|
|
|
Introduction
Definition of Data Storage Management
In the past, IT has treated the components of
data storage as separate entities. For example, if a server required
more disk space, another disk was added with little regard for the
impact on the network or the protection of this data. This approach
was appropriate at that time however times have changed. World
wide the amount
of data stored is exponentially growing resulting in problems for
people with the responsibility for managing this asset.
Data Storage Management is the
combination of technology, policy and procedures to deliver timely and
appropriate data storage that
is protected and
recoverable against unauthorised access and data loss, commensurate to
the value of the data to the organisation.
Benefits for Monash
Monash University
is experiencing the same data growth as the rest of the world,
hence there is a need for
improved data storage management to deliver the following benefits;
- Provides a structure for delivering long term
stable data services via consistent procedures for team management,
consultation, designing, provisioning, operation and capacity
planning.
- Provides a flexible approach to data storage
that will serve the increasing demands of the university for the
foreseeable future
- Provides "end to end" storage provisioning by
considering storage, connectivity and data protection
- Lowers the cost of managed storage
- Improve utilization of resources, both
storage resources and human resources
- Provide continuity in service delivery via
one point of contact
- Addresses the business requirement to secure
the university's mission critical data both now and into the future
- Delivers data storage expertise the
University can utilise for projects such as the synchrotron.
- Provides more options for data storage in
disk storage, backup and archiving
- Improves data security, accessibility and
availability
- Aggregation of the university's storage
system into a virtual pool that serves capacity to applications and
their server by attribute
The Role of the Data Storage Management Team
The objective of the Data Storage
Management team is to define a model & supporting processes that will best
position the team to manage Monash University ITS managed storage.
Functions provided by this team would include:
-
processing the request for storage,
-
consultation services to customers regarding storage,
-
perform analysis on storage requests and deliver appropriate
designs,
-
provisioning of the storage,
-
ongoing support of the service,
-
data protection to meet requirements,
-
cost recovery as appropriate,
-
daily administration of the service,
-
where appropriate, migration of existing storage to SAN,
-
capacity planning at infrastructure and customer levels,
-
reporting for various audiences,
-
procurement of storage,
-
vendor management,
-
data security, both physical and computer based access.
-
policy development for ITS managed storage, &
-
retirement of storage.
Scope of Responsibility
Various islands of storage
exist across Monash University, many which are not managed by ITS.
Therefore it is necessary to define the scope of storage management
provided by the Data Storage Team.
The Data Storage Management
team is responsible for the management of all ITS Managed University
storage. Storage that ITS has been assigned the responsibility of
management, whether connected to an ITS server or not falls within
the scope of responsibility. Storage attached to non ITS managed
servers and are not served storage via the SAN are not within scope.
However, ITS may provide back and recovery services to non ITS
managed storage.
Exclusions
-
The Data Storage Team is not responsible for
generation of data and may not understand the character of the
data being stored, therefore the Data Storage Team is not
responsible for defining the storage criteria to meet the business
or legal requirements. However, the team is responsible for
meeting the storage criteria as agreed and documented with the
customers.
-
Locally attached storage to personal computers.
|
