Design a Storage Solution for a Creative Media Firm

One thing, I enjoyed the most in last four years while writing this storage blog, is the interaction with professionals from diverse background discussing wide variety of issues. Time to time, I was approached by readers looking for new opportunities or to fill open positions in their organizations. No, I am not setting the stage for launching a classified service on my blog.

The reader communication that attract me most are the ones where I learn something new or I can extend help to others or introduce two people together. And, such contacts didn't stop despite my absence for past few months.

A product development executive at a creative media firm contacted me a month ago requesting advise on storage solution for his firm. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to communicate regularly after initial contact. In our last conversation, he agreed for me to post his initial email (redact identifying information) on my blog.

Can you advise on a suitable storage solution for him? What questions will you ask to get additional information? What suggestions will you make?

Dear Anil,

I was reading through storage solutions and came across your very informative blog. I am not sure if you can help me on this; we are looking to deploy a SAN solution in our company and since my knowledge on this topic is only building up now I am a bit shaky about going down this path.

Just a quick overview – we are a creative media company with about 40 users and growing fast, our work involves 3D visualization, video production and interactive media development targeting architecture and pharma companies. We are continually fighting a battle with our storage requirements, we have generally been adding a NAS box as we needed more and using the older NAS boxes for admin usage etc. Our main hiccup is storage and to a lesser degree speed. We don’t have any serious application servers, just workstations and render servers in our production pipeline. We are looking at the NS20 Celerra from EMC, but am a bit unsure of this path and it’s applicability in our environment.

Thanks

JD

Thanks for sticking around!

It has been quite a while since I last blogged. This summer had high-and-low stored for me at personal level. The summer started out great with family get together and celebration but ended with death in the family.

Blogging and Storage weren't something I though about much in last two months. As someone said, life goes on, it is time for me to move on from personal tragedy. Thank you everyone for inquiring about my absence from blogging and whereabouts. I hope to slowly ease back in to blogging again.

If you are reading this post, thanks for sticking around!

Just Say "Thanks for Feedback"

For almost a month, blogging and blog reading took a back seat to hosting friends and family from four different countries, playing golf and Wii (addictive!), rigors of the day job and enjoying the summertime.

I most probably will still be on blogging hiatus for few more weeks if not for the battle of the words among storage bloggers Robin Harris, Barry Burke, and others. I guess I got embroiled by making an observational comment on Robin's Blog post resulting in pen-lashing from Storagezilla.

Overall, I am very surprised with the emotional responses and the offense both bloggers and commentators are taking. Be nice, boys! There is some great feedback in these blog posts and comments for everyone to take home. Whether, like it or not, just saying thanks for the feedback, will go a long way.

After storage blogging for almost four years, I would be saying thanks for the feedback, if I was receiving such thoughts about my blog from someone. May be, I am not cut out for EMC DNA mutation. BTW, thanks Chuck for acknowledging the storage trenchtrolls.

This war of words also reminded me of an incident, I was involved in, about two years ago. At that time, Hu was a class act in responding to my criticism of his blogging. In retrospect, I was out-of-line. Despite this incident, I was invited and hosted at HDS Executive Briefing Center by Jeremiah, previously HDS community evangelist. For this very reason, I admire and have great respect for both Hu and Jeremiah.

My offer to storage bloggers, readers, industry insiders and outsiders remains same. If you ever visit Seattle area, get in touch. I will love to pick your brain over a beer/coffee/lunch/dinner. I will do the same when I am in your town, just send me your contact info.

Of course, any feedback through comments, email and phone is always welcome too.