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Bring yourself up to speed with our introductory content.
Get started
Bring yourself up to speed with our introductory content.
self-service cloud computing
Self-service cloud computing is a form of private cloud service where the customer provisions storage and launches applications without going through an external cloud service provider. Continue Reading
copy data
Copy data is the electronic data that is created as a result of data protection functions like backups, snapshots and disaster recovery. Continue Reading
Buyer’s checklist to solid-state storage arrays
Solid-state storage has typically been deployed to solve specific application performance problems. But as flash prices fall, it is becoming more and more widely deployed. Today, most enterprise storage systems come with at least some solid-state ... Continue Reading
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SCSI (Small Computer System Interface)
Definition: The Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) is a set of parallel interface standards used to attach disk drives and other peripherals to a computer. Continue Reading
redundant
Redundancy can have several meanings, but commonly refers to spare hardware that is kept online or to duplicate data. Continue Reading
What are protocol endpoints in vSphere VVOLs and how do they work?
VMware's new VVOLs feature allows storage functionality to be distributed on a per-VM basis. Protocol endpoints are integral to proper allocation.Continue Reading
When will NVM Express flash drives appear in laptops and desktops?
NVM Express flash drives promise capacity and throughput, but there are some factors limiting adoption of the technology.Continue Reading
host bus adapter (HBA)
A host bus adapter (HBA) provides physical connectivity and input/output between a server and a network and/or storage device.Continue Reading
NAS enclosure (network-attached storage enclosure)
NAS enclosures provide shared storage to all users connected to a network, and vary in models appropriate for home offices to enterprises.Continue Reading
Dell EqualLogic
Dell EqualLogic storage-area network arrays provide varying capacities of hard disk drives and solid-state drives using iSCSI and SATA controllers.Continue Reading
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bare-metal cloud
Bare-metal cloud is a public cloud service installed directly on hardware with no virtualized infrastructure.Continue Reading
Decisions, decisions: VDI storage considerations and choices
With this essential guide, understand the different choices and strategies available when choosing storage for a virtual desktop environment.Continue Reading
For maximum benefits of virtualization, storage management is key
Server virtualization increases the complexity of storage management and forces administrators to pay even closer attention to issues such as available bandwidth and overprovisioning. Approaching management and provisioning in the same way as in a ...Continue Reading
How can I simplify storage allocation for virtual desktops?
Find out the easiest methods of allocating storage for a virtual desktop infrastructure.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
IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics)
Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) refers to the integration of the controller and drive.Continue Reading
serial-attached SCSI (SAS)
Serial-attached SCSI (SAS) is a point-to-point protocol used to transfer digital data between servers and SAS storage devices.Continue Reading
FreeNAS Project
The FreeNAS storage operating system is compatible with most major protocols and storage hardware and provides file sharing in a NAS environment.Continue Reading
pay-as-you-go cloud computing (PAYG cloud computing)
The pay-as-you-go cloud computing (PAYG cloud computing) method charges users only for the services they use, eliminating wasted resources.Continue Reading
orthogonal
Orthogonal concepts have their roots in advanced mathematics. They are also associated with software development, storage and networking.Continue Reading
Rackspace Cloud
Cloud provider Rackspace offers several different cloud storage services including Cloud Files, Cloud Block Storage and Cloud Backup.Continue Reading
Seamless data movement is the next key all-flash storage array feature
Find out why seamless data movement between all-flash and hard disk storage arrays will be the next significant trend that will drive adoption.Continue Reading
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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