MANAGED SERVER APPLICATION BRIEF

Problem: Users increasingly demand storage resources.

Storage costs have become a significant part of the IT budget. Keeping costs down and intelligently managing the addition of data storage is becoming a more difficult task.

Solution: Managed Server HSM software combined with a Central Storage Pool provides a complete, cost-effective solution for managing your growing storage requirements.

Seamlessly add storage resources to a Central Storage Pool (off-the-shelf, industry standard NAS appliances, general purpose servers, and special archival platforms, etc.) for increasing storage needs
Manage data storage using automated policies, reducing manual management overhead and providing lower total cost of ownership
Archive seldom accessed files from existing servers (Windows plus other available source platforms) to Central Storage Pools

Benefit: Increase your storage resources with Managed Server HSM.

Provides users immediate, seamless access to all of their files without operator intervention
Simplifies managing user access to their files by pooling "islands" of data storage
Seamlessly integrates into your current environment without interruption to end users
Reduces IT management costs while meeting the needs for increased storage capacity
Reduces the time it takes to backup the files that are actually being used
Leverages your existing investment in IT resources

Application Brief: Using Managed Server HSM

Equipment

Server running Microsoft Windows Server (or one of the other available source platforms)

Pentium Processor or higher

4 GB RAM
CaminoSoft Managed Server HSM software
Central Storage Pool comprised of one or more off-the-shelf hardware configurations of network attached storage (NAS) devices, servers (CIFS shares) and special purpose target archive platforms

How It Works

Managed Server HSM aggregates the storage of individual storage devices and servers into a Central Storage Pool. Using automated policies, storage capacity is automatically provisioned from the pool as needed to satisfy data archiving requirements. Users are provided with transparent access to their files while Managed Server HSM is seamlessly integrated into the existing environment.
Managed Server HSM turns any volume into an infinite storage resource for storing your company's crucial data. Archiving is managed automatically based on administrator-defined rules and policies. All directories remain on the main server volumes, so users can find their files exactly where they placed them.
By utilizing Managed Server HSM policies, seldom accessed files can be automatically archived to the Central Storage Pool devices providing shorter production backup times. Increasing storage is as simple as adding additional storage resources to the Central Storage Pool.

FAQs

Q. What is the data archiving feature of Managed Server HSM?
A. One or more supported source servers can automatically archive files to a group of Central Storage Pool devices  based upon a combination of time schedules, file selection criteria including age of file since last access date, last modification or creation date, size, and critical volume "watermarks" which determine how many files need to be archived. Administrators can spend their time being more productive instead of having to continually make space available for their users.
Q. What happens if one of the Central Storage Pool devices fails?
A. If the device is highly available (e.g. RAID for disk devices or "cluster" for servers), then users will have continuous access to their files in the event of a failure in the storage pool.  Otherwise, users will regain access to the storage pool archived files once the device/server is made available.
Q. What happens if the "managed" server fails (server running Managed Server HSM)?
A. For mission critical applications, Managed Server HSM can be configured to run in a cluster using Windows or Novell Cluster Services, providing automatic failover and continuous data availability.
Q. Are there any performance issues when relocating files to the Central Storage Pool?
A. While users might experience a slight delay when accessing archived files, the process is completely transparent and automatic - which is considerably faster than searching through offline or other media trying to find a file.

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