Keeping up with storage requirements is like running on a treadmill that gets just keeps getting faster.

A challenge for small- and mid-sized enterprises is that the latest and greatest storage solutions are generally available at the high end first - because it takes time for new technologies to mature, disperse into the market, and the eventually be redesigned and repackaged for SME.

The good news is that several important storage technologies continue to be enhanced and enriched for the midrange market, including:

• Consolidated, networked storage
• Storage management
• Data protection and Disaster Recovery
• Data archiving

Technology adoption is a matter of risk versus reward: While the increasing requirements have raised the risk of not taking action, the maturity and enhancement of these technologies have sweetened the reward. If you are an SME gasping for air on the treadmill of information storage, consider how these storage technologies might benefit your business.