Cloud based SRM: Making the most of data growth

This paper summarizes the views of thought leaders on trends in cloud-based Storage Resource Management (SRM). It also looks at how cloud-based SRM can save time and costs by explaining how the Debriefing Software Wizards Storage Portal eliminates routine and resource-demanding storage and backup management tasks.

Do you happen to have a spare zettabyte of data?

According to Google chairman, Eric Schmidt, every two days now we create as much information as we did from the dawn of civilization up until 2003.

“There are many factors involved in the growth of data,” says Kristian Thyregod, a Board Member at Debriefing Software. “From natural business growth to analytics, email, sharing on social media, embedded data and compliance requirements, data growth is like a self-propelled rocket motor that’s heading straight up,” Thyregod says.

“And if you look at the fact that roughly three quarters of companies’ IT investments are tied up in just keeping the lights on, then you realize they have to do something different. Today a small or mid-size business needs as much storage space as an enterprise organization did a few years ago,” Thyregod says.

Exponential data growth

Reputable sources like Gartner Group and IDC (above) see the exponential growth of data as a phenomenon with no end in sight.

Do more, more, more with less, less, less!

The irony is that even as data growth explodes, more is demanded of IT – and they have to deliver it with fewer resources. IDC predicts that by 2020 the world will generate 50 times more information, yet IT staff will decrease one and a half times.   Furthermore, business leaders are aware of this.

According to a 2010 IBM survey , almost 80% of CEOs worldwide thought their IT environment would grow much more complex in the coming years, yet less than half saw their companies as well-equipped to deal with this development.

“Many companies simply cannot keep pace with the hardware storage needs in house – both in terms of managing the complexity of what they have and being forced to continually invest in new hardware. The result is that outsourcing is becoming more and more necessary in order to retain and potentially increase value.”

Storage experts forecast plenty of clouds

That is the harsh reality, which is the background for predictions, such as the one recently made by IDC that by 2014, 10 percent of overall software spending will be delivered as a SaaS offering. They further predict that it will account for 21% of all users and account for 416 billion dollars in IT spending (compared to 13 billion in 2010).

What is the answer to the paradox of exponential data growth accompanied by a reduction in IT resources? Analyst organizations like Gartner group and storage experts, like Clod Barrera and Steve Wojtowecz of IBM, see cloud computing as one answer. They predict that is on the rise as companies open their eyes to the possibilities it presents for better planning and more flexibility to meet unique user needs.

Andrew McAfee of the Harvard Business Review and MIT describes the change in more profound terms:
“It’s a sea of change – a deep and permanent shift in how computing power is generated and consumed. It’s as inevitable and irreversible as the shift from steam to electric power in manufacturing, which was gaining momentum in America about a century ago. And just as that transition brought many benefits and opened up new possibilities to factory owners, so too will the cloud confer advantages on its adopters."

The journey from CAPEX to OPEX ends in more value for customers

In addition to helping companies manage the complexity of their solutions, it also offers a cost-effective business model for keeping pace growing storage needs.

With large, complex SRM applications, the IT investment depreciates from the moment of purchase. When SRM is managed via the cloud, however, it becomes part of the company’s Operational Expenses. There are no incremental hardware or software investments, you can adjust capacity and services as needed, and you receive tangible value for your investment.

“It’s often difficult for companies to know how their complex systems are actually performing and whether they really are getting value for their money, says Henrik Lind, CEO for Debriefing Software.

“We can shine a light on these solutions, and make sure that their investments really deliver what they expected when they bought them.”

“There are no upfront hardware costs. You only pay for what you need. And with the insight our service partners get via the cloud, they can help plan hardware and software requirements. So there’s no wasted investment,” Lind says.

Wizards Storage Portal paves the way for top-tuned performance

Debriefing Software’s service partners gain insight via the Wizards Storage Portal^®, a cloud-based Storage Resource Management solution that eliminates routine and resource demanding tasks. It does so by monitoring back-up and SAN management performance and trends in real-time and alerting the relevant people as needed. The portal also makes it attractive to switch from in-house management to a 24/7 service partner.

“The alerts that WSP generates might just as well be sent to the business partner, and then they can take action. All in all, it frees up resources for the customer and gives both them and their partner insight that helps them manage storage and backup efficiently.” says Jesper Mathiessen, CTO at Debriefing Software.

“The last thing you want when you put in an SRM solution is another application to manage. You want the output, but not the hassle of managing it. Why not transfer all or part of that responsibility to a business partner such as a VAR, hosting partner or system integrator?” Mathiessen asks.