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 Storage
Buying Tips
1. Buy more DAS
(direct-attached
storage) than you
think you need.
2. Take advantage of
low-priced IDE or
SATA storage for
entry-level servers.
3. For file servers,
consider inexpensive
RAID 1 (mirroring)
options that use IDE
or SATA drivers.
They provide the
protection of RAID
but cost less than
SCSI RAID solutions.
4. Use SCSI RAID 1
or SCSI RAID 5
arrays, with
hot-swappable drives
for all critical
application services
and databases.
5. Consider
network-attached
storage (NAS)
appliances for
remote office file
and print services.
In many cases, they
can obviate the need
for a server.
6. Use NAS as an
alternative to tape
backup for
easy-access data
protection and
archiving.
7. Conserve space in
the data closet by
purchasing
rack-mount servers,
storage devices, or
NAS appliances. Even
small companies
often have racks for
patch panels and
network switches.
8. Consider your
data protection and
backup strategy
before you buy.
Backing up multiple
desktops, servers,
and volumes can get
complex. If
possible,
consolidate and
simplify storage to
ensure that your
data is protected.
9. It often doesn’t
pay to upgrade an
older server with
more storage.
Purchase a new
server with abundant
memory and storage.
10. Keep it simple.
Don’t create complex
storage subsystems
that you can’t fix
without outside
intervention.
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