What about the system features, like snapshot and remote replication?

What about the system features, like snapshot and remote replication?

At this point in time, most customers expect to have these features in both block- and file-based storage products. In block-based products, these features have historically been between "like" systems only (systems from the same vendor), but that's been changing over the last few years to become more heterogeneous, though heterogeneity is still the exception. The features are available, but there may be operational issues that add to the complexity of a unified [or multiprotocol] storage platform.

    Requires Free Membership to View

    Login

    When you register for SearchStorage.com, you’ll also receive targeted emails from my team of award-winning editorial writers. Our goal is to keep you informed on the hottest topics, the latest news and the biggest challenges you face as a storage professional today.

    Rich Castagna, Editorial Director

    By submitting your registration information to SearchStorage.com you agree to receive email communications from TechTarget and TechTarget partners. We encourage you to read our Privacy Policy which contains important disclosures about how we collect and use your registration and other information. If you reside outside of the United States, by submitting this registration information you consent to having your personal data transferred to and processed in the United States. Your use of SearchStorage.com is governed by our Terms of Use. You may contact us at webmaster@TechTarget.com.

Related information
Block and file access unite with multiprotocol storage

Why don't we have clustered FC block storage?

Test your IQ: ISCSI vs. Fibre Channel
Features, like snapshots and replication, are all based on the granularity supported by the block storage system. This is typically at a LUN level, so I can take a snapshot, such as a Copy On Write (COW) or a clone, on a specific LUN. If I'm doing a remote replication, it's typically on a LUN or a set of LUNs. This is more sophisticated with write ordering requirements between LUNs to maintain database integrity. When you move to file-based systems like NAS, snapshots and replication are handled at the file system level, which works very differently. When I combine these functions into unified storage, the way these functions work and the way they're administered will be slightly different. There may also be operational differences depending on the storage target.

Listen to the unified storage FAQ audiocast.

Go to the beginning of the Unified Storage FAQ Guide.


This was first published in February 2007

Back to top