IP Storage Networking: Straight to the Core

As with any large project, there is a cast far beyond those featured who contribute to the overall success. I would like to recognize these individuals for their contributions, participation, and assistance in helping me create IP Storage Networking: Straight to the Core.

Tom Clark deserves credit for his input and support though the genesis of the book through to completion. With his insight, understanding, and spirited sense of humor, I had a trusted guide and colleague that made overall endeavor a true pleasure .

John Webster, senior analyst and founder of the Data Mobility Group, continues to provide thought leadership in the storage networking industry and has long understood the larger implications of IP storage networking. In addition to contributing the introduction, John and Data Mobility Group co-founder Perry Harris provided extensive material to Chapter Eleven (Managing the Storage Domain.) John and Perry's plan of attack provides a unique view to designing the organizational structure behind storage management.

Randy Fardal contributed an endless amount of networking expertise to Chapters Nine (Assessing Network Connectivity) and Ten (Applications Across Wide Area Networks). The technical detail in Chapter Ten has long eluded the novice and expert storage administrator alike. Through a series of detailed steps, Randy's analysis helps us navigate through potentially complicated remote storage scenarios made simple through his innovative approach.

In what will likely become a useful template for assessing high-availability requirements, Rajiev Rajavasireddy of VERITAS helped outline the entire spectrum of protection mechanisms from simple backup to wide area failover configuration in Chapter Six (Business Continuity for Mission Critical Applications.) Rajiev's exceptional capability to boil down the range of solutions to a clear, easy-to-follow framework makes this chapter an enjoyable read for even the most knowledgeable on backup and recovery procedures.

Christian Tate drew on his experience at Storage Networks for Chapter Seven (Options for Operational Agility) which focuses primarily on the storage service provider model. Christian's intimacy with this sector, and additional background at Sun Microsystems storage division and Cable and Wireless enabled him to provide a comprehensive overview of past and present trends in outsourced storage services.

Glenn Haar kindly contributed his detailed report on IT Service Recovery for Appendix A. Glenn has twenty four years of experience in the information technology field encompassing development, support, and operations. As a project leader, he implemented a revenue processing system used by the State of Idaho for 20 years . As an early adopter of technology, he was awarded a Hewlett-Packard Technology Award for Technology Integration and been listed in the International Who's Who of Information Technology.

In one of the most insightful industry reports available, Jason Yip delivers a logical, comprehensive structure to understand the storage landscape from software through systems to semiconductors. Jason's in depth expertise as an analyst at Broadview, a leading technology-focused global M&A advisor and private equity investor, helps clarify the dizzying array of new market entrants and where they fit within the larger storage environment.

Ben Nelson and Bala Parthasarathy of Snapfish graciously donated their time and experience to an educational case study on network storage in Chapter Eight (Initiating Deployment.) Ben's business foresight combined with Bala's technical acuity has produced an innovative storage growth story.

Following an inventive presentation on managing storage at Storage Networking World Fall 2002, Geoffrey Moore graciously contributed his framework on Core versus Context to Chapter Eleven. This fresh approach to looking at storage management tasks will make even the most experienced managers reevaluate their time and resource commitments.

Drawing upon his routing expertise and intimate knowledge of distributed systems, Roy D'Cruz assisted in the overall framework for Chapter Four (Storage Systems Control Points.) Roy's parallels between networking and storage distributed systems provide uncanny insight towards future storage deployments.

Aamer Latif provided his network control points model in Chapter Four. This model was used extensively in the early days of the IP storage industry to convey the market forces shaping storage network evolution.

With extensive experience on the investment and operation sides of the storage industry, Eric Bohren shared his views and perspective in parts of Chapter Four and Eight. His intimacy with the email storage sector provided the email centric case study.

Craig LeGrande of Mainstay Partners kindly contributed material to Chapters Eight and Twelve (Perfecting the Storage Engine) related to IT portfolio management. Craig's in-depth understanding of managing large IT initiatives shows visibly in his strategic approach.

I would also like to thank Bill Lozoff of NeoScale Systems, Ken Steinhardt of EMC, Sara Radicati of the Radicati Group, Inc., and Steve Duplessie of the Enterprise Storage Group for their contributions, and Josh Tseng and Charles Monia for their many educational hallway conversations.

Of course, none of this would have happened without the support of the editorial, production, and marketing teams at Addison Wesley and Prentice Hall to whom I am most thankful. I also appreciate the insightful comments of numerous editors who made this book a better read for all.

Finally, I owe true gratitude to Ching-Yee and my family for their patience during the busier times of this challenging and rewarding project.