Storage and Archive

Note on managing VoIP as a service

Many organizations have experienced performance and availability problems with their VoIP solutions, in spite of the fact that there seems to be more than adequate bandwidth available. This results in dropped calls and poor sound quality. This is usually because of variations in bandwidth utilization during the call, which is often the result of utilization of the network by other users, applications or other web activity. This has led to the differentiation between measuring the bandwidth available to initiate a call (Service Access Bandwidth – or SAB) and the amount of bandwidth that must be continuously available during the call (Service Utilization Bandwidth – or SUB). Care should be taken in differentiating between these when designing, managing or measuring VoIP services.

Many services require the storage of data for a specific time and also for that data to be available off-line for a certain period after it is no longer used. This is often due to regulatory or legislative requirements, but also because history and audit data are invaluable for a variety of purposes, including marketing, product development, forensic investigations, etc.

A separate team or department may be needed to manage the organization’s data storage technology such as:

• Storage devices, such as disks, controllers, tapes, etc.
• Network Attached Storage (NAS), which is storage attached to a network and accessible by several clients
• Storage Area Networks (SANs) designed to attach computer storage devices such as disk array controllers and tape libraries. In addition to storage devices, a SAN will also require the management of several network components, such as hubs, cables, etc.
• Direct Attached Storage (DAS), which is a storage device directly attached to a server
• Content Addressable Storage (CAS) which is storage that is based on retrieving information based on its content rather than location. The focus in this type of system is on understanding the nature of the data and information stored, rather than on providing specific storage locations.

Regardless of what type of storage systems are being used, Storage and Archiving will require the management of the infrastructure components as well as the policies related to where data is stored, for how long, in what form and who may access it. Specific responsibilities will include:

• Definition of data storage policies and procedures
• File storage naming conventions, hierarchy and placement decisions
• Design, sizing, selection, procurement, configuration and operation of all data storage infrastructure
• Maintenance and support for all utility and middleware data-storage software
• Liaison with Information Lifecycle Management team(s) or Governance teams to ensure compliance with freedom of information, data protection and IT governance regulations
• Involvement with definition and agreement of archiving policy
• Housekeeping of all data storage facilities
• Archiving data according to rules and schedules defined during Service Design. The Storage teams or departments will also provide input into the definition of these rules and will provide reports on their effectiveness as input into future design
• Retrieval of archived data as needed (e.g. for audit purposes, for forensic evidence, or to meet any other business requirements)
• Third-line support for storage- and archive-related incidents.

Дата добавления: 2014-12-23