Evaluate

Evaluate

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

• Is the software-defined storage market efficient?

  The software-defined storage/hyper-converged infrastructure model offers promise, but also discussion as to whether it needs to be reimagined. Continue Reading

• NAND flash technology is just the beginning

  NAND flash adoption has been as fast as the speed it offers, but faster storage techs such as 3D XPoint and phase-change memory are on their way. Continue Reading

• How to measure flash storage's true value

  Flash storage, or using the broader term, solid-state storage, suffers from an inadequate measure of value. Flash storage provides a step-function improvement in the ability to store and retrieve ... Continue Reading

• Learn how to assess all-flash array vendors

  Arrays loaded with flash drives are the speed kings of storage arrays. They can also be more expensive than traditional systems with hard disk drives (HDDs), so IT managers need to assess their application needs to make the best decision among ... Continue Reading

• Buyer's checklist to hybrid flash arrays

  All-flash arrays are a hot technology, but not everybody needs flash for all of their storage. Hybrid flash arrays can strike a balance between using flash for performance while keeping spinning disk drives to lower the price for less frequently ... Continue Reading

• Storage Spaces Direct builds on Windows Storage Spaces

  With the new Direct feature, Windows Storage Spaces can use local storage for failover clusters. It also supports JBOD storage.Continue Reading

• Hadoop alternatives now offer data center-grade storage

  Data is growing at record rates with no signs of slowing. But what good is having petabytes of data if you can't gain business advantage from it? Accurate analysis of data can have great positive business results, but requires the right tools and ...Continue Reading

• How to implement a flash storage SSD in hyper-converged platforms

  Flash is everywhere, including the burgeoning hyper-convergence market. Get the pros and cons of flash storage types in hyper-converged systems.Continue Reading

• Server-side flash storage technology basks in spotlight

  Dennis Martin walks you through the flash technology advancements that are helping make server-side storage challenges a thing of the past.Continue Reading

• Server-side flash technology lifts solid-state adoption

  Server-side solid-state storage is more ubiquitous than ever due to growing capacities and rapidly dropping flash technology prices. There are a many ways to install flash technology in a server, though there are decisions to make before you buy. We...Continue Reading

• IT resilience vs. disaster recovery: What's better for your business?

  DR may be dying. The term DR, that is, not the actual process of disaster recovery. There is a move in the industry to replace the phrase with "IT resilience." At last week's ZertoCON business ...Continue Reading

• Why all-flash array vendors must offer advanced enterprise features

  As all-flash arrays become increasingly common in enterprises, IT professionals need to look not just for efficiency, but for important features, such as analytics and data protection.Continue Reading

• EMC Unity dashboard demo reveals management features

  Stefan Voss, a member of EMC's technical marketing team, offers a preview of the storage provisioning and data protection features available in the Unity dashboard.Continue Reading

• EMC Unity, Dell-EMC merger top news for EMC World attendees

  The most interesting news items for EMC World 2016 attendees were Michael Dell's update on the pending EMC acquisition and the new Unity mid-range array.Continue Reading

• Buyers of NAS boxes think capacity -- and more capacity

  While hyper-converged systems and software-defined storage get most of the headlines, users who need capacity are still shopping for NAS systems.Continue Reading

• Object storage vendors push NAS out of the enterprise

  The object storage market features products from both startups and established vendors that are being offered as true NAS alternatives.Continue Reading

• Object storage market vendors give NAS a nudge

  In this issue of Storage magazine, we examine object storage's scalability, resiliency, accessibility, security and manageability. Object storage is the foundation of cloud storage due to its greater scalability and resiliency over traditional ...Continue Reading

• Benefits of software-defined storage architecture: Time for consensus

  Disagreement over the meaning of software-defined storage architecture continues, but it generally refers to the beneficial trend of separating software and hardware.Continue Reading

• Potential pitfalls with Hadoop data analytics

  Before deciding on Hadoop to tackle your organizations' big data analysis needs, review these points of concern, including data sources and sustainability.Continue Reading

• Solid-state drive costs: What factors do I need to consider?

  SSD costs are on the downswing, but users need to explore the price per IOPS and price per gigabyte before purchasing. Some workloads aren't a match with the technology.Continue Reading

• What are the major benefits of containerization?

  The advantages of containerization become very evident in test and development environments. Explore how container technology is being used to verify application performance.Continue Reading

• How do RDMA storage systems improve latency reduction?

  RDMA technology can help speed up I/O in storage environments by bypassing copy processes in the software stack when data is called up from a system's memory.Continue Reading

• Can I use Microsoft containers with the Docker platform?

  Docker is a mainstay for containerizing applications, but it has been limited to Linux systems. New support for Microsoft Windows Server containers is switching things up.Continue Reading

• Hybrid cloud benefits driving future of cloud storage

  It's tough to see the future of cloud storage services without acknowledging hybrid cloud benefits.Continue Reading

• Good pay, bennies and perks boost data storage jobs

  Salaries for data storage jobs remain high with new techs and new responsibilities in evolving data centers.Continue Reading

• Enterprise data management starts with clearing clutter

  Jon Toigo examines why some storage vendors fall short in maximizing enterprise data management, and how one vendor's technology is enterprise-class.Continue Reading

• Are Windows Server containers superior to Hyper-V containers?

  In Windows Server 2016, Microsoft offers two container architectures that perform similar functions. But different use cases apply and performance varies.Continue Reading

• Complete guide to server-based storage in its modern forms

  From hyper-convergence to the cloud, better understand direct-attached storage and its many forms with this essential guide.Continue Reading

• Do object-based storage systems improve data protection?

  Object storage has unique features, including erasure coding and multi-copy mirroring, which may make it better suited to data protection than more traditional systems.Continue Reading

• SSD cache performance: What is the state of the market?

  SSD caching is included with a majority of products, so vendors have turned their resources toward maximizing throughput and endurance. Discover the issues behind the innovations.Continue Reading

• Object storage architecture removes file crawl issues

  When dealing with large data sets, you don't want to use system resources to examine all files to get your information. Object storage, and its unique identifiers, eases the process.Continue Reading

• NetApp and Synology top NAS storage systems survey

  A storage pioneer and relative newcomer land top honors in our 10^th Quality Awards NAS storage systems survey of midrange and enterprise users.Continue Reading

• Unified storage array offers best of both worlds

  With both file and block protocols supported, unified arrays provide configuration flexibility to handle a variety of applications.Continue Reading

• Defining the software-defined storage market

  Take a closer look at what's driving the software-defined storage market, the different types of software-defined storage, and pros and cons of each.Continue Reading

• Seven ways flash data storage beats HDDs for any workload

  If you believe flash storage is too expensive for non-mission-critical workloads, this head-to-head comparison between the technology and hard disk drives will change your mind.Continue Reading

• How much will 3D XPoint technology affect flash storage?

  Learn how Intel 3D XPoint fits in a flash storage technology space that has already seen single-level cell, multi-level cell, eMLC, triple-level cell and 3D NAND.Continue Reading

• Reasons to consider hybrid cloud integration

  Integrating a hybrid cloud into your storage environment offers a range of benefits, from backup to data tiering. Discover the variety of options to consider.Continue Reading

• Object storage has dual uses

  The latest object storage systems are often misunderstood by potential buyers. This may be because these systems, capable of storing extremely large numbers of object and files, serve more than one ...Continue Reading

• Parallel I/O technology boosts data storage performance

  DataCore Software's use of parallel I/O has caught the data storage industry's attention as a low-cost option for fast performance with existing hardware.Continue Reading

• The significance of parallel I/O in data storage

  Parallel computing has been around since the 1970s, but the re-emergence of multiprocessor systems may give parallel I/O a big place in the current data storage landscape.Continue Reading

• Software-defined storage market: Custom vs. commodity hardware

  One of the allures of software-defined storage is that commodity hardware can be used to lower costs. But a custom hardware vendor's offer may sometimes be a better option.Continue Reading

• How to buy NAS systems for any organization

  With so many NAS options currently available, knowing where the technology works best and examining vendor offerings will ease any user's NAS buying process.Continue Reading

• What data storage virtualization looks like today

  Storage virtualization gives administrators more flexibility when provisioning by aggregating storage capacity. Today, storage virtualization technologies do even more.Continue Reading

• Five types of storage virtualization: Pros and cons

  Expert Brien Posey discusses five ways to virtualize storage in an organization. Review the pros and cons of each approach to find the best fit for your data center.Continue Reading

• Base enterprise hybrid cloud evaluation on security, cost

  Explosive data growth has organizations looking at hybrid cloud storage to meet their capacity needs. But cloud costs and security issues need to be addressed.Continue Reading

• Twelve data storage industry startups to watch in 2016

  One of the key characteristics of the data storage industry is how it refreshes itself every year as new storage startups emerge and roll out innovative products. The past year -- 2015 -- produced a bounty of exciting new products that are shaking ...Continue Reading

• Why attach NAND flash storage directly to the memory channel?

  Why would you attach NAND flash storage directly to the memory channel? Isn't RAM much faster than NAND? Marc Staimer discusses this and more in this Expert Answer.Continue Reading

• How do 3D NAND flash vendors ensure bit rot doesn't occur?

  Marc Staimer takes a closer look in this Expert Answer at how 3D NAND flash vendors keep bit rot from taking place, a vexing challenge given 3D NAND flash technologyContinue Reading

• Does TLC flash offer enough resilience for enterprises?

  The suitability of triple-level cell (TLC) flash storage for enterprise use depends on whether applications are heavily read- or write-optimized. Expert Marc Staimer explains the ramifications.Continue Reading

• Flash management important for IT pros, yet overlooked

  Though hidden from the user, flash management is important for IT professionals. How a flash controller manages NAND flash can impact longevity and performance.Continue Reading

• Oracle ZFS Storage Appliance system overview

  Oracle ZFS Storage uses mechanical and flash storage. The ZS3-2 and ZS4-4 models offer a variety of software for storage management, encryption and security.Continue Reading

• HPE StoreEasy 1000 Storage family product overview

  The Hewlett Packard Enterprise StoreEasy 1000 Storage family -- formerly HP StoreEasy 1000 Storage -- has four mid-level NAS models, management tools and BitLocker Drive Encryption support.Continue Reading

• Will most 3D NAND flash products continue to feature TLC?

  Vendors are using TLC flash in their 3D NAND flash products, which allows for greater capacity at a lower cost, according to Brien Posey.Continue Reading

• Data reduction methods for virtualized environments

  Compression and deduplication are common data reduction methods used in virtual storage environments, but the technologies work at different storage levels.Continue Reading

• NetApp FAS2500 series: Technical overview

  The NetApp FAS2500 series includes the FAS2554, FAS2552 and FAS2520. The NAS systems support hybrid flash setups for environments with mid-tier network storage needs.Continue Reading

• Is parallel I/O suitable for mission-critical applications?

  Parallel computing technology has not seen widespread use in the business world, but could that change? Jon Toigo discusses parallel I/O for applications and where it might fit in.Continue Reading

• Cloud file-sharing services: Get accurate benchmark results

  If you use cloud file-sharing services, you've most likely conducted benchmarks to see how they perform. This tip ensures you're interpreting the results correctly.Continue Reading

• Cloud file services: Benchmarking considerations

  Cloud storage can save costs, but choosing the right service is vital. This tip covers important considerations when planning a cloud file services benchmarking project.Continue Reading

• Hitachi NAS platform 4000 overview

  The Hitachi NAS platform 4000 series consists of four product models that use a discrete controller that can be attached to almost any Hitachi storage system.Continue Reading

• EMC VNXe3200 midrange NAS system technical overview

  The VNXe3200 from EMC is a NAS system for environments that require midrange network storage solutions.Continue Reading

• Server-side caching has new data center role

  Some server-side caching products have evolved into complete software-defined storage platforms that can aggregate flash across multiple servers.Continue Reading

• Will flash storage vendors add data protection features?

  Not only will some flash storage vendors add data protection features to their flash storage systems, says expert Brien Posey, one is already doing it.Continue Reading

• Essential guide to the all-flash array market

  The all-flash array market is growing in popularity. Some observers argue these arrays will become the norm for Tier-1 storage. Is an all-flash array right for you?Continue Reading

• Is SSD flash storage being used for general-purposes?

  Flash SSDs have become more popular in general-purpose storage thanks to lower price points and increased performance, leading to expanded capacity in virtual servers and desktops.Continue Reading

• EMC Isilon X-Series NAS: Isilon x200, x210 and x410

  The Isilon X-Series is a lineup of NAS systems that support hybrid flash setups. The products are designed for environments with mid-tier network storage needs.Continue Reading

• Storage for server virtualization: Available options

  Every storage type has its benefits and drawbacks, but what is the best storage for server virtualization? Brien Posey discusses the different options for virtual environments.Continue Reading

• What are the best software-defined storage architecture options?

  Software-defined storage architecture can be implemented in several different forms that all expose software functionality to hardware across an environment.Continue Reading

• Purchasing an enterprise SAN: Top-tier products compared

  Expert Jacob Gsoedl drills into eight top-tier enterprise SAN products and how each one performs in seven technical areas. Detailed charts make the information easy to digest.Continue Reading

• EMC Isilon S-Series NAS: Isilon S210 and Isilon S200

  The Isilon S210 and S200 are part of the EMC Isilon S-Series line of NAS systems for data storage environments that require mid-level network storage offerings.Continue Reading

• EMC Isilon NL400 NAS platform

  The EMC Isilon NL400 is a midrange NAS platform with a maximum raw capacity of 210 TB per node. The array is designed specifically for environments that require near-line storage.Continue Reading

• How is flash wear affected by virtual environments?

  Flash wear is an important concern in VMware and Hyper-V environments because features such as caching and deduplication can negatively impact endurance.Continue Reading

• Isilon HD400 NAS platform

  The EMC Isilon HD400 is a midrange NAS array designed specifically for environments that require deep-archive storage and faster access times than tape systems.Continue Reading

• Dell PowerVault NX Series NAS platform

  The Dell PowerVault NX Series consists of three models that support file- and block- storage but not flash. We outline the specifications of each model and its capabilities.Continue Reading

• Object storage vendors quantify data center benefits

  In this handbook, SearchStorage contributors outline the benefits object storage can bring to today's data centers and storage architectures. From price point to efficiency and durability, there are many good reasons to consider implementing object ...Continue Reading

• NAND flash technology faces uncertain future

  Memory channel flash, 3D, NVMe and NVDIMM are among the recent developments in flash storage technology that may soon replace NAND flash.Continue Reading

• NAS array shoppers want speed and scalability

  Shopping for a NAS array? You likely want faster, scalable performance from your network-attached storage system, but price still matters.Continue Reading

• Open source FreeNAS makes inroads in enterprise data storage

  The FreeNAS Project by server vendor iXsystems is attracting attention from customers as far away as outer space who are considering open source NAS storage with commodity hardware.Continue Reading

• Top object storage vendor use cases for IT

  Today's object storage vendors provide products that are often the best option for archiving, backup and data lake architectures.Continue Reading

• How is cloud data loss prevention changed by shadow IT?

  Shadow IT means enterprises are at increasing risk of cloud data loss, but providing employees with comparable file sharing apps can help.Continue Reading

• Pros and cons of hybrid cloud architecture approaches

  Building a hybrid cloud architecture rather than purchasing an all-in-one system can result in cost savings, but the time needed to deploy is a tradeoff.Continue Reading

• Data reduction methods for the all-flash data center

  When deploying flash technology, the most efficient system is one that performs data reduction techniques inline.Continue Reading

• Making the case to store big data in the cloud

  According to analyst George Crump, data type factors as to whether you should store big data in the cloud or in an on-premises environment.Continue Reading

• The hidden cost of SDS products

  Though software-defined storage products are praised for their cost efficiency and flexibility, many have overlooked the hidden costs for IT.Continue Reading

• Cost savings for virtualizing servers not yet reality

  Though you've heard for years that virtualizing servers will save money, Jon Toigo argues that the cost of virtualization hasn't lowered.Continue Reading

• VDI issues: How to use SSD to improve performance

  In this guide, experts explain how SSDs can solve VDI performance problems, and how to decide what types of SSD work best in your virtual environment.Continue Reading

• How vSphere Virtual Volumes aid all-flash and hybrid storage arrays

  Using vSphere Virtual Volumes can help you manage legacy storage systems in virtualized settings, but all-flash and hybrid arrays can also benefit from their use.Continue Reading

• Is a storage cache or tiered storage best for VDI performance?

  Tiering and caching can both improve performance in VDI, but a storage cache may be the better option for write-heavy environments.Continue Reading

• Server-side flash storage systems can reduce latency

  Server-side flash options include SAS/SATA drives, PCI Express cards and dual inline memory modules that place flash even closer to the application I/O.Continue Reading

• EMC XtremIO storage array

  The XtremIO storage array from EMC is an all-flash system that offers scalability and high performance.Continue Reading

• HP 3PAR StoreServ 7450 all-flash array

  HP StoreServ 7450 is powered by the 3PAR Operating System Software Suite and offers inline deduplication, VVOLs support and rapid provisioning.Continue Reading

• IBM FlashSystem 840 and FlashSystem V840

  FlashSystem 840 and V840 are all-flash storage systems from IBM that use Variable Stripe RAID for high performance in case of failure.Continue Reading

• Why are object stores a good match for archival data storage?

  Latency in object stores that stems from a large amount of metadata means the technology is better suited to non-transactional data.Continue Reading

• HP XP7 Storage enterprise SAN array

  The HP XP7 Storage SAN array offers high-availability and disaster recovery features for highly virtualized data centers with large storage requirements.Continue Reading

• Fujitsu Eternus DX8900 S3 storage array

  Features for the Fujitsu Eternus DX89000 S3 SAN array include thin provisioning, mirroring and RAID.Continue Reading

• HP 3PAR StoreServ 20000 Storage family of arrays

  The HP 3PAR StoreServ 20000 Storage family of SAN arrays is intended for use in large enterprise environments.Continue Reading

• Fujitsu Storage Eternus DX8700 S3 storage array platform

  The Fujitsu Storage Eternus DX8700 S3 SAN array offers a number of features to help organizations manage large amounts of storage.Continue Reading

• Oracle FS1-2 storage array system

  Oracle FS1-2 SAN arrays can scale to petabytes and ship complete with data storage features, such as replication and auto-tiering.Continue Reading

• Chop latency with server-side flash storage

  On-board storage in servers has traditionally meant high-performance hard disk drives. Today that is changing, with server-side flash storage a popular alternative to boost application performance.

  There are a variety of ways to deploy flash in...Continue Reading

• HUS VM scalable flash array

  The Hitachi Unified Storage VM offers 300 TB of raw capacity and offers storage reclamation, dynamic tiering and high availability.Continue Reading

• Dell EqualLogic PS6210S enterprise flash array

  The Dell EqualLogic PS6210S is a flash array designed for small and medium businesses. It uses a virtualized and modular architecture.Continue Reading