Optical Storage FAQs

Why the need for a nearline storage strategy ?
This compilation of Frequently Asked Questions cover the basics of storage management and explains why users should consider NearLine storage a critical component of their business plan.

By Nearline Optical solutions we mean all solutions that incorporate optical type technology such as Magneto-Optical (MO), Compact-Disc (CD), Digital Video Disc (DVD), etc...


  1. Why does my business need a storage strategy?
  2. What factors are causing the explosion of data?
  3. Where exactly do Unylogix nearline optical solution fit in the picture?
  4. What is Online and Offline data management?
  5. Why choose a NearLine storage solution?
  6. What about Total Cost of Ownership?
  7. Why choose a Unylogix NearLine solution over the competition?
  8. Summary
Q: Why does my business need a storage Strategy?

A: Current market research indicates that typical business storage requirements are growing at a minimum annual rate of 50%.
Storage is the largest cost component in the implementation of mission-critical applications, as well as the key to continuous operations.
Q: What factors are causing the explosion of data?
 

A: Any day-to-day business operation that you can think of is contributing to the increased need for storage:

  • Email
  • Data Warehousing
  • Internal & External Company Websites
  • Applications
  • Platforms
  • CRM Systems
  • Business Intelligence Systems
  • Back-end Business Systems

All are growing at different rates and require storage on your network.

Q: Where exactly do Unylogix nearline optical solution fit in the picture?
 
A: Unylogix provides NearLine storage solutions at a fraction of the cost of the total cost of standard disk storage such as RAID.

If your storage network environment is one that requires high availability and reliability, you would initially want to look at a Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) as your first step. As your storage requirements grow with your business over time, you want to find an alternative to the high cost of acquiring more online storage: this is where the Unylogix NearLine storage solution come into play.

See the charts below to understand how an Optical Nearline solution can help grow your network.
 
 

The majority of today's networks are based on the old model; customers are forced to buy expensive RAID to satisfy their growing space requirements. Options for backing up the network are not especially attractive either.

Now have a look at the new Nearline Optical Storage Management Model.
 
 
As you can see, implementing an Optical NearLine storage systems offer a number of benefits to your company network and your bottom line by delaying your next RAID purchase. Our Optical solutions offer stable, 50+ year media shelf life and random access capabilities, efficiently delivering data to users as well as serving as a means to effectively secure and backup your valuable files.

Q: What is Online and Offline data management?
 
A: DVD, CD or MO media can easily be imported or exported via library mailslots or by exchanging a Pack. The front packs of the NSM Series storage libraries are hot-swappable and can be exchanged while the device remains operational.

Each NSM Series Pack holds 15 pieces of DVD or CD media and contains our exclusive MemoryTrak with a unique serial ID number which allows the pack to be inserted and removed under full system control. As a result, the system administrator has full-time access to any data created whether online or off line. The managed capacity of your NearLine storage systems becomes virtually unlimited.
Q: Why choose a NearLine storage solution?
 
A: The answer in a nutshell: COST. Most businesses today already have a RAID appliance that stores all company data online; making it fast, instantly accessible and inefficient. Studies have shown that only 30% or less of all data on company networks are accessed on a regular basis, leaving the remaining 70% of information to waste valuable resources. Instead of using up space on expensive RAID arrays and having to shell out more money for expanding your storage when you finally run out, a more cost-effective solution is to migrate old data to an Optical NearLine storage system.

Integration of a Nearline Optical storage solutions to your company network are seamless; users will not be able to tell the difference whether their information is NearLine or online. Using applications from our preferred list of Independent Software Vendors, IT Managers can setup migration protocols through storage management software, to move data back and forth between online and NearLine status at will, significantly postponing the next RAID purchase.

Q: What about total cost of ownership?
 
A: When evaluating a data storage solution, there are several key requirements to consider:
  • Availability of data
  • Accuracy of data
  • Security of data
  • Performance for read/write access
  • Scalability
  • Cost efficiency


Our NearLine Optical storage solutions meet these requirements by integrating the complete system. Hardware and software are optimized, providing features, performance and functionality at an incomparable price to performance ratio.

Q: Why choose a Unylogix NearLine storage solution over the competition?
 
A: Choose Unylogix for these reasons:
 
  • Mission-Critical Design
  • Cost-Effective Storage

    • Mission-Critical Design

    Simplicity - Unylogix storage devices are inherently simple in design when compared to RAID appliances. Using less moving parts significantly lowers the possibility of mechanical failure and system downtime.

    Dynamic Automatic Alignment (DAA) -An industry-leading feature found only on our NearLine Optical storage systems.

    After reaching a predetermined usage level, the storage system will automatically perform a self-correcting, diagnostic program to ensure that the robotic picker has maintained proper alignment. The result is less media-delivery failures, less system downtime and continued productivity.

    Scalability - Unylogix storage devices are designed to meet current, and future, requirements. Ranging in capacity from 40 GBs to 9.5 TBs, all Unylogix products feature fully-scalable architecture, guaranteeing adequate storage for years to come.

    Protection from Data Loss & Disaster Tolerance - When a RAID array fails, there is a possibility that data may be corrupt or lost entirely; not an issue with our NearLine Optical storage solutions. Built around the most reliable storage technology ever invented, data stored on optical media is virtually indestructible

    Cost-effective Storage

    Unylogix NearLine Optical storage systems use the most stable and reliable storage technology on the market to guarantee data integrity and longevity. The graph below shows a typical business storage requirement over a 48-month period when supplemented with NearLine storage.



    Using the Unylogix Storage Management Model only 30% of your anticipated storage requirements must be satisfied with your existing online storage array. The remaining 70% can be satisfied with NearLine storage which only costs a fraction of RAID.

    Say for instance, your company network began its inception with 1 TB of RAID, which costs around $250,000 (Anywhere from $150,000 to $450,000 per TB is a realistic range, but for the sake of argument we'll be conservative in our estimates).

    Following the storage growth projections laid out from our graph, you would most likely need 4 TBs of storage to comfortably grow your network over a period of time. If you were storing all your data online, you would find yourself explaining to your manager why you desperately need another $750,000 for the IT budget (3 TBs @ $250,000 per TB = $750,000).

    Now, if you decided to follow the Unylogix Storage Management Model, you'd use our NearLine storage solutions, to complement your existing RAID (3 TBs of NearLine storage @ $150,000 per TB = $450,000).

    With our NearLine Optical solutions installed on your network your business can grow without prohibitive costs draining your bottom line.

     
    Summary
    • If companies want to survive, a storage strategy must be part of the business plan
    • Instead of purchasing additional RAID, a more logical and cost-effective solution is to acquire NearLine storage to supplement existing RAID systems - at a fraction of the total cost of ownership
    • Unylogix delivers Best of Class, NearLine Optical storage solutions