5 keys to delivering storage-as-a-service without losing control

1 Copyright© 2012 iWave Software. All Rights Reserved

Ron Smith, VP Sales & Marketing iWave Software NetApp Insight session #MG-2-711


Growth in storage demands

Maturing Storage Admin population

Change in user expectations: magnifying need to reduce provisioning times

Deployment of private cloud initiatives

Increase in CIO “IT-as-a-Service” initiatives

Why Change Storage Admin Status Quo?


What is Storage-as-a Service (STaaS)?

Users request storage services via self-service portal

Storage services are fully automated

Can be “Private” or “Public”

Private “Storage Clouds” – Leverage your existing storage assets

– Hosted from your secure data center


Storage-as-a Service: a “Win” for Users

Mirrors consumer behavior from public storage cloud services

Reduces provisioning times from:

Empowers users to request own storage


Storage-as-a-Service: “Win” for Storage Admins

Offloads and automates routine storage administration tasks

Automates the tracking of storage consumption to storage users

Scales existing storage admin staff to meet growth rate in storage

Enables storage support staff to evolve into new “IT-as-a-Service” initiative


So What’s Holding StaaS Back? Fear of loss of control

Complex, heterogeneous storage infrastructure

Organizational boundaries and politics

Complex processes: scripts, CLIs and tribal knowledge

Integration of ITSM tools and processes

Lack of vendor & product standards

Fear of change


5 Keys: Delivering Storage-as-a-Service Determine the scope for your Storage-as-a-Service project

Choose the right storage automation platform

Define & implement storage policies to maintain control

Establish a continuous “Storage-as-a-Service” process

Integrate StaaS into your existing ITIL processes


#1: Scope Your StaaS Offering

Candidates for STaaS Offering

Process Identify storage tasks that can be automated based on:

Frequency

Complexity

Routine/Mundane

Cost

Impact (if done wrong)

• Storage Provisioning

• Storage Replication

• Data Protection

• Data Migration


Typical Storage Provisioning Process

•Performance •Capacity •Compatibility •Usage Profile •Data Protection

Analyze Storage Request

•Tier/ Service Level

•Storage Array •Device Group •Device Type •Data Path

Find Best Available Storage

•Change Approval •Scheduling •Maint. Windows •Resource Reservation

Approve & Schedule

•Storage Provisioning •Fabric Configuration •Host Configuration •Application Configuration

Provision Storage

•User Notification •Chargeback •Asset Mgmt

Complete Request

Typical storage provisioning processes takes 3 – 25 business days in large organizations


Admin Time Spent on Provisioning

Analyze Storage Request

Find Best Available Storage

Approve & Schedule

Provision Storage

Complete Request

Typical storage provisioning processes takes 3 – 25 business days in large organizations


#2: Choose Right Storage Automation Platform

• RESTful API

• Drives every service in the catalog

• Ability to integrate with 3rd party portals, IT automation tools, etc.

• Rules engine

• Matches storage w/ storage requests

• Works with different arrays, fabric, hosts

• Execute automated storage services

• Change control

• Maintenance windows

• Preview & roll-back

• Self-service

• Web-based

• Multi-tenant

• Role-based access control


#3 – Define & Implement Intelligent Policies Application/Host Requirements Storage Attributes

• Infrastructure • Disk speed, type etc.

• Performance • Data Protection (RAID, Snapshots, Replication)

• Acceptability

• Storage admins set selection policies

• Finds right storage to fulfill automated storage request

• Automatically chooses the best “device group”

• ASPs refine the set of candidate device groups

• Algorithm uses service levels as input to select the best device group


#3 – Execute Services to Help You Maintain Control

• Executes automated storage services

• Performs pre-condition checks

• Supports rollback to “last known good state” in event of failure

• Uses standardized execution plans – XML Documents – Defines pre-condition checks, execution &

rollback – Enables storage admin modification

• Change control set on per service basis & integrates with service desk tools

• Operates within maintenance windows


#4 – Components for Policy Selection


#4: Establish Continuous StaaS Process

Select storage automation

solution

Identify storage profiles & processes

Develop automation

services w/SDK

Deploy Storage Automation

Get Feedback

Incorporate feedback for improvement


#4: Establish Continuous StaaS Process

Identify storage profiles & processes

Develop automation

services w/SDK

Deploy Storage Automation Get Feedback

Incorporate feedback for improvement

Storage-as-a-Service Process


#4 - Storage Automation Workflow

New services and adapters using SDK. New objects are created, managed by execution plans.

Storage Administrators control via execution plans & policies in an admin console

Self-service portal


#5:Integrate Staas with ITIL Processes

CMDB

IT & Business Approvals

Management & Monitoring

Change Management


Deliver Storage-as-a-Service Scope your Storage-as-a-Service project

Choose the right storage automation platform

Define & implement storage policies to maintain control

Establish continuous StaaS process

Integrate StaaS into existing ITIL processes

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Happy Users

Happy Storage Admins


iWave Software Resources

Ron Smith

+1 469.287.5889, [email protected]

Julius Clayton

+44 20 7492 1980, [email protected]

www.iwavesoftware.com

http://www.iwavesoftware.com/