Return on investment analysis tool for storage systems

A system to analyze storage environment costs, the system comprising:

• a first storage environment comprising one or more non-transitory storage devices;
• and
• a storage environment analysis tool comprising
• a first input module that receives as input first storage environment data corresponding to the first storage environment, the first storage environment data comprising one or more variables associated with a cost of implementing and operating the first storage environment,
• a second input module that receives as input target storage environment data corresponding to a target storage environment, the target storage environment data comprising one or more variables associated with a cost of implementing and operating the target storage environment, wherein the first storage environment and the target storage environment are multi-tier storage environments and wherein the first storage environment data and target storage environment data comprise one or more variables associated with a cost of implementing a multi-tier storage environment;
• a cost module that determines a cost associated with implementing and operating the first storage environment based on the received first storage environment data and that determines a cost associated with implementing and operating the target storage environment based on the received target storage environment data;
• and
• a comparison module that compares the determined cost of the first storage environment to the determined cost of the target storage environment;
• and
• a display module that displays results of the compared costs.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code executing to perform operations for analyzing storage environment costs, the operations comprising:

• receiving as input first storage environment data corresponding to a first storage environment, the first storage environment data comprising one or more variables associated with a cost of implementing and operating the first storage environment;
• receiving as input target storage environment data corresponding to a target storage environment, the target storage environment data comprising one or more variables associated with a cost of implementing and operating the target storage environment, wherein the first storage environment and the target storage environment are multi-tier storage environments and wherein the first storage environment data and target storage environment data comprise one or more variables associated with a cost of implementing a multi-tier storage environment;
• determining a cost associated with implementing and operating the first storage environment based on the received first storage environment data and determining a cost associated with implementing and operating the target storage environment based on the received target storage environment data;
• comparing the determined cost of the first storage environment to the determined cost of the target storage environment;
• and
• displaying results of the compared costs.

A method for analyzing storage environment costs, the method comprising:

• providing a first input module that receives as input first storage environment data corresponding to the first storage environment, the first storage environment data comprising one or more variables associated with a cost of implementing and operating the first storage environment;
• providing a second input module that receives as input target storage environment data corresponding to a target storage environment, the target storage environment data comprising one or more variables associated with a cost of implementing and operating the target storage environment, wherein the first storage environment and the target storage environment are multi-tier storage environments and wherein the first storage environment data and target storage environment data comprise one or more variables associated with a cost of implementing a multi-tier storage environment;
• providing a cost module that determines a cost associated with implementing and operating the first storage environment based on the received first storage environment data and that determines a cost associated with implementing and operating the target storage environment based on the received target storage environment data;
• providing a comparison module that compares the determined cost of the first storage environment to the determined cost of the target storage environment;
• providing a display module that displays results of the compared costs;
• entering storage data information into the first and second input modules, the first and second modules operating on a processor;
• applying the displayed results of the compared costs to a business plan;
• and
• presenting the business plan to a client.