Understanding how to approach your SharePoint 2010 ECM project is really key your success in execution.  Some companies start by engaging with a vendor for SharePoint ECM and import a model or approach that is product-focused instead of process focused. This will work out some of your challenges / issues but not all of them.  I really believe you need to start from a process and requirements foucs and then apply the right solution and technologies.  Think about defining your end game and your actual use case(s) and current challenge(s) and potential future wins (such as retention, lifecycle, workflow, etc).  This is an absolute requirement for a few reasons.  I'll name a few.  

First, SQL Server (the back end file store for SharePoint) is several orders of magnitude more expensive than typical file shares, and the general level of effort required to support SharePoint is much higher.  You need the perspective of a real set of fully vetted business requirements along with a well business case to justify this expense.  

Second, it seems that SharePoint is sold and marketed with a set of expectations that leaves a really important point off the table > SharePoint is enterprise software just like your ERP system (SAP for example).  If you've heard of SharePoint you've heard of SharePoint sprawl and the Wild Wild West.  There's a tremendous investment in governance, management and service delivery that needs a well thought out approach which only someone with enterprise software expertise has a chance of getting right the first time around.  

Third, dealing with "unstructured content" is all about providing structure and tools to leverage the value of metadata.  You need to spend a huge amount of time investing in your information architecture (taxonomy, metadata, lifecycle, etc) which will form the backbone and plumbing of your system.  SharePoint has tremendous capability to impart deep and usable document structure > getting there is a time consuming and highly critical element to your future success.

Here's a high-level approach for your use to help guide your thinking and process on SharePoint 2010 ECM!