The Importance of Functionality

Data as an Asset
Today data has become mission-critical to most, if not all, enterprise applications. Data is a competitive differentiator, and is perhaps the most important corporate asset other than personnel. In some instances data storage can also have legal implications. Therefore, storage is of paramount importance to IT executives for a number of reasons: to ensure data availability, integrity, and recoverability.

Research has shown that the development and execution of effective strategies for data storage management and data protection can be key to minimizing the impact of human error and vital to an enterprise’s very survival in case of a disaster. Increasingly sophisticated storage management software tools are appearing to address the complexities of managing rapidly growing storage infrastructures. IT executives should examine these new offerings closely and ascertain that they are employing the most appropriate tools for their storage environment.

IT executives need to evaluate their current storage strategy, and modify it accordingly to account for current and future business needs. IT executives should assess whether or not automation or off-site facilities are appropriate. Regardless of proximity, IT executives should begin to investigate software tools to assist with data backup processes.

Business Imperatives:

• Data retention and backup are of critical importance for the enterprise, in order to ensure business continuity. IT executives should evaluate existing data backup and recovery strategies in order to evaluate whether or not such policies are sufficient should data be lost due to human error, natural disaster, or some other unforeseen catastrophe.
• Backup and Recovery functions need to occur routinely in a secure environment. To that end, IT executives should examine the current location of data storage centers, and consider moving off-site and such facilities currently housed within the organization. IT executives should also begin to investigate the automation of backup procedures, to reduce dependency on a human intermediary and increase ease of off-site management.
• A number of tools are available from vendors such as Computer Associates International, Inc. (CA), IMB Corp.’s Tivoli Systems, Legato Systems, Inc., and Veritas Software Corp.