Object storage is increasingly appearing in traditional IT environments with a number of different reasons for use.  Deployments that began in non-traditional environments are also expanding with usage for more traditional cases. It was consistently found that the use of object storage in traditional IT did not come from IT personnel specifically looking for object storage, but from evaluating different solutions to problems and finding that object storage was the best answer.
Interestingly, the primary value of IT solutions is different in many cases. The different value is illustrative of the fact there are many characteristics of object storage. What is important to note is that the deployments in IT, while ultimately solving similar problems, valued the solution in different ways.
Looking at the usages in traditional IT and non-traditional environments that are gravitating to more traditional cases, the value gained from deployment is interesting to understand.   That information can be a guideline for other IT operations looking for solutions and can aid in understanding the different vendor products chosen for the solution. Highlights of the usages and value gained follow below:
- Content Repository Consolidation
- Content Platform for Single Copy and Management of Data
- Content Preservation
- Information Stewardship
Insight
This paper, available through subscription, presents some usages and value obtained from object storage in traditional IT deployments and some relative non-traditional IT environments. The information should give some insights into successful deployments of object storage and the type of value the systems have delivered. The vendors mentioned facilitated introductions with the responsible people at the companies/organizations. The products are referenced but the interviews and discussions were done with the Evaluator Group and with no vendor involvement. Where required, the company and individual interviewed were anonymized.
The discussions focus on the customer experiences and perception of the use of object storage. As expected, the individuals were very candid and open. IT work is challenging and new technologies peak interest about improving the delivery of services. This has proven true with these individuals as well.
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