Data at Rest Build vs. Buy: Lead Time

military fighter jet data at rest

When a new vehicle is being planned and designed, engineers, system architects, program managers, and acquisition personnel typically debate three procurement scenario options for the subsystems:

Scenario Options:

  1. BUILD: Design their own subsystem and build it themselves 
  2. BUILD: Have a contractor build the subsystem
  3. BUY: Locate and buy a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) subsystem

Each approach may get you to the same goal, but each has positive and negative aspects along the way. Those decisions can only be made internally. The white paper Data-At-Rest Build vs. Buy Considerations for Deployed Storage Devices suggests some considerations that should be introduced in any such debate or trade study. 

The white paper focuses on data-at-rest (DAR) devices known as network attached storage (NAS) or network file servers. These NAS devices are Ethernet-based and allow network clients to use the device as local storage.

Should you build or buy network attached storage or network file servers for data at rest? We look at the build process from design to CSfC encryption and buy lead times. Login to learn more.