When pitching SANS, IBM and EMC love to package a complete deal, with all the cards, software, disks, and controllers listed in a manner that you don't know what you are getting. If you ask for a different configuration (more space, more systems, more ports), they juggle the deliverable, modify the price, but don't tell you what really changed. I've seen them modify RAID level to give more space, up the price, which effectively increased the price without providing me any more hardware!

This is VERY important: You MUST get line item pricing for EVERY price. You need to get individual disk costs, tray cost, controller cost, cable cost, switch cost (and make sure you understand if the switch ports are ENABLED at that cost!!!), etc. GBICS are good hidden item here, at $100 per port.

Software is a huge issue. The management software varies by 99% on every discussion. You must have them put it in wiritng, and the key issue is how much TB it manages, how many LUNs it manages, and how many systems it will support.

What about things like mirroring, snapshots, etc? Extra cost, but they throw them in if you fight.

Als, make DAMN SURE IBM does not consider it a package disk and system deal. Everytime you modify one side down, the other will increase to match.

Support is a biggie - they will price it so the 3rd or 4th year will cost more than a new system! Make them throw in a full 4 years for whatver price the pitch 2 years for. It comes from a different budget on their side, so they can get away with it. Ssme thing with software - make sure they don't give you JUST ENOUGH licenses for current GB and ports - they will claim it is workgroup pricing, the next level it enterprise, and charge you 10 times as much the second you need it.

You have to expect the process to take a couple of months. You have to be able to say: Your technology is interesting, but you have no "must have" items. The other guy also has interesting tech, and his price is lower. I'd REALLY like to buy your stuff, but you have to give me a reason to - and the reason must be in measurable features and cost - not the supid relationship that they will abuse the 1st chance they get. And then say: No thanks. Again and again.

There are a couple of way to play timing.
#1 - MAKE SURE THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOUR DEADLINE IS!!!!
I've seen these guys delay again and again giving a quote, slam it to you at what they think is your last second - hoping you will have no more time to research and negotiate.
So, give them a sense of urgency - saying the the decision is REAL SOON - but make sure you have real time to do it 6 more times.

You should talk to EMC and Hitachi. Both have comparable gear and will probably be much lower priced.

You also have to make sure your boss is very in tune. They will go over your head in a heartbeat, tell your boss you are an idiot, and should not be trusted with the project.

So, how many disk, what raid level, do all systems get 2 FC channel cards for failover, etc?

What about training credits for you sysadmin? And LUNS creation and port mapping can be vry complex - and they will charge you several thousand $$ to do it after the initial install.

Oh, and the install is extra cost! Sure, they will bring the box in and turn it on. But after that, they want more money - and they won't tell you until you've already sent them the PO!!!! Every card in every system will cost, as will LUN creation and mapping. What about OS on the servers - make sure it is the exact support version or they get to walk away and still charge you.

Have them draw a picture of what you will get. Make sure you can identify every piece, get a part number and a price.

Then create a spread sheet. Start juggling quanities of disks and systems, and find out when they trigger another piece to need to be increased/ These are the hidden costs that you have to catch.

Also, considered SATA vs FC drives?