diskpar or diskpart that allow users to create track-aligned partitions that will assist in improving performance. The formatting of the disk is also important to ensure compatibility, and experts recommend any new volumes be formatted using NTFS.

Other processes for improving disk storage performance include mirroring, Dirty Region Logging, clustering and multipathing, all of which can speed up the disk if implemented and utilised correctly. However, because of the highly technical nature of these processes and the potential consequences of incorrect use it is recommended that organisations consult with storage experts before attempting them.

Using the right storage solution to fit the needs of a business and optimising the design of storage solutions can help to ensure high availability of data and optimised storage performance that will protect current storage investments and prepare businesses for their future needs. The correct design of any storage solution is critical to the business of today because of the nature of data needed to be stored. Making certain that data is adequately backed up and stored helps to ensure business continuity in the event of a crisis and enables smoother running of day to day business while at the same time saving money and hassle – a win-win situation.

Partnering with a storage expert from the outset of any storage project will help to ensure that the solution provided meets the needs of the business, now and into the future.

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