EMERGING TECHNOLOGY - IP Storage Promising New Way to Address Fibre Channel Costs and Performance Deficiencies
Another potential trouble spot is IP storage’s impact on an organization’s existing network resources. CIOs need to carefully assess the state of their IP networks before committing to an IP storage strategy, says Mark Knittel, group vice president of worldwide product operations at Minneapolis-based storage networking vendor CNT. "IP storage is something of a bandwidth hog, and many IP networks aren’t able to handle this type of use." Knittel notes that upon adopting IP storage, many organizations opt to send their storage data over a VPN rather than the Internet. A VPN provides added security and allows organizations to tailor network parameters for maximum efficiency.
Despite IP storage’s lingering uncertainties and demand for careful planning, many early adopters continue to praise the technology, although guardedly. "You need to have a vision," says Christopherson. "You have to have a sound infrastructure and make sure that it’s ready."
Luther College’s Walker says the technology requires a CIO to be both cautious and alert. "It’s all incredibly complex, so we’re moving slowly," he says. "This is probably the most daring thing we’ve done in a long time." n
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