Discussion 1; Scaling Storage

Let's discuss some of the risks and advantages associated with virtualization, NAS, and SAN. Transitioning from client/server to data center architecture, these concepts are discussed in NIST SP800-34 Section 5, and may be easily found on the Web. Is there a barrier to entry? What is the difference between file-oriented storage and transaction-oriented storage? What are the pros and cons of each technology and where is their sweet spot? Is there a cost barrier? Within the scope of this discussion, we'll also talk about encapsulating SCSI protocol in TCP/IP (iSCSI) and other forms of network storage. How does scaling our storage architecture relate to Risk Management/Contingency Planning?

Discussion 2; Scaling and Recovering the WAN

SONET, ISDN, Frame Relay, ATM - all of these are wide area protocol examples that are traditionally associated with leased circuits, which can include ISDN BRI/PRI; DS-x - T1, T2, and T3; or Optical Carrier circuits (OC). These concepts are explored briefly in the NIST SP800-34 Section 5, but you can easily find more information on the Web. In a disaster recovery situation, what is the benefit of a leased circuit over an open or virtual circuit? Can you exploit a connection to an ISP?

These days, some firms are forgoing the expense of a private leased WAN in favor of a public vWAN. What challenges do you foresee guaranteeing CIA over the WAN function with this approach? How does managing the WAN relate to contingency planning?