How to Win the Storage Wars
New technology is both a blessing and hindrance in the IT world.
Data is becoming more complex and businesses are demanding faster access to larger amounts of digital information. As a result, new equipment is constantly being developed which can accommodate more speed, storage and performance.
This new technology is great if you’re in the market for all new equipment; but let’s be honest, you’re probably not. And even if you are looking to do a full upgrade of your systems, investing in top-of-the-line equipment is likely a more expensive solution than most businesses are comfortable spending.
The result is a less than optimal solution which may not seamlessly integrate into your existing environment and cause more problems down the road. Plus, you risk untimely disruptions and downtime while deploying your new infrastructure. And we won’t even get into changing SLAs and business priorities.
Fortunately, there is a solution which can provide the options you need with the convenience of passing the grunt work to someone else: Managed storage.
Does Your Business Need Managed Storage
Managed storage is a service that allows all aspects of your data storage – from monitoring to maintenance – to be administrated and supervised within your environment. This reliable and high performing solution combines flexibility and scalability with the speed and efficiency you need to keep your applications running smoothly.
It doesn’t matter which industry your business occupies, you will likely have a need for managed storage. The bigger question isn’t if you need managed storage, rather when you will need it.
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Here are three big signs your business might be ready for a managed storage solution today.
1. Your Current System is Outdated
Just like how a new car loses value the moment you drive it off the lot, your IT infrastructure can quickly become outdated after it’s deployed.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise considering the innovation and speed at which new technology is unveiled. Just look each fall when the major cell phone companies release their latest and greatest devices.
It’s not feasible or practical to replace your storage system with each tech advancement, so some IT departments are getting by with patchwork improvements or continually adding capacity to legacy systems. This may temporarily solve the problem, but with limited flexibility, you will run into more problems when you inevitably need to scale up your storage capacity again.
2. You Are Constantly Playing Catch Up with Your Storage Plan
Did you know the International Data Corporation (IDC) estimates that enterprise data doubles every 18 months?
If you’re not adequately planning for this surge of digital information, you’ll soon be faced with a situation that involves investing more of your budget to storage instead of spending capital dollars elsewhere, which could negatively impact the overall performance of your business applications.
Even if you have a solution in place, are you proactively managing your storage capacity and performance? For instance, your environment should allow you the flexibility to seamlessly scale out when you reach your capacity limit. If you’re not planning with your current and future needs in mind, you’ll always be playing catch up when it comes to your storage solution.
3. You Don’t Have Time to Properly Manage Your Storage
It’s no secret that running an effective IT infrastructure takes time and hard work. In addition to maintaining the upkeep of your equipment, you are constantly monitoring performance and storage to ensure your website and applications are running optimally to provide the best experience for your end users.
And when you do need to evaluate your storage lifecycle, you may find the process is lengthy and complex – providing insufficient data that’s not conducive to making an informed decision.
If you’re looking for a solution that can streamline the storage management process by making proactive decisions using predictive analytics, and allowing you more time to focus on your core business, you might want to consider managed storage.
Why INAP’s Managed Storage Solution Makes Sense for You
INAP offers a storage solution that meets or exceeds all of the standards you’d expect and require from a managed hosting provider. Our service provides performance, reliability (99.9999% availability) and security, with proactive flexible and scalable options so you’re never caught off guard when you are running out of space. Plus, our team of experts provides all the maintenance to keep you operating 24x7x365, so you can focus your time and resources on more important business matters.
Contact us today to learn more about how our managed storage solution can improve your performance and efficiency.
