Sun storage: Your questions answered (most of them)

NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: MIKE KARP ON STORAGE IN THE ENTERPRISE
10/13/05
Today's focus: Sun storage: Your questions answered (most of
them)

Dear networking.world@gmail.com,

In this issue:

* When Sun comes knocking on your door...
* Links related to Storage in the Enterprise
* Featured reader resource
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Today's focus: Sun storage: Your questions answered (most of
them)

By Mike Karp

Last Tuesday, I met with senior management of the Sun storage
group (now the Data Management Group). Several of you have
pinged me trying to understand what to expect from Sun since the
company's buyout of StorageTek
<http://www.networkworld.com/news/2005/061505-sun.html?rl>. Here
are your questions, and here is some of what I learned.

What's the new product line going to be called? Sun figures it
has some brand equity in the Sun StorEdge marque, and a whole
lot of value in the StorageTek name. So be on the lookout for
machines labeled "Sun StorageTek." Who cares? The marketing
guys do.

Which sales weasel is going to show up at my door? That
depends. If you are an enterprise IT site with mainframe
technology, you are used to seeing the StorageTek rep (who most
likely has served you pretty well) and will continue to see him.
The big difference is that now he will have the Sun arrays (the
3000-, 6000- and 9000-series boxes) as well as tape products.
Those of you who value one-stop shopping and already like
StorageTek will like this.

If you are already a Sun storage site, expect at least one of
the following to happen: a) If you don't at present connect any
Sun machines to your mainframes, the Sun reps will rely on the
mainframe expertise of their StorageTek teammates to help them
get some mainframe connections going; b) If you do connect Sun
boxes to a mainframe (typically, this would be one of Sun's
9000-series machines, directly attached), then expect the Sun
sales reps to use the StorageTek services team to pry you away
from the Hitachi Data Systems service people who have been
supporting the 9000 machines (these are, of course, built by
HDS). This may be a fine opportunity to work out a creative deal
for your service pricing. Your leverage should be a reminder to
Sun that when Sun provides the service, it has a good route to
lots of add-on sales.

Also, if you are a storage admin at an enterprise site, expect
your friend, the StorageTek rep to start to push for
introductions to the guys who buy the servers - after all, these
reps now have a lot of Solaris-based product to sell. My
suggestions - first, hit the rep up for an extra coffee mug and
a tee shirt before you do this. Remember, being a storage admin
is not just a career, it's a wardrobe. Then, after the
introductions have been made and it's time for the Sun guys to
do a demo, hang around and watch - the system side of Sun really
does have a number of creative guys doing good things, so you
should see something worth watching.

If you haven't seen Sun sales reps hawking storage at your site
yet, don't despair. Sun is in hiring mode when it comes to
storage sales reps: Mark Canepa, executive vice president of
Sun's Network Storage Products Group, plans on bringing 100 more
on board as soon as possible.

Finally, whither Sun in regards to network intelligence and
security management? Something is definitely brewing at Sun
regarding security, but we'll have to wait until next month to
find out what it is. As far as network oversight is concerned...
well, it promised to get back to me on that one.

The top 5: Today's most-read stories

1. Windows 2000 vulnerability could lead to new outbreak
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlstorage8737>
2. Symantec AntiVirus Scan Engine has serious bug
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlstoragealert8494>
3. The ABCs of SOA <http://www.networkworld.com/nlstorage8567>

4. Nortel's uphill battle
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlstorage8128nlstoragealert8496>
5. Bechtel says move to IPv6 is all about business
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlstorage8566>

_______________________________________________________________
To contact: Mike Karp

Mike Karp is senior analyst with Enterprise Management
Associates, focusing on storage, storage management and the
methodology that brings these issues into the marketplace. He
has spent more than 20 years in storage, systems management and
telecommunications. Mike can be reached via e-mail
<mailto:mkarp@enterprisemanagement.com>.
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponsored by Ciena
Free White Paper: Best Practices in Storage-over-Distance
Implementation

Learn how the right storage extension implementation can enable
strategic competitive and cost advantages with high-performance,
low-cost data center connectivity - supporting virtually all
time-sensitive, mission-critical applications enterprise-wide.
Free white paper courtesy of Ciena.
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=117341
_______________________________________________________________
ARCHIVE LINKS

Archive of the Storage newsletter:
http://www.networkworld.com/newsletters/stor/index.html

Breaking storage news and analysis:
http://www.networkworld.com/topics/storage.html
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The Rise of MultiService Networks

Leading analysts believe that voice over IP over Wi-Fi, or VoFi,
is going to become a core driver of WLAN installations moving
forward. Find out how multiservice networking fits in.
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=117106
_______________________________________________________________
FEATURED READER RESOURCE

Network World Technology Insider on Security: Is Encryption the
Perspective?

Encryption won't solve all your security issues but these days
there is no excuse for not safeguarding your organization's
sensitive data. From Clear Choice product coverage to new
regulations and high-profile breaches, this Technology Insider
on Security covers it all. Click here to read now:

<http://www.networkworld.com/nlstorage7512>
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