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NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: MIKE KARP on
STORAGE IN THE ENTERPRISE 01/24/02 Today's focus: Software automation Dear Wincenty Kaminski, In this issue: * When to opt for software automation * Links related to storage * Featured reader resource _______________________________________________________________ This newsletter sponsored by BMC We've got two words for our competitors and their storage management solutions...YOU WISH. Only BMC Software's Application-Centric Storage Management(tm) approach can map your enterprise storage environment from your application's perspective. Find out how to lower your storage management costs and get a FREE demo CD! http://nww1.com/go/3840673a.html _______________________________________________________________ TECHNOLOGY INSIDER: STREAMING MEDIA Streaming media is taking off as a corporate communications and training tool. We take you behind the scenes of the technology, showing you best practices, case studies and a feature on the individual streaming media champions leading the charge. Check it out at http://nww1.com/go/ad237.html _______________________________________________________________ Today's focus: Software automation By Mike Karp All of us are familiar with the concept of automation: automated factories, automated order fulfillment from online enterprises, and automated tape libraries on the computer room floor. But of the many facets of automation with which we have daily contact, I suggest that - at least as far as IT is concerned - the best automation is the automation that you never see. I am of course referring to software automation. What is software automation? It's the built-in intelligence that some vendors are able to put into their more sophisticated products. For example, it may be the knowledge of experienced database administrators (DBA) that, when made a part of a backup system, enables junior DBAs to push a single button and execute complex tasks. Such software might, for example, have a high level of understanding of the applications being protected, high enough in fact that they can take advantage of the backup or restore capabilities that already exist within the application's own software. A nice example of this useful feature can be found in BMC's SQL-Backtrack product (http://www.bmc.com ). Such application- specific intelligence, when embedded within storage resource management (SRM) software, often enables increased efficiency of operation by putting application-specific knowledge in the hands of newly-minted DBAs. Alternatively, automation could be the software's capability to replace repetitive tasks that require a good deal of human interaction with monitoring and managing. A nice example of this is certainly the ability of some business continuity software to recover automatically from interrupted backups. Storage Resource Manager from Tivoli (http://www.tivoli.com) comes to mind here. Reconfiguring network topologies, and then tuning your management software to deal with the new environment, is always both time- and labor-intensive. A growing trend however, finds new software releases with a built-in capability to analyze and understand the network topology whenever a change is made to it. Thus, auto-discovery of network and storage assets in Datacore's (http://www.datacore.com ) virtualization software enables that company's product to dynamically manage volumes on an as-needed basis. These are three very good examples of the benefit that software automation can deliver. Fortunately, an increasing number of other companies are also delivering of this promise. Often, such capabilities will prove to be a very useful differentiator when it comes to choosing a product for use in your own shop. When it comes to situations that are repetitive, or extremely complex, or that may require faster-than-human interactions, look for a high degree of automation in the tools you choose for your IT staff. Automated management can go a long way to improving your team's capability to react quickly and with intelligence to some of their most challenging tasks. The bottom line: the software's understanding of the installed application and hardware base, plus its ability to exploit the capabilities of the existing infrastructure, is the key. _______________________________________________________________ To contact Mike Karp: Mike Karp is senior analyst with Enterprise Management Associates (http://www.enterprisemanagement.com) in Boulder, Colo., an analyst and market research firm focusing exclusively on enterprise management. He works out of Portsmouth, N.H., and Westboro, Mass., and can be reached via e-mail at mailto:mkarp@enterprisemanagement.com _______________________________________________________________ NW Fusion's Buy IT provides the resources you need to make better buying decisions. Post your IT needs anonymously and FREE! Search our directory of qualified providers, review company White Papers, and select the right provider. Buy IT helps get your projects done right. Try it today! http://nwfusion.newmediary.com/nww120601nwltrb _______________________________________________________________ RELATED EDITORIAL LINKS Debate flares over IP storage security Network World, 01/21/02 http://www.nwfusion.com/news/2002/0121stor.html Archive of the Storage newsletter: http://www.nwfusion.com/newsletters/stor/index.html _______________________________________________________________ FEATURED READER RESOURCE Network World Fusion's Net.Worker site Whether your company is growing larger or scaling back, corporate managers are looking for ways to cut costs while retaining and recruiting star employees. One smart solution - at least on paper - is to let some employees work from home. Network World's Net.Worker Web site bridges the gap between the telework concept and the hardware, software and services needed to make it happen. We bring you news and reviews, sound advice and keen insight into the technologies and solutions you need to manage a remote and mobile workforce. Visit http://www.nwfusion.com/net.worker/index.html _______________________________________________________________ May We Send You a Free Print Subscription? You've got the technology snapshot of your choice delivered at your fingertips each day. Now, extend your knowledge by receiving 51 FREE issues to our print publication. Apply today at http://www.nwwsubscribe.com/nl _______________________________________________________________ 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, Director of Online Sales, at: mailto:jkalbach@nww.com Copyright Network World, Inc., 2002 ------------------------ This message was sent to: vkamins@enron.com
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