As storage teams expand use of data-driven storage technologies (e.g., virtualization, tiered storage), pressures to formulate comprehensive meta data strategies at the level of storage increase dramatically. Moreover, meta data from technologies like storage virtualization, which intervene between applications and previously dedicated pools of storage, may even supersede many classes of application-level metadata. Traditionally, storage administrators have created modest amounts of meta data, usually dictated by device types or formats. However, piecemeal approaches to creating, manipulating, and using meta data will not work where enormous volumes of data have to be logically integrated for storage automation to operate. The good news is that conventions, methods, and tools for managing meta data are very mature. The bad news is storage professionals typically know nothing more about them than how much storage they require.
Action Item: Storage professionals must begin formulating realistic storage meta data strategies that work in concert with enterprise meta data approaches, borrowing knowledge, tools, and methods to rapidly prepare for adoption of emerging data-driven automation technologies.
Footnotes: