Data Storage Strategy
Brian Boyle
Network Services Manager
HEAnet
Introduction
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Context
Data Storage services
Centralising service
The case for NREN involvement
HEAnet’s activities
Context
• Client expectations
• International developments
– TF-Storage
• Survey
– Requirements gathering
• Lead to multiple strands
– Quick, cheap / Expensive, hi-spec
– Not homogeneous
– Many users – Research, ICT, Students…
International context
• Terena TF-Storage Working Group
– Open to all
– Mainly NREN and IT Services
– Appearances by Storage Vendors
• Cloud Providers, Hardware people, etc
• Many examples of:
– National Data Storage
– IaaS by NRENs for IT Services
International
• Summary: Data Storage:
– Is very complex & expensive
– Not usually a core activity
• …but could easily take up this role!
– Needs a lot of work
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Procurement
System Administration
End user support
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Centralised service
• There is a market for Centralised
Storage. Why?
• Economy of scale
• Elasticity of supply
• High end functionality
• Good hosting environment
• Better administration
• Lower risk for data
NREN Service
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Why would an NREN get involved?
Excellent network
Sustainable trust relationship
Client has strong influence
Similar funding environment
Cheaper than commercial offering
– Tailored SLA, lower power costs, no profit
margin
– Leverages existing assets
– No surprises
Data Storage Services
• Tightly coupled
– High speed disk, bus, fast CPU
• Loosely coupled
– Client/Server, local network
• Very loosely coupled
– Widely separated client/server
The Solution Spectrum
HEAnet’s Storage Services
• Data Centre Storage
– Data Centre users
– Very highly scaleable
– High Functionality
– High Quality
• Today: Applications
– FileSender
– Media Hosting
• Tomorrow: Storage as a Service
Future?
• HEAnet’s planned pipeline:
 Data Storage as a service
 Procurement framework
– On behalf of clients
– Goals:
• Enable equipment procurement
• Attract cloud vendors
• Simple best practice
– Based on client survey
Service Overview
Client Motivation (recap)
• Client would like;
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Lower cost, more flexibility
Eliminate capex, depreciation
Reduced administration cost
Lowering risk
• So the provider must:
– Build costs into service charge
• But users are comparing to raw storage
– Building good commercial relationship
• But procurement rules can be tricky
Provider motivation (recap)
• Why else is in NREN interested?
– Stay close to client
– Build services that use the network
– Add extra value without inordinate
increase in cost
– Alignment with stakeholders/funding
Cloud Challenges
• Cloud storage & Procurement
– “Round peg, square hole”
– Definition of “Cloud”
• Business model?
• Another name for managed service?
– Offerings are very different
• Comparisons are difficult
– Ireland is a small market
Next Steps
Agree procurement requirements
RFT specification
Outline vendor contract
Framework model
• Publication, evaluation, award
• Ongoing framework model
– Lasts for 4 years
– Support starts from delivery date
Conclusions
• NREN Clients require storage
– Huge variety to requirements
• They would like NREN’s involved
• NREN’s have a strategic role to play
– Great use for excellent networks
– Part of solution, not whole of solution
• Services will be long term
– “sticky”