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ARE IT DEPARTMENTS STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH GROWTH?

By Wayne Dick, Business Development Consultant, Shoden Data Systems, July 2011

We often discuss the ever increasing growth in data - driven by various factors such as compliance, retention, data warehousing etc. Whatever the reason I think we can agree that this growth is driven by a business requirement and not just a “nice to have” being justified by the IT Department.

However essential, data growth touches on every physical aspect within the data center’s infrastructure, be it computing platforms to transact this data, networks and fibre channel environments to move this data or the storage arrays and backup platforms to host and protect the data and obviously space, power and cooling. Looking at the human factor, most of a company’s IT resources are involved in managing or maintaining these aspects. Growth therefore adds to cost and complexity.

Surprisingly many business and IT departments still prefer linking a new requirement to a project which funds its own infrastructure. This approach may work but it does not take into account all of the elements within the data center and therefore only adds to the cost and complexity associated with growth.

Although there is no “magic wand approach” to addressing this challenge, a good start is for architects to be given the authority to make technology decisions based on a strategic business requirement and future roadmaps and not only a single requirement at the time.

About Shoden

Shoden Data Systems PTY (Ltd.) provides innovative, high-end technology solutions to leading organisations across Africa, allowing them to gain what Shoden refers to as:“The data centre advantage”. Shoden aims to deliver the data centre advantage by understanding clients’ challenges and implementing optimised solutions that address these challenges, coupled with excellent service and support. www.shoden.co.za

For further information

Melinda de Gee
Shoden
Data Systems
083 212 9840
Melinda.degee@shoden.co.za