Addressing storage issues became increasingly difficult for IT managers in SMBs in 2008. With increasing budget cuts, many IT departments were left without the dedicated storage expertise needed to effectively manage their growing data. For your convenience, we've collected our top 10 storage tips geared toward the SMB market from this past year. For more great storage tips, check out our tips and news sections, which are constantly being updated.
TIP #1------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seven steps for outsourcing data storage for SMBs:
Although hard drives keep getting higher in capacity and lower in price, storage is still increasingly challenging for SMBs. This tip discusses seven tips for outsourcing data storage to help SMBs address their capacity and management issues.
TIP #2------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Conducting a DR Test for SMBs:
SMBs that invest funds and efforts in developing a disaster recovery (DR) plan must ensure they perform proper testing. In this tip, Pierre Dorion discusses exactly what a DR test needs to include for ensuring success in an SMB environment.
TIP #3------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
iSCSI vs. Fibre Channel for SMBs:
Deciding whether to use iSCSI or Fibre Channel to build your storage area network (SAN) can be crucial to the effectiveness of the implementation. This tip discusses the pros and cons of iSCSI and Fibre Channel in the SMB market.
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#4------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Business impact analysis for SMBs:
A business impact analysis (BIA) can be the most daunting task in business continuity planning and its complexity sometimes overshadows its value to SMBs. This tip offers a simplified approach by focusing on the essential elements of a BIA.
TIP #5------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tiered storage for SMBs:
If an SMB hasn't already deployed an iSCSI SAN or NAS filers, they're probably about to. This tip discusses how SMBs can increase the cost savings of consolidating storage by implementing tiers of storage instead of throwing everything on the same types of disk.
TIP #6------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Moving from DAS to NAS:
As the volume of data and the number of users in SMBs grow, direct-attached storage (DAS) becomes harder to manage. In this tip, Rick Cook discusses how SMBs can benefit from adding storage to their existing networks in the form of NAS.
TIP #7------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Top considerations when buying a NAS array:
Purchasing a NAS platform for your business requires careful consideration. This article outlines the most important things to consider before making a decision. Learn the top considerations that must be made before deploying NAS, including how to manage it, how the information will be backed up and whether the platform can be scaled.
TIP #8------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Backup 101: Seven tips for better SMB backups:
Because budget and technical expertise are frequently strained in SMBs, an effective backup strategy must take those issues into consideration. The following tips can help you make successful backups.
TIP #9------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Data footprint reduction for SMBs:
For SMBs wanting to address green storage issues, establishing a holistic data footprint reduction strategy is a must. This tip discusses how your business can address these issues while boosting overall data and storage management effectiveness.
TIP #10----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do you really need NAS?:
There are no short, hard-and-fast rules when it comes to determining if a SMB needs NAS. In this tip, Tory Skyers discusses the advantages and disadvantages of networked storage in an SMB environment.
Is there a great tip you think is missing from the list? Send an email to editors at SearchSMBStorage.com.
