Outsourcing the SAN
This article points to online backup vendors, but also points to the option for building local grid-based storage as an alternative to big, expensive EMC SANS.
Storage 2.0 — Web-based storage is coming
Combine open-source software, distributed storage running on low-cost hardware and the World Wide Web, and what do you get? Storage for as little as 15 cents per gigabyte per month, and another 10 to 20 cents for each gigabyte users upload or download.That’s a pretty good deal, especially when Andrew Reichman, an analyst at Forrester Research Inc., estimates it costs $15 to $25 per gigabyte just to buy the hardware and software needed for secondary (backup or archival) storage, and $50 and up per gigabyte for the primary storage needed for business-critical applications such as stock trading or airline reservations. Neither of these prices take into account ongoing management costs.
