Network attached storage (NAS) management
software allows administrators to deploy, configure, allocate
and maintain NAS appliances and
gateways within the data center -- and often
across the entire enterprise. Typical NAS management software
might automatically discover a vendor's storage resources in a
network, manage and adjust
RAID configurations,
back up NAS contents to standard backup
software, track storage utilization and offer capacity growth
predictions, and even monitor other storage systems that it
cannot directly control.
While NAS management software is increasingly versatile, it is
also more complex, so the selection process requires careful
consideration. This Buying Guide focuses on
NAS product issues and provides a series of
specifications to help you make on-the-spot comparisons between
products from vendors such as Attune Systems Inc., EMC Corp.,
Hitachi Data Systems Inc., IBM and Microsoft Corp.
@29739 Evaluate the software's suite of features. Because
NAS management software offerings vary dramatically, it's important
to determine the features you'll need initially as well as
anticipate those that may be useful down the road. Features include
snapshots, local and remote
mirroring,
NDMP support, virtual servers, clustered and
enterprise namespace support, transparent data movement and
migration, transparent
failover, performance and activity
monitoring and alerts,
WORM drive compatibility, support for large
file systems and lots of small files,
NFS and
CIFS support, along with file
virtualization (e.g., aggregation, data
movement and replication). Features and capabilities vary with
the software platform. For example, Windows Storage Server 2003
may be easy to configure, but a more proprietary platform, such
as IBM's System Storage N series software, may offer superior
performance or scalability.
Consider the system requirements. NAS management software
is typically installed on a server, so this demands an available
server that meets the software's requirements for operating system,
CPU, memory and other computing resources. This is usually no
problem for larger businesses, but it may be a problem for smaller
organizations with limited server availability -- especially if the
available server is already running other software.
As an example, Adaptec Inc.'s Snap Server Manager software
requires a Pentium III 133 MHz processor, 128 MB RAM, Snap Server
GuardianOS v2.6 or higher, Snap Server SnapOS v3.4 or higher and
Java Virtual Machine V1.4.1. Server virtualization can further
strain resources, since the physical server is carved up into
multiple logical servers that all draw simultaneously upon the same
CPU and other computing resources. (See the product
specifications page for other details.)
Evaluate the tool's hardware interoperability. Since it's
cumbersome and impractical to use a different management tool for
each NAS device, companies should select software that can support
numerous NAS devices across the organization. This means committing
to NAS products from a single vendor or selecting a tool that can
support NAS devices from different manufacturers. Recognize the
scope of NAS appliances or gateways supported by the software and
determine whether the management tool can cover the entire
organization adequately.
Evaluate the tool's management interoperability. Many NAS
management tools can function through network management tools
already in use in the organization, such as Hewlett-Packard Co.'s
OpenView,
SNMP, SMI-S, Java, HTTP, HTTPS or
XML. This lets administrators run NAS
management tools through their existing management platform,
instead of having to learn and operate the NAS management
software as a separate tool and process. While that may not pose
a problem for limited NAS deployments where NAS management
overhead is limited, but can become an bottleneck in
environments where NAS overhead is heavy.
Evaluate the role of NAS virtualization. NAS management
may also include virtualization capabilities that allow multiple
NAS platforms to appear as a single storage resource. This makes it
easier for administrators to allocate storage and improves overall
storage utilization because no NAS systems are left "orphaned" and
forgotten in the enterprise. One solution is to implement a
distributed file system, creating a global namespace between
servers and NAS boxes. In other cases, virtualization is
implemented through hardware appliances that pool individual NAS
filers. As the number of NAS boxes grows, the efficiencies offered
by virtualization should be considered more strongly.
Consider the level of automation available. Management
software becomes more valuable when it can automate many of the
most common storage management functions, including resource
location/identification,
provisioning, software updates and routine
maintenance functions. NAS management software should schedule
important tasks like software updates or backups during off-peak
hours. Management tools should provide notifications and alerts
in response to critical storage conditions, such as low
availability of storage. Some NAS management tools also handle
capacity growth, which helps administrators track storage
utilization and plan upgrades. Staying ahead of needs is a key
issue in preventing application downtime and maintaining storage
performance.
Consider the cost impact. Beyond the up-front cost of
acquiring software, remember that some features and functionality
may be optional, and including them will add to the cost. Many
software tools also require yearly license (aka software
maintenance) fees that will multiply the tool's cost over time.
Weigh the software's value against its
TCO, which should include all necessary
onetime and recurring fees.
Consider the management skill set. Effective storage
management requires working familiarity with the tools in use. New
management tools, or tools from different vendors, demand training
and practice for proficiency. Administrators and other key IT staff
need to be adequately trained. In some cases, training is included
as part of the acquisition cost. If not, the costs should be
included in the product's TCO.
The NAS management software product specifications page in this
chapter covers the following products:
- Adaptec Inc.; Snap Server Manager software
- BlueArc Corp.; BlueArc software suite
- EMC Corp.; Celerra Manager software
- Exanet Inc.; ExaStore NAS management software
- Hitachi Data Systems Inc.; NAS Management Software; TagmaStore
Line
- Microsoft Corp.; Windows Storage Server 2003 R2
- NeoPath Networks; SMARTtouch software
- ONStor Inc.; EverON NAS software
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