<p>Data is the most important asset an organization has. So, users getting immediate access to relevant data is the most important enabler an organization can offer its employees for competitive and sustained success in the marketplace. Today, enterprises are struggling with the amount of data that they have to work with and how to properly classify it and deliver it to end users. I had a conversation with one of our customers about specifically this topic and the customer had many valid questions:Should I use SharePoint? Do I need object-based storage? Can I leverage cloud storage? Do I need and can I use enterprise file sharing? What do I do with applications that generate reports which users need access to?</p><p>This is just a sample, but from those it was very clear that the customer needed an enterprise content management strategy.</p><p>This is truly humorous. If you've followed my blog long enough, you will notice that I am recommending a strategy for almost every problem that I am being confronted with -- enterprise mobility strategy, enterprise cloud strategy, and so on. It is important to realize that a shift has occurred and that everything is more interconnected than it ever was in the past. As a result we can no longer address projects independently of an overall strategy because one project affects another in one way, shape or form.</p><p>So back to the problem, and the answer and the result of our engagement was to start with the business owners. Like I have always said: There are no IT projects, only business projects. So, we conducted a proper data assessment, established a governance model which the customer had already started with the SharePoint project. To that, we added regulatory and security considerations.</p><p><a href="http://virtualizationreview.com/blogs/virtual-insider/2013/04/enterprise-content-management.aspx">Keep reading...</a></p>