Part I, "The Storage Networking Value Proposition" is designed to give both a general overview of the storage and storage networking markets, provide a summary of available products and technologies, and supply a detailed discusson of TCO analysis. Related tools and metrics for measuring the financial benefits of strategies designed to lower the storage TCO are also covered in depth in Part I.
Part II, "Case Studies," contains research data compiled from interviews with individuals whose professional lives are consumed with managing storage investments and resources for their companies. During the process of selecting case studies, I sought representation from firms from different sectors, and I believe that the sum total of the data I present here creates a balanced, realistic view of the typical storage consumer. Included in this section are case studies from each of the following verticals: healthcare, retail, manufacturing, financial services, and communications.
Part 1 of this book, such as the fact that each company is in a different stage of deploying storage networks, and each company places a different value on the various benefits of networked storage. In addition, it is interesting to note the different methods used for calculating TCO, as well as the fact that some companies are just beginning to consider the benefits of TCO analysis.
The chapters in Part I cover the following topics in detail:
Chapter 1, "Industry Landscape: Storage Costs and Consumption"This chapter gives an overview of the rise and fall of technology spending between 1998 and 2003, and it offers some forward-looking analysis on potential storage spending related to current events and developments in U.S. legislation.
Chapter 2, "The Business Impact of Storage Networking Technology"This chapter provides a basic overview of the two most important features of networked storage (increased utilization and increased availability) and some of the ways businesses can benefit from implementing a storage network. This chapter covers backup and recovery, replication, and SAN extensions. This chapter also introduces the concept of TCO.
Chapter 3, "Building a Value Case Using Financial Metrics"This chapter provides the basic tools for creating a value case: financial metrics. The most commonly used metrics are covered in this chapter: Payback, return-on-investment (ROI), Net Present Value (NPV), and Economic Value Added (EVA). Sample value cases are provided for four storage networking strategies: direct-attached storage to storage-area network (DAS-to-SAN) migration, storage consolidation, direct-attached storage to network-attached storage (DAS-to-NAS) migration, and Internet Small Computer Systems Interface (iSCSI) implementation.
Chapter 4, "How It Should Be Done: Implementation Strategies and Best Practices"This chapter begins with a storage technology primer that covers capacity planning and storage networking topologies. This chapter also includes best practices for vendor selection, maintenance, support, and service level management. The chapter concludes with a discussion of job functions and roles.
Chapter 5, "Maximizing Storage Investments"This chapter primarily discusses the ongoing maintenance and management of a storage network including the tactical and strategic steps required after implementation. Storage management software and broader consolidation strategies that can assist in achieving and maintaining a low TCO are also covered in this chapter.
Part II contains end-user case studies:
Chapter 6, "The Cancer Therapy and Research Center"
Chapter 7, "Internet Service Provider"
Chapter 8, "Cisco Systems, Inc."
Chapter 9, "Retail Grocer"
Chapter 10, "Financial Services"
This book includes three apppendixes that summarize helpful storage networking resources you can find on the Cisco Press website at Appendix A, "Decision Maker Implementation Checklist"
Appendix B, "The Business Case for Storage Networks: Storage Strategies for Lowering TCO"
Appendix C, "TCO Calculator"