Storage is increasingly becoming a very important part of the modern network. The reason for this is because with technology we continue to generate more data than ever before. Because of this, being able to use network performance management to monitor storage is just as important to the performance of your system as anything else you currently monitor.
One of the reasons this is the case is the fact that servers today are not isolated pieces of equipment on a network. Often times a process will run on a server, but the data that a particular process on a server uses may be utilized through a connection to another network device such as an array or a storage area network (SAN). Having a SAN is great, but it creates new issues and requires different approaches when you are trying to make sure that your storage system is working in sync with the network topology you are running. Remember, the way applications are deployed and run on clients is now usually a network-dependant chore – generally through access to some sort of storage component.
With this in mind, it is helpful to think about some top storage metrics that you can use to make sure everything is running like a well-oiled machine in terms of monitoring storage networks.
Capacity
Monitoring storage capacity is important, but you also need to know where & how that data storage is being used. Understanding the most data intensive processes can save you a lot of time when monitoring capacity. It’s never a good situation when you run out of storage, and it’s in the allocation where you need to keep your eyes open.
Performance Ranking
Where are your bottlenecks in terms of storage? Which RAID array is being over utilized? These types of questions, leading in to doing a performance ranking of your storage system is a metric that should be considered.
Unused Storage
Are you under-utilizing your capabilities in some areas? If you are, you can discover where and try to use this unused storage to deal with more pressing issues on your network. Finding out this information can save organizations money in an era where storage has become more like a commodity that shouldn’t require an investment unless it’s really necessary.