Application Developer: My new application needs to store some objects. Can I have a bit of storage please?

Storage Administrator: So do you want NAS or Block storage?

Application Developer: Is there a Java object library for that stuff, what did you call it nasty blocks?

Storage Administrator: (mumbles) stupid code monkey… Who knows – thats your job mate. So you must need NAS. Where do you want me to put it? What’s the filesystem mount point?

Application Developer: I heard that, it’s just as well they keep you people in the basment away from ordinary people. Why would I care where you put the stuff? – That’s your job, just keep it safe.

Storage Administrator: Ah. So you want it safe – that means we need to replicate it between sites – it will be expensive. Where do you want the data, what site?

Application Developer: I already told you, where you put it is your job, I don’t care. It just needs to be available to the users of my application.

Storage Administrator: OK. I will put in Newport and replicate it to Cardiff. So how many users will you have and where will they be?

Application Developer: You really do ask stupid questions. How do I know where the users will be? I guess there could be a lot of them sometimes. Is any of this really important as I have to get on with writing the code?

Storage Administrator: OK mate, whatever. Don’t blame me when it doesn’t work. So what cost centre will I charge for the storage and labour?

Application Developer: So how much will this be?

Storage Administrator: Probably about $250,000 give or take $50,000. We can have it ready in six weeks.

Application Developer: You are having a laugh. Six weeks, I need it this afternoon and the price is a joke.

Based on an idea discussed with Neil O’Keefe – PolyServe Software at HP