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A MODEL FOR INFORMATION, DATA, AND STORAGE
Traditionally, storage infrastructure was viewed differently from the data and information that was placed on it. A new, unified model has emerged that ties together hardware, management, applications, data, and information. As Figure 1?1 shows, the entire spectrum from devices through information can be thought of as a series of layers, each building upon the others and providing more advanced services at each layer
The model begins with the traditional world of storage: the hardware.
The hardware or device layer includes all the hardware components that comprise a storage system, including disks and tapes up to entire Storage Area Networks (SAN).
Next is the management layer. This layer is comprised of all the tools for managing the hardware resources. Some typical functions of this layer include device and network management, resource management, network analysis, and provisioning.
The data management layer consists of tools and techniques to manage data. Some typical functions within this layer are backup and recovery, remote copy, replication, and Data Lifecycle Management practices.
The final piece of the model, and the uppermost layer, is the information management layer. This layer addresses the difference between information and data: context. Business practices such as Information Lifecycle Management look at what a collection of data means and manages it accordingly.
Data protection cuts across all levels of the model. A successful data protection strategy will take into account the hardware, especially its security and configuration.
The management layer is less pronounced in the data protection strategy, because it mainly serves the hardware. The data management layer is heavily involved, and the information management portion ties many aspects of data protection together while filling in significant gaps.
While reading the rest of this book, keep this model in mind. It will help provide a framework for thinking about data protection.
WHY IS DATA PROTECTION IMPORTANT TO THE ENTERPRISE?
There are several reasons for spending money, time, and effort on data protection. The primary one is minimizing financial loss, followed by compliance with regulatory requirements, maintaining high levels of productivity, and meeting customer expectations. As computers have become more and more integral to business operations, data requirements from regulators such as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), as well as from customers, have been imposed on businesses. There is a clear expectation that important data be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Without a working data protection strategy, that isn?t possible.
The single most important reason to implement data protection strategies is fear of financial loss. Data is recognized as an important corporate asset that needs to be safeguarded. Loss of information can lead to direct financial losses, such as lost sales, fines, or monetary judgments. It can also cause indirect losses from the effects of a drop in investor confidence or customers fleeing to competitors. Worse yet, stolen or altered data can result in financial effects that are not known to the company until much later. At that point, less can be done about it, magnifying the negative results.
Another important business driver for data protection is the recent spate of regulations. Governments throughout the world have begun imposing new regulations on electronic communications and stored data. Businesses face dire consequences for noncompliance. Some countries hold company executives criminally liable for failure to comply with laws regarding electronic communications and documents. These regulations often define what information must be retained, for how long, and under what conditions. Other laws are designed to ensure the privacy of the information contained in documents, files, and databases. Loss of critical communications can be construed as a violation of these regulations and may subject the corporation to fines and the managers to legal action.
A third driver, which does not get the attention of the press but is important to organizations nonetheless, is productivity. Loss of important data lowers overall productivity, as employees have to deal with time-consuming customer issues without the aid of computer databases. Data loss also results in application failures and similar system problems, making it difficult for people to do their jobs. A poor data protection strategy may leave people waiting for long periods of time for systems to be restored after a failure. During that time, employees may be idle or able to work only in a reduced capacity, further diminishing productivity.
A MODEL FOR INFORMATION, DATA, AND STORAGE
Traditionally, storage infrastructure was viewed differently from the data and information that was placed on it. A new, unified model has emerged that ties together hardware, management, applications, data, and information. As Figure 1?1 shows, the entire spectrum from devices through information can be thought of as a series of layers, each building upon the others and providing more advanced services at each layer
The model begins with the traditional world of storage: the hardware.
The hardware or device layer includes all the hardware components that comprise a storage system, including disks and tapes up to entire Storage Area Networks (SAN).
Next is the management layer. This layer is comprised of all the tools for managing the hardware resources. Some typical functions of this layer include device and network management, resource management, network analysis, and provisioning.
The data management layer consists of tools and techniques to manage data. Some typical functions within this layer are backup and recovery, remote copy, replication, and Data Lifecycle Management practices.
The final piece of the model, and the uppermost layer, is the information management layer. This layer addresses the difference between information and data: context. Business practices such as Information Lifecycle Management look at what a collection of data means and manages it accordingly.
Data protection cuts across all levels of the model. A successful data protection strategy will take into account the hardware, especially its security and configuration.
The management layer is less pronounced in the data protection strategy, because it mainly serves the hardware. The data management layer is heavily involved, and the information management portion ties many aspects of data protection together while filling in significant gaps.
While reading the rest of this book, keep this model in mind. It will help provide a framework for thinking about data protection.
WHY IS DATA PROTECTION IMPORTANT TO THE ENTERPRISE?
There are several reasons for spending money, time, and effort on data protection. The primary one is minimizing financial loss, followed by compliance with regulatory requirements, maintaining high levels of productivity, and meeting customer expectations. As computers have become more and more integral to business operations, data requirements from regulators such as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), as well as from customers, have been imposed on businesses. There is a clear expectation that important data be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Without a working data protection strategy, that isn?t possible.
The single most important reason to implement data protection strategies is fear of financial loss. Data is recognized as an important corporate asset that needs to be safeguarded. Loss of information can lead to direct financial losses, such as lost sales, fines, or monetary judgments. It can also cause indirect losses from the effects of a drop in investor confidence or customers fleeing to competitors. Worse yet, stolen or altered data can result in financial effects that are not known to the company until much later. At that point, less can be done about it, magnifying the negative results.
Another important business driver for data protection is the recent spate of regulations. Governments throughout the world have begun imposing new regulations on electronic communications and stored data. Businesses face dire consequences for noncompliance. Some countries hold company executives criminally liable for failure to comply with laws regarding electronic communications and documents. These regulations often define what information must be retained, for how long, and under what conditions. Other laws are designed to ensure the privacy of the information contained in documents, files, and databases. Loss of critical communications can be construed as a violation of these regulations and may subject the corporation to fines and the managers to legal action.
A third driver, which does not get the attention of the press but is important to organizations nonetheless, is productivity. Loss of important data lowers overall productivity, as employees have to deal with time-consuming customer issues without the aid of computer databases. Data loss also results in application failures and similar system problems, making it difficult for people to do their jobs. A poor data protection strategy may leave people waiting for long periods of time for systems to be restored after a failure. During that time, employees may be idle or able to work only in a reduced capacity, further diminishing productivity.
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