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April 7, 2003 TODAY'S HEADLINES - ** Cut Cost By Deploying Citrix Metaframe ---------------------------------------------------- According to an old proverb, if something isn't broke, don't try to fix it. People tend to stick with old systems and ways of doing things, not because there's not a better way, but because it's usually easier than implementing change. This idea occurred to me last weekend as I was chatting with the plumber who came to my house to replace a busted pipe. The pipe was located between my two upstairs bathrooms, as the shower in one bathroom is on equal alignment with the bathtub in the other. This caused quite a predicament, because both of the bathroom walls are tiled. I had to choose whether to bust through the original tile bathtub wall that came with my circa 1980 house or through the shower wall that I just completed tiling last year. I still had some spare tile stored away, so I told the plumber to rip out the shower wall. Even though I swore I'd never do bathroom tile ever again, it was the most cost-effective decision I could make, considering I already had the supplies. Newly installed projects are rarely as they seem in the project plan, and old systems never go away. This relates not only to my plumbing problems, but also to what I think is a larger human nature issue that carries into the infrastructure of many IT enterprise environments. If a system has been working for years, no matter how big of a headache it is, new processes will be built around the existing system. Perhaps the person originally responsible for the system is no longer available, or the vendor no longer supports the product. Whatever the reason, it's usually like pulling teeth to get an old system removed. With a new project, everyone works on his or her own agenda, adding miscellaneous bells and whistles. The once lean and slim project becomes overburdened with corruption and problems--what I call "project-itis." However, since there's vendor support and people have already started down a particular path, it continues, usually to the doom of the project or those involved. So how does this relate to tape backup? When computers first evolved, magnetic tape was used to store records. It was valuable because it allowed you to physically transport your data off-site. Initially, tape only provided a couple hundred kilobytes of storage, but it eventually grew to hundreds of gigabytes. However, there are some new solutions on the block, such as blue-laser DVD and disk replication, which are about to put a dent in the tape empire. DVD and hard drives for replication are inexpensive. If you're grumbling about spending $100,000+ on your new tape library and how tape will never go away, you're caught in the trap of the old-system mind-set. With replication, there's no need for tape management. And you don't have to worry about data loss, because your off-site vendor can't lose a storage array. Furthermore, the difference from $50 a tape to $.50 a DVD means that you can make three or four copies of your data for transport. As long as the enterprise doesn't overload these new technologies with "project-itis," they'll surely rule as the new emperors in off-site storage. Stop and think of how you can rid yourself of the dreaded tape monster, and start working on more important issues. After all, especially in our current economy, a penny saved is a penny earned. **Dave Mays is an independent consultant with over 10 years in the technology industry. He was a research pioneer at one of the first national Internet providers. -------------------------------------------------- To access previous newsletters, go to http://www.veemost.com/newsletters.htm --------------------------------------------------- WHEN YOUR NETWORK IS TOAST, CALL VEEMOST We have risen to the task many times. We can help you get your network back to normal. Save yourself some time, we are just a phone call away. |
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