In large-scale environments, managing storage systems often feels like juggling dozens of independent components—each with its own lifecycle, configuration, regional needs and environmental quirks. I’ve heard from some of my past UX Research participants about the need for improved planning at scale or the need to improve management across regions and environments worldwide. What if we approached infrastructure operations more like a coordinated system? Not just managing devices individually, but applying policies, updates, and observability across all systems in a unified way. I would appreciate hearing from you. This post is an open invitation to explore this concept and hear from you: would this kind of approach make your life easier?
- What Would Unified Infrastructure Operations Look Like?
Imagine being able to:
- Apply configuration standards across all systems automatically
- Monitor health and performance from a single dashboard
- Push updates and patches without manual intervention
- Enforce security and compliance policies consistently
These aren’t new ideas—but they’re often hard to implement across diverse environments. Whether you're managing on-prem arrays, cloud volumes, or edge deployments, the complexity adds up.
- Why This Matters
As infrastructure grows—across regions, clouds, and use cases—the operational burden increases. Teams face:
- Inconsistent configurations
- Manual effort for updates and troubleshooting
- Gaps in visibility and policy enforcement
- Difficulty scaling operations without scaling headcount
A more unified approach could reduce toil, improve reliability, and help teams focus on higher-value work.
- We’d Love Your Input
Chime in below:
- What’s the hardest part of managing multiple storage systems today?
- How many are you managing?
- Do you use automation or policy engines to simplify operations?
- Would a centralized control plane or dashboard help?
- What would make this kind of approach valuable—or not—for your team?
Join this conversation. As a UX Research Manager, I’m always looking for ways to understand real-world needs. If this concept resonates with you (or doesn’t!), I’d love to hear your thoughts.
