Evaluate

Evaluate

Weigh the pros and cons of technologies, products and projects you are considering.

• Unlock the potential of a converged system for storage

  Converged storage offerings package compute, storage and networking together for easy deployment and cost savings. Two of the primary benefits of converged infrastructure systems are enhanced time to production and a potential for cost savings. A ... Continue Reading

• Software-defined storage architecture projects: Four concerns

  Is your organization about to undergo a software-defined storage architecture overhaul? We list the technology areas that may still present a few problems. Continue Reading

• Huawei, DataCore: A new hyper-converged infrastructure?

  Jon Toigo explores the renewed interest in software-defined and hyper-converged storage, and an important partnership between Huawei and DataCore Software. Continue Reading

• Signs it may be time to adopt a hybrid cloud strategy

  The cloud is gaining traction, but the public cloud raises security concerns. Learn why a hybrid cloud strategy can offer businesses more benefits. Continue Reading

• How to compare software-defined storage vendors

  Software-defined storage vendor options keep growing. Expert George Crump sees the emergence of two distinct categories and notes products in each area. Continue Reading

• Object storage system choice rests on architecture, connectivity

  As you consider object storage for your cloud environment, here are several areas to focus on when comparing options.Continue Reading

• Five ways VDI technology is affected by storage

  Managing storage for your VDI infrastructure has progressed, but there are still some snags. Here are five ways to avoid VDI environment issues.Continue Reading

• When will 3-D NAND products hit the market?

  Vendors are increasing production of 3-D NAND-based chips. Learn how chip developments can cut costs.Continue Reading

• Is data sovereignty affected by my cloud provider’s location?

  If your cloud provider stores your data outside of your country, does it mean you still need to follow local laws?Continue Reading

• Object storage vs. block storage in the cloud

  Object storage isn't your only choice when it comes to the cloud. George Crump digs into the benefits of alternative storage technologies such as NAS and block.Continue Reading

• Hewlett-Packard 3PAR StoreServ 7000 Series Storage Arrays

  The HP 3PAR StoreServ 7000 series is a line of storage arrays designed for enterprise SAN environments.Continue Reading

• Use policy-based automation to maximize your flash investment

  Storage automation tools offer a wide range of functionality that can benefit shops using flash storage alongside traditional disk.Continue Reading

• IBM DS8870 Storage Array Platform

  IBM's DS8870 is a storage array platform designed for large enterprise SAN environments with mission-critical workloads.Continue Reading

• Five key VMware VVOLs takeaways

  The highly anticipated VMware Virtual Volumes feature is now available, and increasing vendor support is expected over the next 18 months.Continue Reading

• Becoming familiar with VM-aware storage

  As with any product still in its infancy, an exact definition for virtual machine-aware storage can be difficult to nail down. In simple terms, VM-aware storage is an appliance that vendors build specifically with virtual machines in mind in ...Continue Reading

• All-flash vs. hybrid flash storage arrays: Which is right for you?

  Hybrid flash storage arrays are currently the most popular way to deploy solid-state storage in enterprises today. An organization might have one or two applications that require the performance that flash offers, such as a database or virtual ...Continue Reading

• Flurry of new data storage technology can bring confusion

  Confusion reigns in the storage world, as new data storage technology tries to find its place in the data center.Continue Reading

• Hyper-converged storage systems=Storage + Compute + Networking

  Hyper-converged storage systems are preconfigured and integrated clusters of servers that share their internal storage. They boast convenience and flexibility, allowing rapid deployment of applications like databases and virtual desktop ...Continue Reading

• The evolution of flash-based storage arrays

  Oracle and HP prove that it's just not a case of all-flash or hybrid when selecting a solid-state-enhanced array.Continue Reading

• SSD form factors for server-side flash

  Server-side flash delivers very low latency for apps. See how it's being deployed today.Continue Reading

• SAN system buying guide: The fundamentals

  Use this guide to determine if a SAN is right for your environment, or if you should go with DAS or NAS.Continue Reading

• Three reasons why object storage is a good HDFS alternative

  HDFS manages data across dispersed nodes, but an object storage system that leverages commodity storage can be a compelling alternative.Continue Reading

• Madden: Non-persistent VDI is getting easier

  Brian Madden was once a stark proponent of persistent VDI, but he says that opinion is changing thanks to improvements in technology and the way users are accessing applications.Continue Reading

• All-flash array comparison: The keys to performance, capacity success

  Analyst George Crump provides tips on selecting an all-flash storage array that meets your environment's performance and capacity needs.Continue Reading

• Buyer's checklist to software-defined storage vendors

  Vendors have flocked to SDS to help describe their various approaches to the market. When all the vendor hype and marketing presentations are over, how does today’s storage pro truly understand this transformative technology? This Buyer’s Guide will...Continue Reading

• Cloud archiving for cold and not-so-cold storage

  Cloud archiving is shaping up as one of the "killer apps" for cloud storage, but don't be tempted by capacity alone.Continue Reading

• Create a data archive strategy that resists the lure of clustered DAS

  Server-side clustered storage puts yet more distance between users and sound data management.Continue Reading

• Vendors predict the future of data storage 2015

  The future of data storage isn’t easy to predict. While some vendors see it clearly, others prove that, going into 2015, their crystal balls may be a little hazy.Continue Reading

• Storage magazine chooses its 2014 data storage products of the year

  In the 12^th edition of the Storage magazine/SearchStorage.com Products of the Year, we highlight 19 excellent data storage products in six categories. Our qualification process is unique -- vendors can only enter products that ...Continue Reading

• HP 3PAR StoreServ 7450

  HP's 3PAR StoreServ platform wasn't built for flash, but the vendor has tailored its thin technologies to develop an all-flash version of its 7450 array.Continue Reading

• PernixData FVP version 2.0

  Version 2.0 of PernixData's FVP wins the 2014 Storage Products of the Year competition in the storage system software category.Continue Reading

• Pure Storage Inc. FlashArray 450

  Pure Storage launched the FlashArray 450 as the new flagship of its all-flash line and filled a feature gap by adding replication.Continue Reading

• Samsung SSD 845DC PRO

  Innovation is the key to Samsung's SSD 845DC PRO, which was the first 3-D NAND solid-state drive to hit the data center.Continue Reading

• Atlantis USX 2.0

  Atlantis Computing's USX 2.0 claims the silver medal in the storage system software category in Storage magazine's Products of the Year competition.Continue Reading

• VMTurbo Inc. Operations Manager 4.7

  Judges were pleased with the extended support and granular management capabilities of VMTurbo's Operations Manager 4.7.Continue Reading

• Nimble CS700

  Nimble Storage adds a higher-capacity model to its iSCSI hybrid arrays, plus an all-flash shelf to bulk up performance.Continue Reading

• Scality Inc. Ring 5.0

  Scality's Ring 5.0 software-defined storage shares the bronze award in the Products of the Year storage system software category with VMware's VSAN.Continue Reading

• HP OneView for VMware vCenter 7.4.2

  HP OneView for VMware vCenter management software provides a complete look into virtual environments, spanning both physical and virtual layers.Continue Reading

• Why hyperconvergence has grown in popularity

  Hyper-converged systems are increasingly popular as a way to combine compute, storage, networking and server virtualization -- and bring them together under one offering, one product, from one vendor. Storage pros are hearing plenty about these ...Continue Reading

• A look back at the 2014 data storage market

  Use this roundup of content on top products and major acquisitions to review the most talked about aspects of data storage in 2014.Continue Reading

• Essential guide to hybrid flash arrays

  Hybrid flash arrays are growing in popularity, surpassing all-flash. This essential guide dives into hybrid array use cases, tips and precautions.Continue Reading

• Why can't we perform primary storage dedupe on standard disk drives?

  Most all-flash arrays perform primary storage dedupe and/or compression to extend capacity. Why are we are still waiting on that for traditional disk drives?Continue Reading

• What's the difference between 'usable' and 'effective' flash capacity?

  Vendors often publish numbers for 'usable' capacity versus 'effective' capacity. Can you explain this and how can you plan flash capacity needs with these numbers in mind?Continue Reading

• Tiering vs. caching in flash-based storage systems

  George Crump compares tiering and caching in flash-based storage systems and explains the pros and cons of each in this tip.Continue Reading

• Maximize hybrid cloud benefits, avoid pitfalls for your organization

  There are several ways to implement hybrid cloud strategy in your organization, and this technical handbook is a practical guide for combining an on-premise, internal cloud and partnering with a public cloud provider. To get the promised benefits of...Continue Reading

• Should traditional data centers start using OpenStack Swift and Cinder?

  If your IT department has the skills set, OpenStack object or block storage might be a good idea, analyst George Crump said.Continue Reading

• How to decide whether a hybrid or all-flash storage array is right for you

  While hybrid flash arrays are currently the most popular way to deploy solid-state storage in enterprises today, demand for all-flash arrays is growing. Over the past year, the all-flash array market has changed a lot. At the end of 2013, you could ...Continue Reading

• When should I use global file locking in the cloud?

  According to analyst George Crump, global file locking isn't required for single-office cloud users, but for multisite organizations it is a top requirement in a cloud service.Continue Reading

• Hybrid, all-flash array performance comparison

  What advantage does all-flash array performance offer when compared with hybrid arrays?Continue Reading

• Are all-flash storage arrays being used for general-purpose storage?

  Initially, all-flash arrays were niche products for applications that needed ultimate performance. Are they still positioned for that, or are they being used more generally?Continue Reading

• What features should you expect from all-flash storage arrays?

  All-flash storage arrays were criticized for not including enterprise-class features. Do they have those features now, and what are the most important ones?Continue Reading

• Look beyond price per gigabyte when evaluating all-flash arrays

  How much more expensive are all-flash arrays than hard disks? And is there a better metric than just price per gigabyte for comparison?Continue Reading

• Data storage systems: 2014 Products of the Year finalists

  Our Products of the Year competition has narrowed a field of hundreds to 55 finalists in six different storage systems categories.Continue Reading

• Out on a data storage market limb: Six predictions for 2015

  Our crystal ball tells us this will be a year of change for the data storage market.Continue Reading

• Jon Toigo explains software-defined storage

  Like nearly everyone else, Jon Toigo has grappled with the definition of software-defined storage ... until he realized there are three.Continue Reading

• Cloud-based disaster recovery: Just add data for instant recovery

  Cloud-based disaster recovery (DR) is shaping up as a killer app for the cloud. It’s cheaper than other DR arrangements, can be implemented quickly and recoveries can be lightning fast. It’s a pretty direct route to solid data protection, but ...Continue Reading

• EMC, Dell and NetApp top NAS storage systems satisfaction survey

  Our ninth annual survey collected user feedback regarding the service and reliability of NAS storage systems.Continue Reading

• It's time to redefine the enterprise file sync-and-share market

  Today's enterprise file sync-and-share products do so much more than synchronizing data that it might be time to re-think the moniker.Continue Reading

• A wish list for the future of data storage

  Here's hoping for some clarity, standards, new tools and sanity in the new year.Continue Reading

• Will spinning disks continue increasing hard disk capacity?

  The use of spinning disks has resulted in added capacity, but that can't go on forever. Look into the future of SSDs and disk capacity in this expert answer.Continue Reading

• What can we expect from Storage QoS in the next release of Hyper-V?

  Windows Server 2012 R2's Storage QoS feature for Hyper-V has some shortcomings, but Expert Brien Posey explains how it has improved in this answer.Continue Reading

• What happened to the promise of faster flash performance?

  Leah Schoeb of Evaluator Group explains how infrastructure limitations can limit flash performance when deploying solid-state storage.Continue Reading

• Will Microsoft's storage replication impact failover clusters?

  How will Microsoft storage replication affect failover clustering in the latest version of Windows Server? Brien Posey explains in this expert answer.Continue Reading

• What is Microsoft's storage replication feature?

  The replication feature in the newest version of Windows Server will move to the storage level, eliminating the existing scalability problems with Hyper-V replication.Continue Reading

• What are the pros and cons of building an open source private cloud?

  Open source products can be an inexpensive option for building a private cloud, but only if IT has the advanced skill set needed to operate them.Continue Reading

• What criteria are most important when evaluating cloud storage costs?

  With cloud storage pricing models varying so much, it makes sense to compare summaries of these criteria to be sure you make the right choice.Continue Reading

• What are my options for storing files in the cloud?

  Cloud file storage might not be offered by major vendors, but there are a number of ways you can go about it. Learn about four in this Expert Answer.Continue Reading

• When private clouds reach compute capacity, consider cloud bursting

  Cloud bursting may have received some hype for its potential in the enterprise, but there are a few factors you should consider before bursting to the public cloud.Continue Reading

• What are some considerations for choosing cloud block storage?

  If you're going to use block storage for cloud-based apps, there are some factors to consider. Andrew Reichman covers six in this expert answer.Continue Reading

• Six questions to ensure smooth retrieval of cloud-based data

  Analyst Arun Taneja explains why the first step in moving data to the cloud is to determine how easy it will be to extract it.Continue Reading

• The rise of scale-out network-attached storage

  Scale-out NAS is being implemented across the storage landscape, with major vendors and startups releasing new and upgraded products. This guide discusses product offerings and how organizations use scale-out.Continue Reading

• Can I get a status update on the Resilient File System?

  Brien Posey explains the benefits of the Resilient File System and examines the reasons why it has remained relatively unused.Continue Reading

• What are the benefits of using the Boot to VHD feature?

  Boot to VHD may be seen as a novelty feature, but it also has practical uses in the workplace. Brien Posey explains in this expert answer.Continue Reading

• What is the application-aware Hyper-V checkpoint process and why is it important?

  Expert Brien Posey explains the importance of application-aware checkpoints and how they differ from hypervisor snapshots.Continue Reading

• The nuts and bolts of setting up a private cloud

  Private clouds are increasingly becoming a strategy for companies and storage professionals that want to deliver high-availability, low-cost storage through an on-premises cloud service they design and implement themselves. To do so, IT managers ...Continue Reading

• Smarter hardware will make software-defined technology work

  Some vendors are making hardware sound like an afterthought, but software-defined technology depends on hardware innovation.Continue Reading

• Six hot data storage trends for 2015

  For 12 years, Storage magazine has presented its roster of new data storage trends that are ready to have an impact in data centers. We’ll tell you why VMware VVOLs, all-flash arrays, cloud disaster recovery, flash caching, server SANs and...Continue Reading

• Solid-state flash storage now a mainstream choice

  The preferred method of adding solid-state tech to environments is via hybrid arrays that mix a small amount of flash with ample hard disk capacity.Continue Reading

• Purpose-built storage for virtual machines

  Vendors are offering storage systems specifically engineered for virtual machines with an approach that's fundamentally different from SAN or NAS.Continue Reading

• Hot data storage technologies for 2015

  These half-dozen storage techs are leading edge and poised to help transform your data center.Continue Reading

• Why a storage reference architecture matters in software-defined IT

  Software-defined and hyper-converged storage don't eliminate the need for vendor reference architectures.Continue Reading

• Software-defined storage technology that makes sense

  A hypervisor-based virtual SAN might seem convenient -- until you run up against its limitations.Continue Reading

• Q&A: Choosing between all-flash arrays and hybrid arrays

  SearchSolidStateStorage managing editor Ed Hannan and independent storage expert Andrew Reichman compare all-flash and hybrid flash arrays in this Q&A.Continue Reading

• What is the best strategy for archiving data in place?

  Archiving data in place is becoming more attractive to enterprises because it allows data to be archived on the storage it already resides on.Continue Reading

• Storage networking catching up to SSD performance

  Leah Schoeb of Evaluator Group discusses storage networking advancements that are enabling apps to take full advantage of SSD performance.Continue Reading

• How is big data changing data archiving strategies?

  Analyst Jon Toigo explains why performing analytics on big data sets means that data is no longer considered cold, reducing the importance of archives.Continue Reading

• What are the advantages to using a hybrid cloud model for backup?

  Hybrid clouds are most frequently used for backup purposes because they relieve enterprises of the need to use a secondary data center.Continue Reading

• Archiving methods: Smart meta tags, archive in place and FLAPE

  Jon Toigo outlines several archiving techniques, the technologies that make them run smoothly, and explains why data classification is crucial.Continue Reading

• When should persistent VDI be used over non-persistent VDI?

  VDI expert Brian Madden explains why most of today's storage options can handle persistent desktops, and how non-persistence can contribute to VDI failure.Continue Reading

• What are the benefits of using an object storage system with file access?

  With increasingly demanding workloads, NAS systems can have a hard time keeping up. Can using NAS with an object storage option relieve some of these problems?Continue Reading

• What are some downsides to using erasure codes with object storage?

  Erasure coding is an effective tool for correcting errors in data systems, but when used with object storage systems, latency issues can arise.Continue Reading

• What advantages does cloud object storage have over scale-out storage?

  While scale-out storage has its benefits, object storage is becoming a more popular option. Learn about cloud object storage advantages in this expert answer.Continue Reading

• Overcome virtual machine performance issues with flash storage

  Flash-based storage is the logical choice to tackle virtual machine performance issues thanks to its zero-latency, high-performance capabilities that make it impervious to random I/O workloads. But flash comes at a premium versus hard disk ...Continue Reading

• Unified storage array satisfies both block and file fans

  Thirty-one percent of storage shoppers have unified storage on their lists; the majority plan to use their new arrays equally for file and block apps.Continue Reading

• Storage magazine salary survey 2014 finds compensation flat, but still high

  Our twelfth annual salary storage survey shows that in a changing IT landscape, storage expertise is still valued.Continue Reading

• Figuring out the real price of flash technology

  Sometimes comparing the costs of flash arrays is an apples-to-oranges affair -- interesting, but not very helpful.Continue Reading

• Yesterday's unified storage is today's enterprise data lake

  How unified storage needs to develop to support new applications and new data center environments.Continue Reading

• Data management should be a go-to cost containment storage strategy

  If you want to exercise some cost containment, forget the hardware for a moment and focus on data management.Continue Reading

• Specialized types of storage media make purchase decisions more complex

  The business of picking the right media for the data has become nothing less than a critical task.Continue Reading

• The Storage magazine/SearchStorage 2014 Salary Survey

  For 12 consecutive years we have surveyed Storage readers to get a picture of the kind of salaries and benefits data storage expertise commands, and our 2014 salary survey confirms what we’ve seen over the years: storage pros are well paid...Continue Reading