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Get help with specific problems with your technologies, process and projects.

• SSD caching vs. primary storage for data placement

  SSD caching and primary storage are the two main ways to implement solid-state storage technology with respect to data placement. We explain both strategies. Continue Reading

• Cloud storage options: Public vs. private vs. hybrid cloud storage

  Cloud storage options include public cloud, private cloud and hybrid cloud storage. We weigh their scalability, security, performance, reliability and cost. Continue Reading

• Using NAS storage devices in a virtualized server environment

  Are NAS storage devices a fit for a virtual server environment? We list factors in choosing these devices, and explain their impact on your storage systems. Continue Reading

• Secure data storage strategies and budget-friendly security tools for SMBs

  Learn about secure data storage strategies and budget-friendly storage security tools in this tip. Continue Reading

• Storage area network basics you need to know before you buy a SAN

  Before you buy a SAN for your SMB, be sure to review these storage area network basics first. Continue Reading

• Cloud gateways open up cloud-based storage options for SMBs

  Cloud storage gateways look like the storage you're used to, and provide advanced functions like snapshots and deduplication. But it's how cloud gateways move data to and from cloud-based storage providers that make them attractive to SMBs.Continue Reading

• Hybrid clouds: Three routes to implementation

  Are you implementing hybrid clouds in your firm? Find out whether cloud storage software, cloud storage gateways or application integration is the best bet.Continue Reading

• Thin provisioning storage benefits

  This tip provides an overview of thin provisioning storage, some of its benefits, and potential downsides.Continue Reading

• ATA over Ethernet protocol overview for data storage managers

  The ATA over Ethernet (AoE) protocol, backed by Coraid, is used by some data storage managers for low-cost, high-volume storage. Learn 10 AoE protocol factsContinue Reading

• File virtualization software choices to eliminate file server sprawl

  File server sprawl is a common problem affecting many SMBs. Learn about how to solve this problem with file virtualization software.Continue Reading

• Five ways to improve your storage networks

  These five tips will help you fine-tune your storage networks. Learn what you can do to improve your storage network performance, efficiency and resiliency.Continue Reading

• Top five tips for managing storage in a virtual server environment

  Server virtualization and virtual desktops can make managing data in a virtual server environment hard. These five tips can help you manage virtual servers.Continue Reading

• RAID technology advances with wide striping and erasure coding

  Discover why technology like wide striping, storage virtualization and erasure coding is changing our assumptions about RAID technology and data protection.Continue Reading

• Data storage best practices: Top five storage management answers

  We've collected our top five Ask the Expert answers of 2010 to help you learn about data storage best practices for data storage management.Continue Reading

• Is PCIe SSD right for you? Deploying PCI Express SSD devices

  Learn about the PCI Express (PCIe) solid-state drive (SSD) market, how and where to deploy PCIe SSD in your environment, and challenges with the technology.Continue Reading

• Getting started with an iSCSI storage system: An iSCSI primer

  A lot of SMBs are realizing that iSCSI is a good fit for them. Find out what you need to get started with your first iSCSI storage system.Continue Reading

• Unified storage plays important role in data storage environments

  Find out how unified storage works, benefits of the technology, possible challenges with a unified storage architecture and the future of unified networkingContinue Reading

• SAN vs. NAS security

  Learn about NAS security and if SAN is more secure than NAS in this expert response.Continue Reading

• Adding a NAS device to your data storage environment

  Determine whether or not you need a NAS device for your SMB environment by asking yourself these six questions.Continue Reading

• Six tips for buying a used storage system

  Are you thinking of buying second-hand data storage equipment to save money? Read these six tips before you buy a used storage system.Continue Reading

• Implementing iSCSI storage in a VMware environment

  Learn best practices on implementing iSCSI storage in your VMware environment and how to get the maximum performance and reliability from iSCSI data stores.Continue Reading

• NetApp dedupe users reduce primary storage needs for VMware VMDK files

  Early adopters of NetApp dedupe technology for primary storage note substantial disk capacity savings with VMware VMDK files; say performance hit is minimal.Continue Reading

• What is N_Port ID virtualization (NPIV)?

  Learn the definition of N_Port ID virtualization (NPIV) in this expert response by Randy Kerns.Continue Reading

• How to increase your iSCSI SAN's performance

  Read this tip to learn about how to increase your iSCSI SAN's performance and learn other iSCSI SAN troubleshooting tips.Continue Reading

• Design your SAN for high availability

  How, and at what cost.Continue Reading

• Records retention management: Arm yourself against regulatory scrutiny

  Learn how to build a records retention management system that protects you against regulatory scrutiny, satisfies e-discovery requests and manages capacity.Continue Reading

• Converged Enhanced Ethernet vs. Data Center Bridging

  Learn what Converged Enhanced Ethernet vs. Data Center Bridging is in this expert response by Randy Kerns.Continue Reading

• Implementing ITIL: Getting started with ITIL v3 service management

  Are you implementing ITIL v3 service management? Discover five phases of the Information Technology Infrastructure Library process and the benefits of ITIL.Continue Reading

• File virtualization strategies for managing unstructured data

  File virtualization approaches vary depending on your IT infrastructure and how much unstructured data is managed. Learn four ways to virtualize file access.Continue Reading

• Understanding storage performance metrics

  Learn how to accurately measure storage performance metrics in your data storage system, and discover why your results may differ from vendor benchmark numbers.Continue Reading

• Incorporating an iSCSI storage system into your Ethernet network

  iSCSI storage systems have many benefits for SMBs. Here's what you need to know before incorporating iSCSI into your existing Ethernet network.Continue Reading

• Choosing a SAN technology: Fibre Channel vs. iSCSI

  In part three of our series, we examine several misconceptions about FC vs. ISCSI SANs and how to choose the right SAN technology for your SMB.Continue Reading

• iSCSI storage area networks explained

  In part two of our series, we examine the features of an iSCSI SAN to help you decide if it's the best SAN technology for your SMB.Continue Reading

• Understanding data deduplication for primary storage

  When applying data deduplication to primary storage should you use inline deduplication or post-processing deduplication? What data selection criteria should you use when deciding to apply deduplication technology to your primary storage?Continue Reading

• The anatomy of a SAN: Fibre Channel SAN explained

  In part one of our series, we examine the features of a Fibre Channel SAN to help you decide if it's the best SAN technology for your SMB.Continue Reading

• Erasure codes: The foundation of RAID 6 arrays

  RAID 6 arrays offer users better data protection because they utilize erasure codes that make them more reliable than current conventional parity solutions.Continue Reading

• Clustered NAS: How to choose the right clustered NAS system

  Finding the right clustered NAS (or scale-out NAS) system means knowing your storage needs. Learn the questions to ask when evaluating your requirements and the latest offerings.Continue Reading

• What role do data migration projects play in tiered data storage?

  Learn about how tiered storage and your data migration projects can help each other in this expert response.Continue Reading

• A look at direct-attached storage devices in 2010 and beyond

  DAS devices may not be sufficient for large enterprises, but the market for DAS still exists for SMBs.Continue Reading

• Data migration approaches for SMBs

  Learn what the best data migration approach for your SMB in this expert response.Continue Reading

• Dynamic storage tiering options

  Find out why you should deploy dynamic storage tiering, and learn about the various DST product categories and how to choose the right one for your environment.Continue Reading

• A sampler of primary storage deduplication and data reduction products

  W. Curtis Preston lists and explains the most common primary storage dedupe and data replication products available today.Continue Reading

• Data reduction techniques for primary data storage systems

  Learn about the most popular data reduction techniques for your primary data storage systems.Continue Reading

• Data storage virtualization benefits for small businesses

  Data storage virtualization can help SMBs by simplifying management tasks and refreshing storage systems.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

• Self-healing systems and RAID technology

  Find out how Atrato, DataDirect Networks, Panasas and Xiotech use RAID technology in self-healing systems and also deal with hard disk drive (HDD) failures.Continue Reading

• Affordable shared storage options for VMware vSphere

  In order to use many of the advanced features in VMware vSphere, you need a shared storage device. This tip offers a list of the most common shared storage options from different vendors.Continue Reading

• What type of centralized data storage should I use for 1.5 TB of data across multiple locations?

  Greg Schulz explains centralized data storage options for an SMB with 1.5 TB of data across several locations.Continue Reading

• How are e-discovery tools used and what are some good tools for SMBs?

  Greg Schulz explains how e-discovery tools are used and what options are available to SMBs in this expert response.Continue Reading

• NAS appliance purchasing tips: A network-attached storage guide

  Learn everything you need to know about buying a NAS appliance, NAS vendors and what to look for in a NAS product.Continue Reading

• SRM tools: Choosing the right storage resource management tool for storage provisioning

  SRM tools offer capacity reporting, including change management and chargeback, but can be pricey and complicated. Here's what you should know before you invest in SRM tools.Continue Reading

• Managing data storage capacity on RAID

  With data growth increasing every day, the challenge of managing data storage capacity on RAID is also increasing. This is raising some questions about the integrity of RAID, so new technologies are emerging with higher capacities and more capable ...Continue Reading

• Storage area network devices for SMBs: Choosing a SAN-in-a-box kit

  SMBs are discovering that SAN-in-a-box kits are a cheaper and easier alternative to enterprise-class SANs.Continue Reading

• I/O virtualization: How to optimize your data center operations

  We examine I/O virtualization products; how I/O virtualization systems virtualize NICs and HBAs; and using Ethernet, InfiniBand or PCIe to connect NICs to servers.Continue Reading

• What are the best ways to control RAID rebuild times?

  Greg Schulz explains what factors can have the biggest impacts on RAID rebuild times in this ATE.Continue Reading

• 8 Gbps Fibre Channel: How to upgrade your storage-area network

  Are you planning an 8 Gbps Fibre Channel upgrade for your storage-area network (SAN)? Details to consider include bandwidth needs, choosing between director switches and edge switches, and pricing.Continue Reading

• What are multiprotocol storage arrays and how can they benefit SMBs?

  Greg Schulz explains what multiprotocol storage arrays are and how they can benefit an SMB environment.Continue Reading

• Choosing VMware vSphere: A vSphere comparison vs. other hypervisor tools

  Which is better for your SMB environment, vSphere or another hypervisor tool? This tip explores the pros and cons of vSphere and other hypervisor vendors.Continue Reading

• What are some good data migration strategies for small businesses?

  Greg Schulz explains the most important data migration strategies SMBs should consider before migrating their data.Continue Reading

• What is a clustered storage system?

  Discover the differences between clustered storage systems, distributed computing systems and mainframe systems as they relate to enterprise data storage environments.Continue Reading

• Unified storage benefits, implementation and challenges

  Unified storage, or multiprotocol systems, enable block and file data to be stored in a single system. Learn how to implement, deploy and manage a unified storage system.Continue Reading

• VMware vSphere 4 best practices: A review of what's new for storage administrators

  This tip looks at some of the features in vSphere that are most important for data storage managers as well as best practices for vSphere in an SMB environment.Continue Reading

• Is SAS-2 a viable alternative to Fibre Channel drives?

  Cheaper 6 Gbps SAS-2 devices are challenging Fibre Channel's position in the data storage market . Find out if SAS-2 is a good fit for your data storage infrastructure.Continue Reading

• iSCSI storage: How to leverage RAID and ensure server uptime

  Learn how RAID can be used with iSCSI storage, as well as how iSCSI storage systems can be configured for high availability to eliminate single points of failure.Continue Reading

• Primary storage data reduction techniques for small and medium businesses

  Data reduction is essential in a data storage environment. Learn which primary storage data reduction technique is right for your SMB.Continue Reading

• File virtualization can contain file storage growth in NAS systems

  Learn how file virtualization can alleviate rapid file storage growth in NAS systems. We discuss shared-path and split-path file virtualization products and their advantages and disadvantages.Continue Reading

• What are the pros and cons of working with a storage VAR for small businesses?

  Greg Schulz explains the pros and cons of working with VARs in SMB environments in this expert response.Continue Reading

• What high-availability storage options are available for small businesses?

  Greg Schulz discusses different high-availability options that are available to SMBs in this expert response.Continue Reading

• Clustered NAS systems can ease NAS management

  Find out about clustered NAS systems vendors and products. We also list the advantages and disadvantages of using clustered NAS systems to ease NAS management.Continue Reading

• Data storage capacity planning: How to estimate your storage requirements

  SMBs should ask themselves these five questions to help them get started with their data storage capacity planning.Continue Reading

• The components that make up a well-balanced data storage system

  Learn about the various components in your data storage system including server architecture, HBAs, SAN components and external disks and disk controllers.Continue Reading

• Data deduplication and compression on primary storage can reduce data footprint

  Data deduplication and compression on primary storage may not produce the data reduction seen with backups, but various techniques produce significant results with unstructured data.Continue Reading

• Getting started with cloud archiving: Tips for smaller businesses

  Data archiving should be implemented into all data storage environments, and cloud archiving may be the best cost-effective ways for SMBs to go about doing this.Continue Reading

• Solid-state drives vs. hard disk drives: How to justify the cost of an SSD

  Learn about the best use cases for solid-state drives (SSDs) and why applications that directly impact revenue are a perfect fit for the technology.Continue Reading

• Data storage management strategies: Managing logical unit numbers (LUNs)

  This tip explores the background of LUNs in an SMB data storage environment, the different LUN features vendors have to offer and how to determine what type of LUN is best for you.Continue Reading

• Tiered storage: A look at internal and external tiered storage models

  Tiered storage tools can help organizations meet information lifecycle management (ILM) goals. Learn about the internal and external tiered storage tools available from 3PAR, EMC, HDS and IBM.Continue Reading

• How does unified data storage apply to SMBs?

  Greg Schulz explains how SMBs can benefit from using unified data storage in this ask the expert response.Continue Reading

• SMBs and network-attached storage appliances: What you need to know before you buy NAS

  Many SMBs are considering the switch to NAS. In this tip, learn whether or not a NAS is right for your environment, and what questions to ask vendors to get the best one.Continue Reading

• How to use flash-based SSDs in your environment

  We tell you how the combination of flash memory and SSDs can help your organization achieve higher performance levels, cut storage costs and improve green storage initiatives.Continue Reading

• Choosing a NAS filer for small and medium-sized businesses

  Learn what a NAS filer is, if it's suitable for your SMB and how to choose the right one for your data storage environment.Continue Reading

• What are some ways SMBs can reduce their energy and data center power costs?

  Greg Schulz lists six ways that SMBs can reduce their energy data center power costs in this ask the expert response.Continue Reading

• Use MAID, intelligent power management as green storage options to control energy consumption

  MAID and intelligent power management (IPM) are green storage options that align enterprise data storage performance and energy consumption levels. Learn what you should look for in a product with MAID or IPM-enabled capabilities.Continue Reading

• Director switch comparison: Brocade DCX Backbone versus Cisco Systems MDS 9500

  Are you looking for director switch for your SAN? We compare the Brocade DCX Backbone and Cisco Systems MDS 9500 offerings in terms of latency, throughput and FCoE support.Continue Reading

• Data center migration tips for SMBs

  Data center migration can be tricky for any company, but especially SMBs. This tip provides a detailed checklist for smooth data center migration.Continue Reading

• Creating a data center migration plan

  Your five-step data center migration plan should include an IT assessment, relocation analysis and design, a data migration plan, risk identification and a relocation strategy.Continue Reading

• Data protection and data security for corporate laptops in SMBs

  As more people travel with corporate data in their laptops, how can you be sure that data in your SMB environment is secure? Follow these tips to ensure data security in laptops.Continue Reading

• How vSphere is easing storage burdens of server virtualization

  In the January 2010 issue of Storage magazine online, we turn our attention to vSphere. This VMware release included many features designed to ease the storage burdens that server virtualization can cause. Our cover story tells you how each feature ...Continue Reading

• Top 10 enterprise data storage tips of 2009

  Our top 10 enterprise data storage tips of 2009 cover easy-to-use SANs, capacity management tools, SSDs, storage encryption technologies, cloud storage and more.Continue Reading

• What is thin provisioning and how does it work?

  Greg Schulz explains what thin provisioning is and how it works in this ask the expert response.Continue Reading

• Top five storage area network (SAN) management tips for SMBS in 2009

  Read about our top five SAN management tips for SMBs in 2009. Learn when it is right for a SAN and the differences between iSCSI and FC SAN.Continue Reading

• Building a private storage cloud: Essential components

  A NAS cluster, commodity servers and an object/metadata management layer are just some of the essential components needed to build your own private storage cloud.Continue Reading

• Avoid data migration project failure: Five best practices

  Learn why data migration projects can fail, and how five best practices, such as deduplicating data and documenting the process, can help you avoid cost overruns or delays.Continue Reading

• How to add solid-state storage to your enterprise data storage systems

  Learn four ways to complement your enterprise storage systems with solid-state storage, including adding solid-state drives (SSDs) instead of disk drives, two ways to effectively use NAND flash and the benefits of using standalone SSD arrays.Continue Reading

• Performance metrics: Evaluating your data storage efficiency

  Learn how performance metrics can evaluate the efficiency of your enterprise data storage resources in terms of capacity utilization, performance and data protection.Continue Reading

• Tools and techniques for reducing your enterprise data storage footprint

  Find out how storage managers can reduce their enterprise data management footprint. Learn about the importance of managing your data and the various tools for doing so, including data archiving, thin provisioning and data deduplication.Continue Reading

• How to get from Fibre Channel to Fibre Channel over Ethernet

  For IT organizations already invested in Fibre Channel (FC), the most common approach is to go Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) between the servers and top-of-rack switches, or the access layer.Continue Reading

• What type of server would have the capacity to service an SMB office of 50 people, and how would I b

  Greg Schulz explains what type of server suits a small office of 50 people, and what steps to take to back up that server in this ATE response.Continue Reading

• Tools for using your enterprise data storage resources more efficiently

  These data storage technologies can help you run your storage infrastructure more efficiently by making better use of your already installed capacity. Here are some tips for effectively using these new data storage tools.Continue Reading

• Data migration strategies and best practices

  Data migration can be a complicated process. Learn how to make your data migrations seamless.Continue Reading

• Optimizing enterprise data storage capacity and performance to reduce your data footprint

  Data footprint constraints are not limited to physical space. There are also availability, capacity, power, cooling and other constraints in enterprise storage that need to be addressed with storage systems that provide both enhanced performance and...Continue Reading