Storage: Hitachi Data Systems Launches New Suite of Professional Services Designed to Help Maximize the Business Benefits of Storage Area Networks - Company Business and Marketing

Edge: Work-Group Computing Report, May 3, 1999

Addressing the needs of mid-to-large size companies for an effective program to deliver packaged and repeatable Storage Area Network solutions (SANs), the Technical Services Group of Hitachi Data Systems Monday announced a new suite of services that will assist clients in planning, implementing, and managing SAN-based environments to optimize the control of data across the enterprise.

Hitachi Data Systems enables clients to choose from a suite of modular services that provide critical support and expertise at each stage of SAN design, development, and implementation.

The modularity of these services provides much-needed flexibility to allow the integration of new packaged SAN solutions and allows customers to evade entrapment caused by proprietary offerings. The SAN solutions offered by Hitachi Data Systems are intended to address a broad spectrum of client business and technology environments and feature the following services:

* SAN Enterprise Infrastructure Assessment (EIA) Service * SAN Configuration Management Service * SAN System Design Service * SAN Project Management Service * SAN Installation Service * SAN Business Continuance Service

SAN EIA Essentially a program designed to systematically uncover an organization's IT health and business needs, the SAN EIA is a key part of Hitachi Data Systems' SAN implementation approach. The SAN EIA is performed prior to any other SAN service offering and is comprised of a structured client assessment program that enables Hitachi Data Systems to suggest re-engineering methodologies to improve a client's IT infrastructure.

The SAN EIA service shares many similarities with the standard EIA service, delivered successfully for over six years in the open systems space, but is enhanced to specifically focus on key SAN infrastructure elements that deal with storage subsystems and related management functions. Interview, data-gathering, and infrastructure modeling are included in this business-enabling service. The result provides the customer with important information prior to SAN implementation such as decision points for arbitrated loop or switched architecture, connection issues via ESCON, SCSI, or Fibre Channel, performance and capacity planning, device tape inventory, and SAN management.

Commenting on the SAN EIA service, John Mulach, vice president of Hitachi Data Systems Technical Services said, "At Hitachi Data Systems, we realize that each company has different needs and expectations for developing a SAN solution. That's why Hitachi Data Systems SAN solutions are designed to allow our clients to select the degree of involvement they wish to undertake in regard to implementing a SAN. We then work with clients to optimize the solution to best integrate with their technology environment and support their business strategy."

SAN Configuration Management Service The SAN Configuration Management Service includes a suite of services designed to assist customers in managing the emerging SAN environment. Hitachi Data Systems has developed a packaged offering that includes the assessment, design, implementation, and management of a SAN cabling and component infrastructure. Focusing specifically on the fiber optic infrastructure that makes up the transmission medium and control devices required by a Storage Area Network, this offering addresses all phases that a customer would require for planning, installing, and maintaining the fiber optic system.

SAN System Design Providing global design accommodation, the SAN System Design service addresses the total storage-solution requirements of the customer. Taking place after the completion of a SAN EIA, this offering utilizes the information obtained via the SAN EIA to design a robust SAN environment. Hitachi Data Systems provides two levels of systems design: Strategic Design and Tactical Design.

An example of Hitachi Data Systems' SAN design expertise can be found at Northern Trust Company of Chicago, where Hitachi Data Systems has developed a fully-functional high-end SAN for a Windows NT environment. Using Hitachi Data Systems VisionBase servers and the multi-platform Hitachi Data Systems Freedom Storage 7700E, Northern Trust's SAN will enable the company to pool storage devices in a central location, utilize a common Automated Tape Library (ATL) to back up multiple server locations, and off-load data management traffic from the LAN. (Please see the separate Hitachi Data Systems news release also dated April 26 1999, which discusses the Northern Trust solution.)

"Hitachi Data Systems provides a compelling vision of how to approach the SAN issue from a business perspective," said Jim Glueck, vice president and general manager, Hitachi Data Systems Client Resources. "This services offering, combined with a powerful architectural vision supported by Hitachi Data Systems' reputation for bullet-proof enterprise-class products, is a tremendous stride toward providing real SAN solutions that enable companies to strategically manage critical business information."