Backups, Archiving, and Life Cycle Management: Riding the Wave of Data Proliferation
Hosted by The University of Chicago

Most IT organizations report exponential data growth over time, and whether your data doubles every year, every two years, or every five years, the simple fact remains that if your data capacities double, then both the capacity and the performance of your backup system must double. All of this doubling stresses traditional approaches to data management. Thus, it is no surprise that backup/recovery is one of the most costly and unforgiving operations in the data center. Meanwhile, most IT organizations also report that the vast majority of their unstructured data is seldom or never accessed. Files accumulate year after year, choking the backup systems and driving up costs.

This lecture explores two main ways to manage the data deluge: (1) optimize backup systems by eliminating bottlenecks, streamlining operations, and bulking up backup infrastructure; and (2) manage the life cycles of unstructured data so that files that are not in active use can be managed separately from files that are in active use. We start by offering a simple framework for defining business requirements and comparing solutions at a high level. We then delve into the various mechanisms for life cycle management and for eliminating backup system bottlenecks. Some time is spent exploring storage systems that have built-in mechanisms for data protection and life cycle management.

Take back to work: Ideas for immediate, effective, inexpensive improvements to your backup systems and a vision for how you might deploy a life cycle management system that fits your organization.

Topics include:

• Formulating strategies for data protection and life cycle management
• Identifying and addressing backup system bottlenecks
• Managing fixed content
• Hierarchical storage management and data migration
• In-band versus out-of-band approaches to file life cycle management
• Breathing new life into tape storage
• Deduplication: separating hype from reality
• Object-based storage models for backup and archiving
• Self-healing and self-protecting storage systems
• Leveraging the cloud for backup and archiving
  

Who should attend: System administrators involved in the design and management of backup systems and policymakers responsible for protecting their organization's data.

This lecture is not intended for members of the press, salespeople, manufacturers' representatives, resellers, marketing personnel, product managers, etc.

On day of event, please bring an ID, as it will be checked upon entering the venue. Registration is required.

Parking and Directions: The University of Chicago campus is easily accessible by public transportation. Click here for bus and train routes. A map of the campus parking areas can be found here. A visitor parking garage on 55th Street and Ellis is avaible for a fee.

For general inquiries and concerns, please contact Alena at alena@cambridgecomputer.com