Sessions in detail
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So, to help your IT team succeed -- Storage Decisions now features 5 distinct session tracks. Each track is custom built to serve the information needs of each of the specific members of your storage team. Read on to find out more about each session and which track, or tracks, suit you best as you and your peers continue to face shared challenges and individual responsibilities. Track 1: Backup Technologies Track 1: Backup TechnologiesData protection continues to be Job #1 for most storage managers -- a job that only gets more complex as each year companies add up to 50% more storage capacity. The good news is that newer technologies can help in this uphill battle, but you still have to determine the right tools for the job, how they will work within the context of you storage environment and whether they provide the level of protection that your company requires. Among the topics covered in this track are data deduplication, virtual tape libraries, the newly integrated backup suites, matching data protection levels to business needs and how archiving fits into a data protection scenario. VMWare and Backup -- Enemies or Friends? Presented by W. Curtis Preston, Executive Editor, TechTarget and Independent Backup Expert This session will focus on the challenges of backing up a VMware environment and the various solutions that users are now using to solve those challenges. Topics included will be why backing up VMWare is such a challenge, how most customers are backing it up, and how that’s not working for them. Curtis will then discuss various proposed solutions to the problem, including VMWare consolidated backup (or VCB), vSphere’s replacement to VCB, as well as point solutions for VMWare-centric environments. 5 Things That Will Mess Up Your Backups -- and How to Avoid Them Presented by Jeff Harbert, Principal Storage Consultant, GlassHouse Technologies When it comes to backups, Murphy’s Law prevails. With so many moving parts and so much data in transit, there are amply opportunities for things to do south. Jeff Harbert describes the five most prevalent backup failures -- and tells you what you can do about them. Some of the areas that Jeff will discuss include: * Hidden problems Data Deduplication -- Different Approaches for Different Environments Presented by W. Curtis Preston, Executive Editor and Independent Backup Expert, TechTarget There are many ways and places to implement data deduplication, including technologies embedded with backup software that have just come on the market this year. W. Curtis Preston brings you up to date on the latest data deduplication methods, how to select the right approach or combination of approaches for your environment, and caveats to consider before buying a data deduplication product. Cost Effective Backup -- Cut Backup Costs while Meeting SLA’s Presented by Russ Fellows, Senior Analyst and Managing Partner for Evaluator Group Backup is one of the oldest problems for IT departments. The problem has been solved many times, only to re-emerge as the ongoing issue with the introduction of new technology. Backup is used to encompass many topics, including disaster recovery, failover, archive and other issues. This session looks at ways for IT organizations to satisfy business requirements for data protection and DR without blowing the OPEX or CAPEX budget. *
Establishing business based RTO and RPO’s Track 2: Disaster RecoveryDisaster recovery isn’t just about being able to resume business as quickly as possible after a catastrophic incident. It’s also about avoiding the situations that could jeopardize your company’s reputation and good standing -- like the loss of customer data. But DR isn’t a one-size-fits-all affair, with different company assets requiring varying levels of protection and recoverability. We’ll look at some of the new tools for testing DR readiness, DR issues related to specific types of data and how virtualization can affect a DR plan, among other topics.
Recovery Site Configurations Presented by Bill Peldzus, Vice President of Data Center Services, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery, GlassHouse Technologies The type and configuration of a recovery site will determine how quickly and effectively your company will be able to recover from a disaster. But the terminology used for recovery sites -- hot, warm, cold, etc. -- can be confusing, and the services available at the various types of sites can be even more perplexing. In this session, you’ll learn how: * To determine the recovery site configuration you need Replication Alternatives for DR Presented by Marc Staimer, CDS, Dragon Slayer Consulting Remote replication has become the method of choice for maintaining up to date, restorable data replicas at remote DR sites. There are a variety ways of implementing replication, each with its own advantages and disadvantages, and within a wide range of costs. This session will focus on replication architectures and administration, including: * Host-based vs. switch or appliance-based vs. array-based replication Stuff Happens -- How to Assess Risks and Set Objectives for Business Continuity Plans Presented by Jon Toigo, CEO and Managing Principal, Toigo Partners International, and Chairman of the Data Management Institute Many disaster recovery planning efforts get bogged down when planners become preoccupied with identifying all of the risk scenarios that might impact company operations. Truth be told, enumerating natural and man-made hazard potentials, then assigning quantitative values to their likelihood of occurrence, is a fool's errand. What is needed is a straightforward assessment of assets -- data and infrastructure -- to determine what needs to be protected, supplemented by an estimation of the cost of an interruption of access to assets (from whatever the cause) for 24, 48 and 72 hours. The sources for collecting this information are business stakeholders: so, yes, you will need to talk to end users (audible groans expected.) In this session, DR planning veteran Jon Toigo will walk you through the process for doing a good job with upfront analysis. Track 3: Data Retention and RetrievalCall it regulatory compliance, legal vigilance, good disk management or just plain common sense -- regardless of your company’s motivation, a sound system for retaining and disposing of data is one of the modern requirements of storage management. Developing a consistent, repeatable and practical set of data retention policies is the first step in the process. Tools such as data classification applications can help automate the process of sorting through the reams of structured and unstructured data to determine its appropriate disposition. While storage managers may consider this a business unit function, as keepers of company’s data they are very much in the mix. And, as such, they need to know about the legal implications, the types of systems best suited for retained data and how encryption can help ensure that data is kept intact in its original form. Building a Service-oriented Data Protection Strategy Presented by Jon Toigo, CEO and Managing Principal, Toigo Partners International, and Chairman of the Data Management Institute Data protection is not a one-size-fits-all strategy. Different data protection methods, ranging from WAN-based data replication and clustering to tape backup and restore, are available to provide the data recovery capability that a business process or application requires. Matching data protection service levels to business requirements is not only a rational approach, but also a cost effective one. The challenge, however, to service level-based data protection provisioning is the multiplicity of data protection methods that must be monitored and managed. How can we integrate tape backup and disk to disk replication services under a common monitoring umbrella, simplifying the management role? How can we facilitate the on-going testing of recovery scenarios – through a combination of simulated and real time testing – to ensure that service levels can be met even as the volume of data being protected changes? How can we wrangle third party hardware- and software-based data protection schemes into a coherent facility for centralized monitoring and management? Toigo sets out the challenge and examines potential solutions. Cloud-based Archiving Services Presented by Ron Scruggs, Senior Consultant, GlassHouse Technologies For most companies some form of data archiving -- email, database, application or file system -- is the key element in their data retention operations. Archivers do a great job of helping to ensure that information is available when needed to respond to ediscovery or regulatory compliance requirements. But archivers require considerable management and administration, and can also gobble up significant disk capacity. Online -- or "cloud" -- archiving services can relieve companies of many of these headaches while providing similar capabilities. In this session, we assess online archiving, rating their advantages/disadvantages compared to deploying your own archivers. Topics include: * Do online services really provide comparable features Backup and Archive Are Not the Same Thing! Presented by Jeff Harbert, Principal Storage Consultant, GlassHouse Technologies Does your compliance team think retaining everything forever is easy or that your existing backup application makes a good archive utility? If you’ve ever had to try to recover backup data from a retired backup application or an out-dated media format, then this session is for you. During this hour, Jeff Harbert will discuss some of the challenges you'll face when compliance mandates a retention policy that doesn't make sense. Jeff will also provide answers to questions including: Advanced CAS -- Lock Up Your Data with Content Addressable storage Presented by Russ Fellows, Senior Analyst and Managing Partner for Evaluator Group The term CAS or Content Addressable Storage was introduced a decade ago with tremendous interest. The technology has been refined and is invaluable for some organizations, and has yet to find a role in others. This session will take a pragmatic look at the broader role for CAS, archive, reference data and regulator compliant data storage requirements within organizations. We will separate requirements from vendor products, with an examination of alternatives. *
Establishing Requirements – Archive, reference data and CAS are not the same A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Cloud...or...Everything You Need to Consider Before Implementing Cloud Storage Presented by Michael Passe, Storage Architect This end-user-presented session walks you through the driving factors and decision points for a major academic medical center that was an early adopter of implementing cloud storage for long term storage of PACs and productivity application data. Michael starts out by providing attendees with an overview of what cloud options are available and then explains what needs they may fill. He rounds out the hour by leading a discussion about what details you should carefully considered before your own organization “enters the cloud.” Track 4: Storage/Capacity ManagementWith spiraling capacities the norm, managing storage systems has become a challenging task. Traditional SRM tools are often adept on keeping tabs on the state of your storage infrastructure, but more focused applications are becoming increasingly available. Storage virtualization also promises to ease storage management and improve disk usage, but there are inherent issues that need to be fully understood before embarking on a virtualization project. Traditional methods of operational data protection, such as RAID, tend to be complex and difficult to configure and manage, but some storage vendors are offering compelling alternatives. In this track, we’ll also examine power conservation for storage systems, a new requisite for most storage shops struggling to balance increased capacity and soaring energy costs. Deep Dive into Solid State Storage -- the Technologies and Architectures Presented by Dennis Martin, Founder and President, Demartek This is an in-depth look at the architectures and technologies of solid state storage devices. The presentation will describe solid state in detail, and compare solid state with traditional magnetic media. In addition, Dennis will include some of the results from his solid state storage performance testing of Microsoft applications in the Demartek lab. Among the topics discussed are: *
DRAM vs. NAND Flash
The Truth about Virtualizing Storage Presented by Marc Staimer, Founder and CDS, Dragon Slayer Consulting This session is a “roll up your sleeves” look at the technical details of implementing storage virtualization. The practical benefits of storage virtualization will be discussed, including how to assess your environment to determine the cost-effectiveness of virtualization. Topics include: * How to determine where virtualization should occur * Best practices for implementing, maintaining and managing storage virtualization Using Thin Provisioning to Your Best Advantage in the Data Center Presented by Christine Taylor, Analyst, Teneja Group Thin provisioning is not new, but there is still confusion about how it works and how to best use it in the data center. One reason is that no two vendors accomplish thin provisioning in the same way. Another reason is that thin provisioning serves disparate business needs ranging from capacity management to virtualization support to the green data center – and more. This variety of usages makes for a powerful technology but a confusing message. This session will outline the various approaches and technologies behind thin provisioning. We will discuss the major business needs that thin provisioning meets and will review the major vendors in the space. Finally, we will position thin provisioning in the context of meeting multiple needs in the data center. New Developments in Scale-Out vs. Scale-Up Storage Presented by Terri McClure, Analyst, Enterprise Strategy Group Scale-out disk storage systems are built using nodes or modules that, when linked together, act as a single system. They allow companies to start small and grow incrementally, adding nodes as they need them, without having to worry about the limits of a single standalone storage system. They offer the advantage of cost-effective manageability, high availability, and reliability. Predictions are that the new wave of scale-out systems could mount a more serious challenge to traditional scale-up systems, now that major vendors are standing behind them. Topics will include: *
Distinctions between scale-out and scale-up systems
What You Need to Know about New Storage Technologies Presented by Arun Taneja, Founder and Consulting Analyst, Taneja Group Just as FC has become stable, solidly reliable and manageable we now have FCoE on the horizon. In this session we will cover what FCoE is, especially within the context of 10Gb CEE (Converged Enhanced Ethernet), 10Gb iSCSI, CNA (Converged Network Adapter) and other associated technologies that are vying for the next generation data center. We will not only look at these technologies and their roles in tomorrow's data center but we will also look at the timing of these technologies and discuss how and when you should evaluate them and what you should watch out for. VirtualI/O -- PathstoConvergedNetworking Presented by Howard Marks, Chief Scientist, DeepStorage.net By adopting server virtualization we've reduced the number of physical servers in the data center but the proliferation of storage, data, management and VMotion networks has made the back of our server racks look like an explosion in a spaghetti factory. Vendors have proposed several solutions to consolidate network and storage I/O into a smaller number of higher bandwidth connections so users can stop playing the game of one cable, two cable, orange cable, blue cable. This session will explore the solutions available to server and storage administrations for reducing cable clutter and consolidating network and storage I/O. Ranging from Fibre Channel NPIV and using vLANs to segregrate data traffic to cutting edge technologies including Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) and PCIe extension, we'll look at the technologies, the players, the politics and how users can integrate new technologies into their short and long term planning. Track 5: Systems and NetworkingThe core of any networked storage infrastructure is it's basic hardware components: storage arrays and the fabric that links them to client servers and other services. Over the past few years, the trend has been to build networks around director-class switches -- but how those directors are used is the key to whether they’re just consolidation points to replace core-edge architectures or if they actually put more intelligence into the network. Storage systems, too, have undergone considerable change. iSCSI storage arrays have steadily increased their presence in data centers and remote locations, and as iSCSI technology and implementations mature, their impact is certain to become more profound. And on the leading edge of storage are systems that eschew or greatly reduce the role of spinning disks, replacing them with solid state devices that run cool, use far less power and take up less space. In this track, we’ll look at the implications of these recent developments. Not "Just a Switch" Anymore -- Data Center "Backbone" Architectures Presented by Dennis Martin, Founder and President, Demartek The leading switch vendors have revealed their visions of a unified data center network infrastructure. It sound good, but what are the ramifications for the storage networking infrastructures you have in place. This session will cover: * The technologies that are available now—and what’s still needed Deep Dive into Solid State Storage -- the Business Values and Justifications Presented by Mark Peters, Analyst, Enterprise Strategy Group This session looks in detail at the business value of solid state; how and why you can justify it and where you can integrate it in your operations. You know solid state is fast, but how, where and why should you be thinking of using it now or in the immediate future? During this session, Mark will cover topics including:
Track 6: Management/ExecutiveSometimes technology alone won’t solve storage-related issues. You also need to be adept about the business of acquiring storage systems. As a storage manager, you will be called on to develop storage solutions to satisfy evolving business needs -- always with an eye on the key financial acid tests for any storage purchase: ROI and TCO. This track addresses the essential parts of the storage system procurement process, including how to craft an RFP, negotiating from a position of strength, evaluating systems and getting the support of your company’s management. The Other Green -- Storage Efficiency and Optimization Presented by Greg Schulz, Founder and Senior Analyst, StorageIO Throw out the "green“: buzzword, and you're still left with the task of saving or maximizing use of space, power, and cooling while stretching available IT dollars to support growth and business sustainability. For some environments the solution may be consolation while others need to maintain quality of service response time, performance and availability necessitating faster, energy efficient technologies to achieve optimization objectives. To accomplish these and other related issues, you can turn to the cloud, virtualization, intelligent power management, data footprint reduction and data management not to mention various types of tiered storage and performance optimization techniques. The session will look at various techniques and strategies to optimize either on-line active or primary as well as near-line or secondary storage environment during tough economic times, as well as to position for future growth, after all, there is no such thing as a data recession! Topics include: * Energy efficiency (strategic) vs. energy avoidance (tactical) How Virtualization Can Make IT the Good Guys Presented by Barb Goldworm, President and Chief Analyst, FOCUS This Executive keynote session gives a broad view of virtualization, including storage and server virtualization, and storage optimization for the whole virtual infrastructure (server, storage, desktop, network). It offers insights into the drivers, trends, adoption, technologies, pain points and actual benefits that can be achieved through a shift to a virtual infrastructure. Learn how virtualization can increase IT agility and efficiency and improve service delivery, while reducing costs – making IT the good guys again. Topics include: * Virtualization Drivers & Benefits The Storage Manager's Role in Information Governance Presented by Barclay Blair, Information Governance Practice Director, Forensics Consulting Solutions Information Governance has emerged as a critical concept for storage and information management professionals. Information governance is a useful concept that brings technical, business, and compliance best practices together to help storage managers make good decisions about the information environment. However, it can be difficult to gain enterprise support for investing in the policies, procedures, training, and technology required to make information governance a reality. This session examines the foundations of information governance, and provides a roadmap that storage managers can use to understand why IG matters and how they can take action today.
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Storage Decisions New York Home
Event-At-A-Glance
Track 1: Backup Technologies
Track 2: Disaster Recovery
Track 3: Data Retention and Retrieval
Track 4: Storage Systems & Storage Management
Track 5: Managing Storage Networks
Track 6: Management/
Executive
Registration
Storage Decisions Seminars
Backup School Hits the Road with W. Curtis Preston
Data Deduplication
with W. Curtis Preston
Disaster Recovery Planning with Jon William Toigo
E-Mail and File Archiving with Mark Diamond
Storage Virtualization with Marc Staimer
Vendor Events
Infrastructure Optimization with Greg Schulz; sponsored by CDW
Optimizing Virtualized Environments with Greg Schulz, sponsored by Datalink
DR/Business Continuity
Planning with Bill Peldzus;
sponsored by CDW
