Storage Management

Dr. Ramkumar Krishnamoorthy

 Contents
Information Storage
Data – Types of Data –Information - Storage , Evolution of 01
Storage Technology and Architecture

Data Center
Data Centre Infrastructure - Core elements- Key Requirements 02
for Data Centre Elements

Managing Storage
Managing Storage Infrastructure 03

Information Storage
Key Challenges in Managing Information 04

Information Lifecycle Management

Information Lifecycle - Information Lifecycle Management - ILM 05
Implementation -ILM Benefits
Data vs Information
Data vs Information
 • Infographic Style
Data Data vs. Information
Information
Definition Definition
• It is an un processed
• It is a processed Data
Information
• Data is a collection of
raw facts from which
conclusions might be
drawn

Related
Data vs Information
Data vs Information - Case Study
Data vs Information - Case Study
Information Storage
Information Storage
Information Storage
Information Storage – Data Creation
Information Storage – Data Creation
Information Storage – Data Creation
Information Storage – Data Creation
Data Creation – Case Study Exercise
Information Storage – Value of Data to Business
Information Storage – Value of Individual Data to Business
Information Storage – Value of Information to Business
 Information Storage – Information Availability
• Information Availability is defined as the ability to make information and related resources
accessible as needed, when they are needed, where they are needed.
Information availability can be defined with the help of reliability, accessibility and timeliness
• Reliability: This reflects a component’s ability to function without failure, under stated conditions, for a
specified Amount of time.
• Accessibility: This is the state within which the required information is accessible at the right place, to
the right user.
• Timeliness: Defines the exact moment or the time window (a particular time of the day, week, month,
and/or year as specified) during which information must be accessible. For example, if online access
to an application is required between 8:00 am and 10:00 pm each day, any disruptions to data
availability outside of this time slot are not considered to affect timeliness.
 Information Storage – Types of Data
• Data can be classified as structured or unstructured based on how it is stored and managed.
Structured data is organized in rows and columns in a rigidly defined format so that applications can
retrieve and process it efficiently.
• Structured data is typically stored using a database management system (DBMS).
• Data is unstructured if its elements cannot be stored in rows and columns, which makes it difficult to
query and retrieve by applications.
• For example, customer contacts that are stored in various forms such as sticky notes, e-mail
messages, business cards, or even digital format fi les, such as .doc, .txt, and .pdf.
• Due to its unstructured nature, it is difficult to retrieve this data using a traditional customer
relationship management application.
Information Storage – Types of Data
Information Storage – Types of Data
Types of Data – Case Study
 Information Storage – Big Data
Validity: correctness of data
Variability: dynamic behaviour
Volatility: tendency to change in time
Vulnerability: vulnerable to breach or attacks
Visualization: visualizing meaningful usage of data
Information Storage – Big Data
Information Storage – Big Data
Evolution of Storage Technology and Architecture
Evolution of Storage Technology and Architecture
Evolution of Storage Technology and Architecture
Evolution of Storage Technology and Architecture
Evolution of Storage Technology and Architecture
 Evolution of Storage Technology and Architecture

• In earlier implementations of open systems, the storage

was typically internal to the server.
• These storage devices could not be shared with any other
servers. This approach is referred to as server-centric
storage architecture

• In this Information Centric architecture, storage devices are

managed centrally and independent of servers. These centrally-
managed storage devices are shared with multiple servers.
When a new server is deployed in the environment, storage is
assigned from the same shared storage devices to that server.
Evolution of Storage Technology and Architecture
 Data Center
• A data center is a physical facility that organizations use to house their critical applications and data.

• A data center's design is based on a network of computing and storage resources that enable the

delivery of shared applications and data.

• The key components of a data center design include routers, switches, firewalls, storage systems,

servers, and application-delivery controllers

 Data Center – Components

• Network infrastructure. This connects servers (physical and virtualized), data center services,

storage, and external connectivity to end-user locations.

• Storage infrastructure. Data is the fuel of the modern data center. Storage systems are used to

hold this valuable commodity.

• Computing resources. Applications are the engines of a data center. These servers provide the

processing, memory, local storage, and network connectivity that drive applications.
Data Center – Google
 Data Center – Google Carbon-Intelligent Computing

Visualization of how we shift compute tasks to different times of day to align with the availability of lower-carbon
energy. In this illustration, wind energy in the evening and solar energy during the day
Data Center – Facebook
 Data Center Infrastructure
• Organizations maintain data centers to provide centralized data-processing capabilities across the

enterprise.

• Data centers house and manage large amounts of data.

• The data center infrastructure includes hardware components, such as computers, storage systems,

network devices, and power backups; and software components, such as applications, operating

systems, and management software.

• It also includes environmental controls, such as air conditioning, fire suppression, and ventilation.

• Large organizations often maintain more than one data center to distribute data processing

workloads and provide backup if a disaster occurs.

Data Center Infrastructure – Core Elements
Data Center Infrastructure – Example
Data Center Infrastructure – Key Characteristics

• Availability: A data center should ensure the availability of information when required.
Unavailability of information could cost millions of dollars per hour to businesses, such as
financial services, telecommunications, and e-commerce.
• Security: Data centers must establish policies, procedures, and core element integration to
prevent unauthorized access to information.
• Scalability: Business growth often requires deploying more servers, new applications, and
additional databases. Data center resources should scale based on requirements, without
interrupting business operations.
• Performance: All the elements of the data center should provide optimal performance
based on the required service levels.
 Data Center Infrastructure – Key Characteristics
• Data integrity: Data integrity refers to mechanisms, such as error correction codes or parity
bits, which ensure that data is stored and retrieved exactly as it was received.
• Capacity: Data center operations require adequate resources to store and process large
amounts of data, efficiently. When capacity requirements increase, the data center must
provide additional capacity without interrupting availability or with minimal disruption. Capacity
may be managed by reallocating the existing resources or by adding new resources.
• Manageability: A data center should provide easy and integrated management of all its
elements. Manageability can be achieved through automation and reduction of human
(manual) intervention in common tasks.
Data Center Infrastructure – Key Requirements

Key Requirements for Data centre Elements

1. Availability
2. Location and facility
3. Uptime
4. Cooling
5. Security
6. Facility maintenance
7. Scalability
8. Change Management
 Data Center Infrastructure – Key Requirements

Availability: All data centre elements should be designed to enable accessibility. The ability of
users to access data when necessary can have a positive impact on a business.
 Data Center Infrastructure – Key Requirements

Location and Facility: Location can have a considerable impact and could serve as an opportunity to
enhance the company’s ability to address network expectancy, disaster recovery, and data control. When
determining the location of a data centre, it is also necessary to consider the geographical location with
respect to the service provider.
 Data Center Infrastructure – Key Requirements

Uptime: Organizations can lose a lot of money during the downtime due to the inaccessibility of necessary
information and resources. The service provider’s track record of uptime should be tested and it should be
determined whether the provider has been able to maintain 100% availability for electrical and mechanical
systems in the past.
 Data Center Infrastructure – Key Requirements

Powerful backup arrangement to provide 100% Uptime

 Data Center Infrastructure – Key Requirements

Cooling: The establishment of a data centre involves a combination of utilities, generators, and a range
of power supplies that emit excessive heat. It is essential to have a robust cooling infrastructure to ensure
cost efficiencies and a viable environment to establish the data centre.
 Data Center Infrastructure – Key Requirements

Cooling Systems
 Data Center Infrastructure – Key Requirements

Security: The security of the data centre is equally important. It is necessary to establish policies and
procedures, and ensure proper integration of the data centre core elements in order to prevent unauthorized
access to information. To maximize protection, the facility should be fabricated with military-grade security
measures.
 Data Center Infrastructure – Key Requirements

Facility Maintenance: During the installation of a data centre, it is important to consider the maintenance and
management aspects. The provider should have sufficient insight of the facility and its efficiencies to ensure
that the entire system is being observed and any issues can be quickly addressed before they cause any outage.
 Data Center Infrastructure – Key Requirements

Scalability: Data centre operations should be able to allocate additional on-demand storage or processing
capabilities, without interrupting business operations. For the growth of a business, it is often necessary to
install more servers, additional databases, and new applications. The storage solution should also able to grow
with the business.
 Data Center Infrastructure – Key Requirements

Change Management: Proper guidelines for change management ensures that there is no alteration in the
data centre that has not been planned, scheduled, discussed, and approved. It is also necessary to provide back
out steps or a Plan B. Whether bringing new amendments to the system or making old practices obsolete, data
centres must follow the change management process.
Data Center Infrastructure
 Data Center – Enterprise

The building blocks of a typical enterprise network includes the following:

• Campus network
• Private WAN
• Remote access
• Internet server farm
• Extranet server farm
• Intranet server farm
Data Center – Enterprise
Data Center – Enterprise Architecture
 Data Center – Pitfalls

Data of Sunbird Company

 Information Storage

Storing the process data or

information and accessing it in
useful ways
 Information Storage
Here, list of some of the factors that have contributed to the growth of digital data
• Increase in data-processing capabilities: Modern computers provide a significant increase in processing
and storage capabilities. This enables the conversion of various types of content and media from
conventional forms to digital formats.
• Lower cost of digital storage: Technological advances and the decrease in the cost of storage devices
have provided low-cost storage solutions. This cost benefit has increased the rate at which digital data is
generated and stored.
• Affordable and faster communication technology: The rate of sharing digital data is now much faster
than traditional approaches. A handwritten letter might take a week to reach its destination, whereas it
typically takes only a few seconds for an e-mail message to reach its recipient.
• Proliferation of applications and smart devices: Smartphones, tablets, and newer digital devices, along
with smart applications, have significantly contributed to the generation of digital content.
 Managing Storage Infrastructure

• Managing storage infrastructure is a key to ensure continuity of business

• Establishing management processes and implementing appropriate tools is essential to

meeting service levels proactively

• Management activities include availability, capacity, performance, and security

management

• Monitoring is the most important aspects that forms the basis for storage management

• Continuous monitoring enables availability and scalability by taking proactive measures

 Managing Storage Infrastructure – Key Challenges

Big Data

• It includes unstructured and structured data

• The capacity and performance requirements of big data can be staggering, making advanced
tactics critical for success.

Increased Flash Usage

• Flash technologies are rising in part because they are becoming accessible and in part
because big data is making their performance capabilities necessary.

• Frequent access
 Managing Storage Infrastructure – Key Challenges

Video Applications

• Many businesses are implementing video strategies as part of a larger goal to engage with
employees and customers in more meaningful ways. While video offers incredible potential
from an end-user perspective, it also creates nightmares for IT managers.

Legacy Systems

• The rapid rise in storage demands across the entire IT sector makes using legacy systems
incredibly important for many organizations.

• Reliable storage systems that meet specific needs or handle different workflows particularly
well can be incredibly valuable for IT teams
 Managing Storage Infrastructure – Key Challenges

Data Protection

• While capacity and performance challenges are dominating the storage landscape, IT
managers have a constant need to prevent data loss and protect data from theft.

• Third-party hardware maintenance plans can pay off in this area as well as vendors can help
with processes like secure hard disk disposal and data recovery from damaged components.

• IT managers are facing staggering storage challenges, but the combination of advanced
strategies and good partnerships can go a long way toward enabling IT leaders to keep pace
with changing storage requirements.
 Information Life Cycle

• The information life cycle (ILM) is a way of managing data and storage that recognizes
that the value of information changes over time.

• The goal of ILM is to oversee data from its creation through its retirement to optimize its
usefulness, reduce costs, and minimize legal and compliance risks.
 Information Life Cycle Management

• In both traditional data center and virtualized environments, managing information can be expensive
if not managed appropriately. Along with the tools, an effective management strategy is also required
to manage information efficiently.

• This strategy should address the following key challenges that exist in today’s data centers:

• Exploding digital universe: The rate of information growth is increasing exponentially. Creating
copies of data to ensure high availability and repurposing has contributed to the multifold increase of
information growth.

• Increasing dependency on information: The strategic use of information plays an important role in
determining the success of a business and provides competitive advantages in the marketplace.

• Changing value of information: Information that is valuable today might become less important
tomorrow. The value of information often changes over time.
 Information Life Cycle Management

• Stages of Information Life Cycle Management.

 Information Life Cycle Management - Example

Protect

New Process Deliver Warranty

order order order claim
Time
Value

Fulfilled Aged Warranty

order data Voided

Create Access Migrate Archive Dispose

Figure: Changing value of sales order information

 Information Life Cycle Management – Characteristics

• ILM should possess the following characteristics to obtain and maintain an ILM strategy:

Business-centric Policy-based Optimised Centrally-managed Heterogeneous

 Information Life Cycle Management

How good ILM can be for your organisation?

▪ Improved utilization
• Tiered storage platforms
▪ Simplified management
• Processes, tools and automation
▪ Simplified backup and recovery
• A wider range of options to balance the need for business continuity.
▪ Maintaining compliance
• Knowledge of what data needs to be protected for what length of time.
▪ Lower Total Cost of Ownership
• By aligning the infrastructure and management costs with information value.
Information Life Cycle Management – Implementations
 Information Life Cycle Management – Implementations

Networked Tiered
Storage: Classify the
Apps, Moving across
tiers

Application Specific:
Business process and
automate

Enterprise Wide: Policy

based scheme
Information Life Cycle Management – Benefits
 Unit – 1 Summary

• Data is a collection of raw facts from which the required output is extracted.

• Information is processed data. The value of information changes over time.

• Storage technology has evolved through configurations such as RAID, DAS, SAN, NAS, and IP-SAN.

• Data Center and its Architecture discussed

• The change in value of information with the change in time is called information lifecycle.

• ILM is a comprehensive approach in managing the flow of data from its creation to its disposal.

• The key requirement for data centre, elements are availability, location and facility, uptime, cooling,
security, facility maintenance, scalability, and change management.
Take Aways of this Unit I

✓ Information Storage
✓ Data – Types of Data –Information
✓ Storage, Evolution of Storage Technology and
Architecture
✓ Data Centre Infrastructure
✓ Core elements
✓ Key Requirements for Data Centre Elements
✓ Managing Storage Infrastructure
✓ Key Challenges in Managing Information
✓ Information Lifecycle
✓ Information Lifecycle Management
✓ ILM Implementation -ILM Benefits
 Resources

Topics URL Notes

This link explains about typical elements that an

https://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10-things/
Data centre efficient data centre is expected to have. The
10-critical-elements-of-an-efficient-data-centre
Elements success of data centre depends on proper
/
management of these elements

This Video shows the components of Data

Data centre https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTwwKq7 Floating Data Center, Microsoft Undersea Data
Basics _HGY Center Explanation.
Resources
 Resources

Topics URL Notes

This link explains a general overview of
Cover Story: Storage http://www.networkmagazineindia.com/200309/coverstory01.shtml
storage management, along with expert’s
Management
opinion
Storage
http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/opinion/Storage-infrastructure-manag
infrastructure You will learn Basic challenges associated
ement-is-still-elusive
management is still with Storage and its management
elusive
http://www.networkworld.com/article/2300188/data-centre/six-steps-to-il
Steps to ILM This link explains about the six steps to
m-implementation.html
implementation successfully implement ILM

Information Lifecycle http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/definition/information-life-cycle-mana This link explains about ILM approach in

Management gement industry

https://www.fiberoptics4sale.com/blogs/archive-posts/95041990-what-are- This link explains about architecture of data

Data centre
data-centres centre , with emphasis to enterprise and
Architecture
discussing each component in details
http://focus.forsythe.com/articles/396/10-Steps-to-a-Successful-Data-centr In this link, you will learn about the steps
Data centre Strategy e-Strategy for adopting a successful Data centre
Strategy
 Resources

Topics URL Notes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpUzG This link compares DAS, NAS and SAN

Types of storage technologies ZLO948&list=PLWDUzz3hCDJJFiOO_zpMTbi technologies
HUNPDpU3xb
 Sample Test

Self Assessment Questions

1. Which one of the given options is true about data?

a) Raw fact
b) Processed fact
c) Processed information
 Sample Test

Self Assessment Questions

1. Which one of the given options is true about data?

a) Raw fact
b) Processed fact
c) Processed information

Answer: a
 Sample Test

Self Assessment Questions

2. Which of these is not an example of unstructured data?

a) Images
b) Videos
c) Audio
d) Spreadsheet
 Sample Test

Self Assessment Questions

2. Which of these is not an example of unstructured data?

a) Images
b) Videos
c) Audio
d) Spreadsheet

Answer: d
 Sample Test

Self Assessment Questions

3. Which one of the given options means On-command, on-demand world?

a) Information needed when and where it is required.

b) Data needed when and where it is required.
c) Information not needed when and where it is required.
d) Nothing needed when and where it is required.
 Sample Test

Self Assessment Questions

3. Which one of the given options means On-command, on-demand world?

a) Information needed when and where it is required.

b) Data needed when and where it is required.
c) Information not needed when and where it is required.
d) Nothing needed when and where it is required.

Answer: a
 Sample Test

Self Assessment Questions

4. Which one of the given options is a collection of raw facts from which conclusions may be drawn?

a) Information
b) Data
c) Digital Value
 Sample Test

Self Assessment Questions

4. Which one of the given options is a collection of raw facts from which conclusions may be drawn?

a) Information
b) Data
c) Digital Value

Answer: b
 Sample Test

Self Assessment Questions

5. Information created by both an individual and business. State whether True or False.

a) True
b) False
 Sample Test

Self Assessment Questions

5. Information created by both an individual and business. State whether True or False.

a) True
b) False

Answer: a
 References
• EMC Education Services, “Information Storage and Management: Storing, Managing, and Protecting
Digital Information”, Wiley Publishing Inc., 2nd edition, 2012.

• https://www.ques10.com/p/20620/what-is-information-availability-and-information-1/

• https://www.edureka.co/blog/what-is-big-data/

• https://www.parkplacetechnologies.com/blog/5-storage-challenges-facing-it-managers/

• https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/solutions/data-center-virtualization/what-is-a-data-center.html