'My array's a tier 1 array'
'No it isn't…mine is'
'Yes it is…and it's more tier 1 than yours as well'
'Oh shut up!' the cry of the end-user is heard!!
I need an array which is five nines (preferably more) available which supports multiple performance levels, remote replication – sync and async, local replication – snaps and full-clones, non-disruptive maintenance and great management tools. And I don't care what tier you call your array!
As long as it meets my needs, it can be a Tier Z array! So instead of arguing what Tier array your array is, whether your virtualisation is in-band, out-band, big-band, storage or SAN; perhaps think about what the user needs. Although you'll probably never get your users to agree on tiering definitions, I suspect you can get them to agree with about 80% commonality on features.
By the way, my list of features is missing quite a few but you get the point!
Well put, as always.
So, what’s the answer here? There’s a natural tendency by vendors to promote their products “up market”, so to speak, and claim attributes that might not be entirely, ahem, operational.
What coaching might you offer?
— Chuck
Forget about what Tier you believe your array plays in; we all have opinions and different definitions. For example, lets take two EMC arrays; is a Clariion a Tier 1 or a Tier 2 array? A lot of people would claim the latter but we know that in certain use cases, it will outperform a DMX; so does that performance make it a Tier 1 array? It may well do for certain users.
So concentrate on what your array does and what problems it fixes (actually it’s also nice to know what problems it doesn’t fix but that can be a step too far for some sales organisations). Be prepared to back up your claims with great and referenceable use-cases. Throw SPC figures around if you must…it probably won’t make me buy your disk and if you concentrate on them, it might make me wonder if you really understand my market.
It’s an old fashioned skill you’re after from your vendor. I think it’s called listening 🙂
What the old 2:1 ratio? Do they still teach that at sales-school, I sometimes wonder? Or perhaps some senior people need a refresher?