By choosing the proper selection criteria, users can develop a storage solution that supports not only nonintegrated applications but also facilitates the migration to an integrated enterprise application suite and continues to support the evolving suite well beyond the initial implementation. Failure to do so will result in increased personnel and management costs, delays in both development and implementation of enterprise applications, reduced availability, and financial risk.

This study demonstrates that enterprise applications are mission critical and warrant the investment in an enterprise storage solution. Interviewees identified specific benefits attainable through deployment of an enterprise storage foundation. The storage market today is highly competitive. Users must be especially critical in evaluating storage supplier claims. The ability of any storage solution to deliver the total value reported by the interviewees depends on the availability of the full complement of hardware, software, and services throughout the life of the enterprise application suite.