Features

Features

• Fujitsu takes the Quality Award for enterprise storage arrays

  In our ninth annual Quality Awards survey for enterprise arrays, Fujitsu didn't just make the cut; it took the cake by earning top honors.  Continue Reading

• The state of storage network architecture

  Storage networks are struggling with virtualized server environments and flash storage. Your company's storage network may need a major upgrade.  Continue Reading

• Managing cloud storage: Tools to control your deployment

  Whether your company is using public, hybrid or a private storage cloud, you need tools to manage, monitor and keep track of the stored data.  Continue Reading

• Exablox OneBlox 3308

  OneBlox has a global namespace for data access from multiple servers, as its object-based file system presents itself as a NAS box to applications.  Continue Reading

• Big file storage scales for large data applications

  There are two sides to the big data story: analytics using vast numbers of small files, and dealing with storage for really big files.  Continue Reading

• Hyper-V deployment: Focus on scalability and storage clarification

  Expert Brien Posey says to use private cloud strategy decisions when working with Hyper-V to focus on scalability and storage classification issues.  Continue Reading

• When and how to implement an object storage platform

  Analyst Arun Taneja outlines what IT pros should be asking themselves to determine the best way to implement object storage.  Continue Reading

• Hybrid storage arrays vs. all-flash arrays: A little flash or a lot?

  With solid-state prices dropping, more vendors offer all-flash arrays; but are they better than hybrid arrays that mix flash with spinning disk?  Continue Reading

• Figuring out when 16 Gbps Fibre Channel storage networking makes sense

  Moving to 16 Gbps FC makes sense for IT shops with new and heavily virtualized servers, solid-state storage and test firm president advises.  Continue Reading

• Data storage performance tips: Best ways to improve your data center

  Find out which of the most talked about performance tips of 2013 are the best ways to improve your data center.  Continue Reading

• Designing a private cloud storage architecture using object storage

  When designing a private cloud using object storage, you need to consider the data that will live on it, and how data will be migrated and recalled.  Continue Reading

• Big data storage and analytics

  There are two basic types of big data analytics—synchronous and asynchronous—but both have big data storage appetites and specialized needs.  Continue Reading

• RAID alternatives: Erasure codes and multi-copy mirroring

  Traditional RAID methods and their rebuild processes have some shops suffering long downtimes -- enter erasure codes and multi-copy mirroring.  Continue Reading

• The fundamentals of troubleshooting VMware performance

  Storage expert George Crump outlines the major VMware performance tuning points, from the network to switches, controllers and devices.  Continue Reading

• File storage and management issues growing, but mostly under control

  Our latest survey finds the biggest problem with file storage and management is backup. Learn how respondents are managing file storage.  Continue Reading

• 10 tips for deploying virtual desktops

  Learn how to avoid boot storms, antivirus scans and other events that can bring your storage to its knees when deploying virtual desktops.  Continue Reading

• Networking server-based storage

  Direct-attached or server-based storage is gaining renewed attention as emerging techs offer ways to pool and share this scalable storage resource.  Continue Reading

• Accelerate the performance of virtual machines with flash technology

  Learn where to implement flash in your environment to tackle virtual machine performance issues.  Continue Reading

• What to consider when storing data in the cloud

  Storage administrators who want to keep data in the cloud need to consider collaboration regulations, cost factors and performance requirements.  Continue Reading

• Cloud-integrated storage appliances link on-premises storage to cloud

  Cloud-integrated storage appliances allow hybrid storage configurations that link data center storage with cost-effective, scalable cloud storage.  Continue Reading

• Big data storage architecture: Categories, strengths and use cases

  We explore distributed nodes, scale-out NAS, all-SSD arrays and object storage as choices for a storage architecture for big data.  Continue Reading

• Configuring Hyper-V storage

  New storage features in Windows Server and Hyper-V make storage configuration and maintenance easier for Microsoft–based virtual environments.  Continue Reading

• Best practices for SSD technologies

  No longer a luxury item for well-heeled data centers, SSD technologies are more affordable than ever and come in a variety of form factors with a choice of deployment options.  Continue Reading

• Avoid VDI performance issues with monitoring, testing and tools

  Steer clear of VDI performance issues with freeware monitoring and internal testing methods, and free up storage and staff resources as well.  Continue Reading

• Archiving technology boosts storage efficiency

  A core best practice for effective storage management is archiving technology that frees up storage resources, improves performance and protects data that must be retained.  Continue Reading

• 10 ways to improve virtual server storage

  Virtual server storage operations can have a profound effect on the storage network. Here are 10 ways to help ensure that your storage yields its best I/O for the VMs it supports.  Continue Reading

• Software-defined storage: Answering frequently asked questions

  Russ Fellows, a senior analyst at Evaluator Group, breaks down the concept of software-defined storage, its benefits and the vendors who offer it.  Continue Reading

• Nirvanix Inc. Cloud Storage Network, CloudNAS focus on enterprise users

  Nirvanix Cloud Storage Network and public, private, hybrid and CloudNAS offerings focus on enterprise use for backup, archive and content delivery.  Continue Reading

• IBM SmartCloud Enterprise–Object Storage cloud plans expansion

  IBM SmartCloud Enterprise–Object Storage cloud service plans to expand and offer customers 99.999% availability with three or more copies of data.  Continue Reading

• AT&T cloud storage offers EMC Atmos, VPN, compression

  AT&T Synaptic Storage as a Service uses EMC Atmos storage; AT&T cloud service includes data compression and a choice of public Internet or VPN.  Continue Reading

• Rackspace cloud storage features open source software, simple pricing

  Rackspace cloud storage features open source OpenStack Object Storage, Akamai Content Delivery Network and a relatively simple pricing model.  Continue Reading

• Tegile Zebi HA2800 Storage Array

  The Tegile Zebi HA2800 multiprotocol array can be used as an all-flash system or in front of a pool of hard drives as a hybrid array.  Continue Reading

• NexGen Storage Inc. n5-150 Storage System

  IT admins using the NexGen Storage n5-150 Storage System can guarantee performance to each app and isolate workloads from one another on the SAN.  Continue Reading

• The state of network storage technologies

  While often overlooked, there's a lot happening with network storage technologies to keep up with the ever-increasing I/O demands coming from virtualized servers and storage.  Continue Reading

• Storage for virtual environments

  Despite the benefits of virtualizing servers and desktops, admins often struggle to support storage for virtual environments. Here's what vendors are doing to address the problem.  Continue Reading

• Enterprise storage system: 2012 Products of the Year finalists

  Find out the 15 product finalists in the Storage magazine/SearchStorage.com enterprise storage system category.  Continue Reading

• The truth about SSD performance benchmarks

  Solid-state storage vendors are touting "million IOPS" performance numbers. Here's what you need to know to see if those SSD performance benchmarks ring true.  Continue Reading

• Hot data storage technologies for 2013

  These six storage technologies will play pivotal roles in transforming data centers in 2013.  Continue Reading

• File storage focuses on scalable NAS

  NAS systems are at the heart of burgeoning file data stores. But they'll have to evolve to meet new capacity, accessibility and management needs.  Continue Reading

• Enterprise IT shops now choose SSD storage

  Despite high costs, more enterprise IT shops now choose SSD storage for their I/O-intensive applications.  Continue Reading

• The storage-for-VDI equation: Capacity, IOPS, TCO, ROI and persistency

  A virtual desktop project can bring savings and efficiency to IT operations, but storage for VDI is a complex issue, and the wrong choices can hobble the project.  Continue Reading

• Server virtualization and storage management: Better integration, specialized tools

  Virtualization and storage management still presents challenges, but nowadays it provides tighter integration and more effective management tools.  Continue Reading

• Despite its limitations, DAS solutions still find role in data center

  Despite limitations, DAS solutions still have a role in data centers, thanks to PCIe solid-state storage products and cloud computing requirements.  Continue Reading

• I/O performance, storage infrastructure lead big data issues list

  ESG senior analyst Terri McClure looks at the latest big data issues relating to I/O, Hadoop and storage sprawl.  Continue Reading

• What is SSD storage? Answers to common solid-state storage questions

  Looking for better knowledge about SSD storage? Check out Dennis Martin’s answers to common solid-state storage questions.  Continue Reading

• Scalable storage systems: Examining scale-out NAS

  Scale-out NAS systems can accommodate data growth simply by adding more capacity and processing power.  Continue Reading

• How open source "Swift" OpenStack Object Storage works

  MercadoLibre’s "Swift" OpenStack Object Storage makes use of clusters of commodity servers to store typically static data; MD5 hash algorithm assigns unique identifiers to files.  Continue Reading

• Define SSD: Top terms you need to know

  How do you define SSD? Check out this list of important SSD terms. The list includes terms you should know and some that may seem obscure.  Continue Reading

• What to consider when choosing a "big data" infrastructure

  As the adoption of a big data infrastructure continues in firms, understanding unstructured storage environments becomes even more important.  Continue Reading

• Performance considerations for efficient data storage

  Data storage administrators can achieve efficient data storage by checking performance acceleration expectations at the door.  Continue Reading

• Five data protection guidelines for business continuity

  Storage expert Jon Toigo offers data protection guidelines to help storage admins achieve the best possible results when protecting data in their care.  Continue Reading

• Virtual server storage: Choosing between Fibre Channel, iSCSI and NAS

  Knowing the best virtual server storage option for your data center can be a challenge. Learn the pros and cons of Fibre Channel, iSCSI and NAS.  Continue Reading

• Capacity allocation efficiency explained

  Jon Toigo provides tips on how to improve capacity allocation efficiency. Successful allocation prevents storage-related downtime and associated costs.  Continue Reading

• Everything you need to know about cloud-based file sharing

  Cloud-based file sharing is quickly gaining in popularity. Learn about the technology's strengths and weaknesses, and whether or not cloud file sharing can replace data backup.  Continue Reading

• Defining cloud storage: Nine cloud requirements to know

  Nailing down the definition of cloud storage isn't easy, but our list of cloud requirements that make up public and private offerings can help.  Continue Reading

• Showback vs chargeback: Showback new resource analysis tool of choice

  In a showback vs. chargeback comparison, showback is winning more fans than the more complex chargeback when it comes to helping businesses track storage usage.  Continue Reading

• Choose an integrated stack for efficiency, easy storage implementation

  An integrated stack bundles servers, storage and networking in a preconfigured product and is easy to install and manage.  Continue Reading

• Object-based storage, cloud gateways best suited for archiving/backup

  Object-based storage has many of the features needed for cloud storage, but the lack of standardized cloud APIs means cloud gateways are often required to connect to the cloud.  Continue Reading

• The pros and cons of using data reduction systems

  Analyst Stephen Foskett outlines the pros and cons of using data reduction systems to slim down your data center footprint.  Continue Reading

• Calculating ROI for storage virtualization is tricky

  Calculating ROI for storage virtualization is difficult because it’s tough to determine soft costs associated with migrating data and managing disk arrays.  Continue Reading

• File sharing in the cloud enables users to ditch file servers, VPNs

  Users say file sharing in the cloud lets them get rid of in-house file servers, as well as reduce VPN costs and management.  Continue Reading

• Defining cloud storage: The most popular cloud terms

  As cloud storage increases in popularity, there's a growing list of cloud terms data storage pros should know. Here are the 10 most-searched-for SearchCloudStorage.com definitions.  Continue Reading

• NetApp Inc. OnCommand Insight Balance

  NetApp OnCommand Insight Balance collects performance-related data, models app and component behaviors, and analyzes the app-to-storage route for performance bottlenecks.  Continue Reading

• Brocade Communications Systems Inc. 1860 Fabric Adapter

  The Brocade 1860 Fabric Adapter can partition individual physical adapters into as many as 16 virtual HBAs or virtual NICs with flexible bandwidth allocation.  Continue Reading

• VMware Inc. vCenter Site Recovery Manager (SRM) 5

  vCenter Site Recovery Manager 5 is the first hypervisor-level replication product on the market. It can also automatically move virtual machines to a primary site after a failover.  Continue Reading

• Brocade Communications Systems Inc. 6510 SAN Switch

  The Brocade 6510 SAN Switch has industry-first 16 Gbps Fibre Channel (FC) support, flexible port configuration and full-duplex 768 Gbps aggregate port throughput.  Continue Reading

• Archiving in the cloud: Asking all the right questions

  Are you considering archiving in the cloud? Learn the crucial questions to ask a cloud storage provider and how USC has implemented a massive cloud archive.  Continue Reading

• Cloud case studies: Data storage pros offer first-hand experiences

  Headed into 2012, SearchCloudStorage.com has compiled a list of popular cloud case studies that showcase various implementation strategies.  Continue Reading

• Storage virtualization solutions at the array or in the network

  Storage virtualization adoption quickens as early barriers are overcome. There are mature solutions available for deploying storage virtualization at the array or in the network.  Continue Reading

• Tiered storage model becomes more sophisticated

  Explore some of our popular content on the tiered storage model and tiered storage technologies such as automated storage and sub-LUN tiering.  Continue Reading

• New memory technologies generate attention as successors to NAND flash

  Advances in phase-change memory make them candidates to replace NAND flash in enterprise solid-state storage, but it might not happen for years.  Continue Reading

• Private cloud storage infrastructure technology options

  Enterprise IT shops designing private cloud storage infrastructures will find a plethora of commercial and open-source options.  Continue Reading

• Private cloud architecture: A blueprint

  Before creating a private cloud architecture for data storage, IT shops must decide on object, SAN or NAS-based storage and choose between primary vs. archival/backup storage.  Continue Reading

• Control VDI costs for storage by careful configuration planning

  Address virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) storage issues and costs by focusing on IOPS and configuration.  Continue Reading

• NAS technologies: Vendor landscape

  An overview of NAS technologies to help organizations make the decision between scale-up and scale-out network-attached storage.  Continue Reading

• NAS options: Pros and cons of scale-out and scale-up

  When considering your NAS options, take a look at the pros and cons of traditional scale-up vs. scale-out systems for storing file data.  Continue Reading

• Enterprise storage trends: SSDs, capacity optimization, auto tiering

  Several enterprise storage trends are emerging at big and small storage vendors. Find out why certain technologies are trending and what they can do for your storage environment.  Continue Reading

• Hospital system addresses IBM SVC performance, stability problems with alternative configuration

  Spectrum Health breaks up IBM SVC eight-node cluster, taking uncommon tiered approach to improve stability and performance of storage virtualization system.  Continue Reading

• Data storage startups to watch: Nimbus Data Systems Inc.

  Nimbus Data Systems Inc. is one of our data storage startup companies to watch. Find out why.  Continue Reading

• Data storage startups: 10 emerging vendors worth watching

  The best of today’s storage startups stand out in the areas of solid-state storage, cloud storage, virtualization and SAN/NAS.  Continue Reading

• Understanding Big Data analytics

  Explore the four technology regions associated with Big Data analytics in our technical report.  Continue Reading

• Storage management for virtualized servers

  Storage and virtual server management can now go hand-in-hand with new tools that offer single-console control of both storage and virtual servers.  Continue Reading

• Unified storage systems showdown: NetApp FAS vs. EMC VNX

  We compare EMC's VNX and NetApp's FAS series unified storage systems in terms of data services, autotiering and clustering. Find out what analysts and vendor reps think.  Continue Reading

• Scale-out NAS, object storage, cloud gateways replacing traditional NAS

  Scale-out NAS systems, object storage and cloud gateways are replacing file storage as IT companies face a plethora of unstructured data in their data storage environments.  Continue Reading

• Managing storage in a VDI environment

  The success of a VDI environment is dependent on user experience, and storage may be the area that has the biggest impact on users. Find out what steps to take to properly manage your VDI environment.  Continue Reading

• Storage virtualization products: An important niche

  Storage virtualization products help IT shops in need of non-disruptive data migration, tech refreshes and life support for aging storage assets.  Continue Reading

• Network storage options for virtual servers depend on needs, skill set

  Network storage options for virtual servers vary based on existing systems, skill set and budgets; Fibre Channel (FC) and iSCSI SANs, NAS can all work well.  Continue Reading

• Sub-LUN tiering: Five key questions to consider

  IT shops must consider five areas before adopting sub-LUN tiering as offerings vary in number of tiers, block size, analysis period, policies and monitoring  Continue Reading

• NetGear ReadyNAS review: A look at the ReadyNAS 2100

  This NetGear ReadyNAS review takes an in-depth look at the ReadyNAS 2100. Learn about the ReadyNAS 2100 features, setup and configurations to determine if it's right for your environment.  Continue Reading

• SSD adoption slow despite rising enterprise solid-state drive shipment

  Adoption of enterprise solid-state drives (SSDs) soars from manufacturers to storage vendors, but user SSD adoption is slower; many users have no SSD plans.  Continue Reading

• Solid-state storage technology: App needs dictate choice of arrays, cache, appliances or servers

  Solid-state storage technology can be used in different ways. IT must decide whether to use technology in disk arrays, as cache, in appliances or in servers  Continue Reading

• Data storage optimization: The first step for data efficiency

  Now that we've made storage, networks and servers more efficient by virtualizing them, it's time to focus on data storage optimization for greater data efficiency. Read storage industry expert and SearchStorage.com contributor Steve Duplessie for ...  Continue Reading

• VDI project plan: Start with right applications and use pilot program

  Experts say a VDI project plan demands different type of infrastructure; learn why you should start slow and use specific apps to gauge VDI storage results.  Continue Reading

• Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) implementation case studies

  Learn how three firms tackled management issues in a Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) implementation; case studies detail potential turf wars, restructuring.  Continue Reading

• RAID level comparison chart: A free download

  Download our free RAID level comparison chart, where the most important RAID levels are defined, along with information about the pros and cons of each RAID level.  Continue Reading

• Understanding cloud storage services: A guide for beginners

  In this guide on cloud storage services for SMBs, get all of your cloud storage questions answers with the latest tips and expert advice.  Continue Reading

• Implementing an electronic records retention system

  Learn the components of an electronic records retention system and best practices for implementing an electronic data discovery policy. Don't risk e-discovery request errors.  Continue Reading

• 10 Gigabit Ethernet for iSCSI storage, NAS storage still hinges on cost

  While 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 GbE) offers greater bandwidth for iSCSI storage or NAS storage, IT shops still have to justify upgrade costs with their needs.  Continue Reading

• Reduce storage power consumption via higher IOPS and capacity per watt

  Boost IOPS and capacity per watt to reduce storage power consumption; powering off disk drives and reducing data may not be enough to reduce power, cooling.  Continue Reading

• Disk spin-down: Power savings with a catch

  Disk spin-down and MAID can reduce power consumption, but spin-up latency and time-outs are drawbacks. Read about one firm's experience with disk spin-down.  Continue Reading