I wonder if he is a member of cpaptalk?
October 07, 2008
Sleep Apnea and Storage Optimization
Let me start with a story ... and then I'll get to my key point.
A couple of years ago, I was diagnosed with OSA ... Obstructive Sleep Apnea. It's a condition where your airway blocks during sleep, causing snoring, oxygen deprivation, and just generally lousy and restless sleep characteristics. I was tired all the time, and my wife was ready to sleep in the barn just to avoid the noise (since horses don't snore). If you want to learn about this, you can do so at https://www.cpap.com.
I had a sleep study done, and the doctors prescribed a CPAP machine ... a gadget that pushes constant air pressure through the airway while you sleep in order to ensure good breathing and restful sleep. I started using the device, and things got better. I was "happier" ... but still didn't feel like I had the problem totally solved.
My wife thinks the "Darth Vadar" sound to my voice when I'm wearing the mask is "sexy". (But I digress.)
Then I figured out that the gadget had a "SmartCard" in it that collected environment and performance metrics, and that the manufacturer offered a card-reader and software to provide the data in readable format, graph history, show trends, and recommend adjustments.
WOW ... what a difference. Within a couple of weeks, I had fine-tuned my pressure, mask size, auto-ramp, exhale relief rate, and a host of other adjustments that allowed me to optimize this tool to meet my specific needs. Now I sleep like a baby, and frequently monitor my sleep patterns and machine settings to ensure I wake up happy and well-rested. This device, and the ability to understand and adjust it ... has literally changed my life.
Here's my point ... obtaining and using the machine was "interesting" ... taking advantage of the available data to fine-tune and optimize my personal experience made it "important". This device is now something that is absolutely critical to my well-being, and I use the data derived from it to maintain my health on a daily and weekly basis. I can't imagine life without it.
What the heck does this have to do with NetApp or Storage?
Think about "AutoSupport", and it's value to the health and well-being of your storage infrastructure?
Are you taking advantage of the power of AutoSupport in your NetApp system? Is AutoSupport enabled and configured? Have you taken the time to investigate and take advantage of Premium AutoSupport? Are you using these tools to understand and optimize your storage experience?
If you want to make sure your NetApp controllers are "breathing" correctly ... then you should be plugged in to AutoSupport and Premium AutoSupport to ensure you're waking up healthy every day. If you're not, then it's likely that someday soon, you'll start waking up tired and cranky, and when you call NetApp Tech Support for help ... we'll be starting our "discovery" process without any of the history necessary to make fast progress on your issue.
We have more tools coming soon for customers and business partners, that are predicated upon the data collected from AutoSupport. Make sure you're not the customer that's losing sleep because of your inability to take advantage of these coming innovations.
If you want some help enabling AutoSupport ... use this link, or call the NetApp Technical Support Center. We'd be happy to walk you through it.
Good night !!!
