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Bring yourself up to speed with our introductory content.
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Bring yourself up to speed with our introductory content.
areal density
Areal density measures the amount of data that can be stored on a given amount of physical space on a disk drive. Continue Reading
SAN switch (storage area network switch)
A storage area network (SAN) switch is a device that connects servers and shared pools of storage devices and is dedicated to moving storage traffic. Continue Reading
storage node
A storage node is typically a physical server with one or more hard-disk drives (HDDs) or solid-state drives (SDDs). Continue Reading
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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
Use software-defined storage for do-it-yourself data storage arrays
Take storage and a few servers, add the special software and -- voila -- instant array.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
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
What are the best cloud storage use cases beyond backup and archiving?
Cloud storage doesn't just have to be for backup. According to George Crump, cloud services can make deploying a new application or disaster recovery environment easier.Continue Reading
iSCSI switch (Internet Small Computer System Interface switch)
An iSCSI switch is an appliance that processes and channels data between an iSCSI initiator and target on a storage device.Continue Reading
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IP SAN (Internet Protocol storage area network)
An IP SAN is a dedicated storage area network (SAN) that allows multiple servers to access pools of shared block storage devices using storage protocols that depend on the Internet Engineering Taskforce standard Internet Protocol suite.Continue Reading
Fibre Channel switch (FC switch)
A Fibre Channel switch is a networking device that is compatible with the Fibre Channel (FC) protocol and designed for use in a dedicated storage area network (SAN).Continue Reading
How do hardware profiles work in Microsoft Virtual Machine Manager?
The Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager allows the creation of hardware profiles, which help to provision virtual storage. Brien Posey explains how to use the tool.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
Build an OpenStack storage cloud
OpenStack's storage components -- Cinder and Swift -- let you build block and object storage systems in your private cloud. Chris Evans provides an in-depth view into the technologies.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
Kryder's Law
Kryder's Law describes the rate at which former Seagate CTO Mark Kryder predicted disk drive density would grow.Continue Reading
FLAPE
FLAPE (flash plus tape) is an approach to tiered storage that allows administrators to archive data as soon as it is written.Continue Reading
RAID 2
RAID 2 is a technique that stripes data at the bit level using a Hamming code to detect errors.Continue Reading
RAID 3 (redundant array of independent disks)
RAID 3 is a RAID configuration that uses striping and parity, but it uses a parity disk to store the parity information generated by a RAID controller instead of striping it with the data.Continue Reading
RAID 4 (redundant array of independent disks)
RAID 4 is a RAID configuration that uses a dedicated parity disk and block-level striping across multiple disks.Continue Reading
RAID 50 (RAID 5+0)
RAID 50, also known as RAID 5+0, combines distributed parity (RAID 5) with striping (RAID 0).Continue Reading
RAID 7 (redundant array of independent disks)
RAID 7 is a trademarked RAID level owned by the now defunct Storage Computer Corp. It is a non-standard RAID level that requires proprietary hardware.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
thick provisioning
Thick provisioning pre-allocates storage capacity on a disk rather than on an as-needed basis.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
synchronous mirroring
Synchronous mirroring is a type of data protection in which data is written to both a remote and local disk simultaneously.Continue Reading
erasure coding
Erasure coding (EC) is a method of data protection in which data is broken into fragments, expanded and encoded with redundant data pieces and stored across a set of different locations or storage media.Continue Reading
cloud testing
Cloud testing, also called cloud-based testing, is the assessment of a Web application's performance, reliability, scalability and security in a third-party's cloud computing environment.Continue Reading
file-area network (FAN)
A file-area network (FAN) is a set of technologies that facilitate file sharing and data management over a network.Continue Reading
Essential guide to desktop and laptop solid-state drives
Essential guide to laptop and desktop SSDsContinue Reading
green storage
Green storage is the practice of using a variety of "clean energy" storage methods and products to cut down on a data center's carbon footprint, as well as cost.Continue Reading
non-disruptive upgrade (NDU)
A non-disruptive upgrade (NDU) is an update to software or hardware done without interruption to system service or data access.Continue Reading
Tahoe-LAFS (Tahoe Least-Authority File System)
Tahoe-LAFS (Tahoe Least-Authority File System) is a distributed storage system that offers provider-independent security for local or cloud storage.Continue Reading
Configure and manage storage for a virtual desktop environment
The unique workloads and demands of virtual desktops require a rethinking of the supporting storage systems.Continue Reading
File storage capacity key to new NAS purchase
Thinking of making a new NAS purchase? Learn the requirements of your storage peers and the criteria they use to evaluate a storage vendor.Continue Reading
The case for cloud storage: Cloud considerations and strategies
Before deploying your cloud storage project, learn about cloud storage use cases, how to do a cloud cost analysis and keeping data safe in the cloud.Continue Reading
RADOS Block Device (RBD)
A RADOS Block Device (RBD) is software that facilitates the storage of block-based data in the open source Ceph distributed storage system.Continue Reading
What is VMware VAIO and why is it important?
VSphere APIs for I/O Filters, available with the next release of the hypervisor, lets third-party products access a VM's I/O stream to provide storage features.Continue Reading
HIPAA-compliant cloud storage
HIPAA-compliant cloud storage implements the guidelines of the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).Continue Reading
Hyper-V Virtual Fibre Channel
Virtual Fibre Channel is a feature in Microsoft Hyper-V 3.0 that lets virtual machines (VMs) connect directly to Fibre Channel (FC)-based storage by using a standard World Wide Name (WWN) associated with a VM.Continue Reading
The need for application-aware storage
Server virtualization leads to unpredictable workloads. Application-aware storage could be the answer.Continue Reading
Are more than five nines of availability really possible?
When cloud durability is added to the mix, cloud providers are able to tout a high number of nines of availability.Continue Reading
What are VMware VVOLs and how do they work?
VMware's new Virtual Volumes allow virtual machines and applications to be better allocated to storage. The feature is now available in beta.Continue Reading
RADOS (Reliable Autonomic Distributed Object Store)
Reliable Autonomic Distributed Object Store (RADOS) is an object storage service with the ability to scale to thousands of hardware devices by making use of management software that runs on each of the individual nodes. RADOS is an integral part of ...Continue Reading
Cloud storage challenges and choices
Our comprehensive e-book tackles the cloud storage challenges and business decisions that surround cloud storage investments, and breaks them into three areas of concentration: architecture, availability and return on investment.
Get ...Continue Readingcloud storage gateway
A cloud storage gateway is a hardware- or software-based appliance that serves as a bridge between local applications and remote cloud-based storage. The appliance is located on the customer’s premises.Continue Reading
How flash vendors mitigate read disturbs today
Marc Staimer of Dragon Slayer Consulting explains what causes read disturbs and how flash vendors are mitigating the issue.Continue Reading
Cloud storage architecture vs. local storage
Expert Brien Posey explains how cloud gateways can help to make cloud storage seamlessly available to a local network.Continue Reading
multipathing (SAN multipathing)
Multipathing, also called SAN multipathing or I/O multipathing, is the establishment of multiple physical routes between a server and the storage device that supports it. Continue Reading
What is object storage technology (and why should you care)?
Object technology offers scalability, economical operation and better data management; but it's very different from file and block storage systems.Continue Reading
What you need to know about flash caching
Using solid-state storage as cache can boost server and application performance dramatically, but the kind of flash cache you choose is critical.Continue Reading
Three considerations to ensure data storage efficiency
Vendors often claim their products cut out storage inefficiency, but administrators can make a difference as well with some planning.Continue Reading
SugarSync
SugarSync is an online file sync-and-share service.Continue Reading
cloud file sharing
Cloud file sharing is a method of allowing multiple users to access data within a public cloud, private cloud or hybrid cloud.Continue Reading
active archive
An active archive is a collection of data that is too valuable for a company to discard, but only needs to be accessed occasionally.Continue Reading
Hyper-V and vSphere storage APIs: Tailoring your virtual environment
Our expert tips and advice explain how storage APIs from VMware and Hyper-V can be used to increase integration between storage and virtual servers.Continue Reading
global namespace
Global namespace is a feature that provides a consolidated view into multiple Network File Systems (NFS), Common Internet File Systems (CIFS), network-attached storage (NAS) systems or file servers that are in different physical locations.Continue Reading
Single namespace
A single namespace is one presentation of file system data.Continue Reading
LUN management
LUN management is the process of assigning, provisioning and overseeing logical unit numbers (LUNs) across a storage environment.Continue Reading
Navigate the complex world of all-flash arrays
Many early implementations of solid-state storage were hybrid arrays making use of hard disks as well as flash. Today, there are a number of vendors offering all-flash arrays as the price of flash continues to drop. This handbook takes a look at how...Continue Reading
How do storage scalability and elasticity differ?
Scalability has long been an important storage characteristic, but elasticity is becoming more significant. Learn how the two vary.Continue Reading
What does location awareness mean with regard to cloud storage?
Location awareness can reduce latency, but in the cloud it isn't determined by GPS coordinates. Expert Marc Staimer explains how it works.Continue Reading
open source cloud storage
Open source cloud storage is a cloud storage architecture that uses freely available source code to build and manage a private cloud storage platform.Continue Reading
cloud computing maturity model (CCMM)
A Cloud Computing Maturity Model (CCMM) is a model that defines and analyzes the progress of an organization’s ability to deliver cloud services in key areas such as capabilities, domains, maturity and adoption.Continue Reading
Making sense of the alphabet soup of server-attached storage
There's been plenty of talk about software-defined storage and how it creates networks from DAS, SAN and NAS. See if it's right for your shop.Continue Reading
Next-generation data storage will help IT managers do their jobs
When storage managers are asked about their challenges, data growth always tops the list. Next-generation storage technology could make a difference.Continue Reading
Stop the data storage presses, flape is here!
Musing over a new acronym, we can see how, once again, what's new is really what's old.Continue Reading
Make sense of all-flash array vendors' wild flash performance claims
Dennis Martin reveals how to interpret the often inscrutable flash performance claims of all-flash array vendors, from IOPS to throughput and latency.Continue Reading
spindle
A spindle is a shaft that holds rotating hard disk drive (HDD) platters in place. The term is also often used to refer to a single HDD.Continue Reading
OpenZFS
OpenZFS is an open-source file system and logical volume manager for highly scalable storage with built-in features such as replication, deduplication, compression, snapshots, and data protection.Continue Reading
Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL)
A Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL) is a high-speed Fibre Channel (FC) topology that can connect up to 126 ports on one controller using a one-way loop or hub design.Continue Reading
bit rot
Bit rot is the slow deterioration in the performance and integrity of data stored on storage media. It is also known by the names bit decay, data rot, data decay and silent corruption.Continue Reading
legacy storage
Legacy storage is traditional storage hardware that is older and sometimes no longer sold by its vendor.Continue Reading
Working with OpenStack storage: Tips on Cinder, Swift and the cloud
This guide explores the block, object and cloud storage offerings from OpenStack, one of the most sought-after open source storage platforms.Continue Reading
How moving data to the cloud can replace all, or most, onsite storage
Cloud storage is cheaper, expands endlessly and needs little attention; but how much data can a company realistically park in the cloud?Continue Reading
How to evaluate and deploy flash storage technology
Your apps might be begging for flash storage performance, but you'll have to decide where to put it, how much you'll need and how it should be used.Continue Reading
Planning and management for a software-defined storage architecture
Jon Toigo offers implementation tips to help users avoid vendor lock-in and get top performance from their software-defined storage environments.Continue Reading
RAID rebuild
A RAID rebuild is the data reconstruction process that occurs in a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) implementation when a hard disk drive fails.Continue Reading
production data
Production data is data that is persistently stored and essential to completing day-to-day business tasks and processes.Continue Reading
To address limitations of today's NAND chips, 3-D NAND emerging
In this Q&A, learn more about 3-D NAND, how different vendors' architectures compare and contrast, and when we'll see 3-D-NAND-based products.Continue Reading
Examining the future of the RAID volume
Expert Jon Toigo provides a set of tips to answer key questions regarding RAID's place in today's storage world, and whether it will be replaced.Continue Reading
Fibre Channel adapter
A Fibre Channel (FC) adapter is a hardware component that provides connectivity from a server to a storage area network (SAN).Continue Reading
Common Assurance Maturity Model (CAMM)
The Common Assurance Maturity Model (CAMM) is a global project to list the information assurance maturity of suppliers offering provisioning services (for example, cloud providers).Continue Reading
illumos
Illumos is a free, open source operating system (OS) developed as a fork of Unix-based OpenSolaris, the open source community-built derivative of the Solaris OS.Continue Reading
How does a scale-out NAS environment affect storage management?
Phil Goodwin explains how scale-out NAS systems simplify storage management through a single point of control and by combating performance problems.Continue Reading
data retention
Data retention, also called records retention, is the continued storage of an organization's data for compliance or business reasons. Continue Reading
A tiered storage model is different from caching
In this podcast, Evaluator Group strategist Randy Kerns looks in-depth at today's tiered storage model, including how it differs from flash caching.Continue Reading
SATA controller
A SATA controller handles how hard drives are connected to a computer's motherboard.Continue Reading
Choosing storage for streaming large files in big data sets
Learn how to select storage that can both scale and perform to effectively stream large files in big data environments.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
Server SAN infrastructure model of Google, Facebook poised to spread
Wikibon senior analyst predicts that the server SAN infrastructure model of Google, Facebook, Amazon could spread to enterprise IT, service providers.Continue Reading
Curbing data storage capacity demand
Analyst Jon Toigo's series of tips on common data reduction approaches will help IT pros make better use of their capacity.Continue Reading
External storage might make sense for Hadoop
Using Hadoop to drive big data analytics doesn't necessarily mean building clusters of distributed storage; a good old array might be a better choice.Continue Reading
Building a better archival storage strategy
This guide walks through important tips and considerations regarding storage archive design strategies and technologies.Continue Reading
hot plug
Hot plug is the addition of a component to a running computer system without significant interruption to the operation of the system.Continue Reading
Crafting a data lifecycle management strategy to control capacity
Jon Toigo explains how an information lifecycle management strategy helps classify data so it can live on the most appropriate storage.Continue Reading
How DRAM or NVRAM cache can reduce flash SSD write amplification
DRAM/NVRAM caching provides SSD systems with better performance while reducing flash SSD write amplification.Continue Reading
hot data
Hot data is a reference to data that is accessed the most by an organization.Continue Reading