Tutorials

Tutorials

• How to monitor NetApp quotas for disks with PowerShell

  NetApp's PowerShell module provides a fast and easy way to automate and monitor NetApp quotas for disks. Learn how with this step-by-step tutorial.  Continue Reading

• Managing NetApp CIFS shares with PowerShell

  NetApp provides a feature-rich PowerShell module to manage CIFS shares. Find out how it works, as well as how to set up a new share and establish permissions.  Continue Reading

• How OpenStack Storage fits in the larger open source OpenStack picture

  IDC analyst Ashish Nadkarni explains how OpenStack Storage's Swift and Cinder fit into the larger open source OpenStack cloud computing platform.  Continue Reading

• How OpenStack Block Storage differs from traditional block storage

  OpenStack Block Storage differs from integrated stacks of traditional block storage, says IDC analyst; it's more akin to storage virtualization.  Continue Reading

• Implementation choices for solid-state storage devices

  Learn how implementation choices for solid-state storage devices have exploded in the past year. Download the essential guide for handy reference.  Continue Reading

• Scale-up vs. scale-out network-attached storage

  An overview of use cases and products to help organizations make the decision between scale-up and scale-out network-attached storage.  Continue Reading

• Scale-out storage options boost capacity, I/O performance

  Learn about scale-out storage options: why IT shops are implementing scale-out NAS and how scale-out NAS helps with primary storage.  Continue Reading

• Users say choosing the best SMB NAS system has gotten a little easier

  Choosing an SMB NAS system has gotten a lot easier, thanks to a plethora of vendors offering full-featured products priced right for SMBs.  Continue Reading

• Cloud storage tutorials

  This four-part series on cloud storage covers the various forms of cloud storage, how early adopters are deploying the technology, and the next phase of innovation and adoption.  Continue Reading

• Data migration best practices for SMBs

  Learn about the data migration tools, techniques, and services available to small- and medium-sized organizations.  Continue Reading

• Storage performance monitoring for virtual servers takes app approach

  Storage performance monitoring is moving from siloed tools toward overall system-health solutions. But some proven tools are needed in complex virtual environments.  Continue Reading

• NAS best practices: Tips on small business NAS devices

  We’ve gathered our top tips and articles to highlight some NAS best practices SMBs should keep in mind before decided to implement a NAS system.  Continue Reading

• Virtual storage tutorials

  SearchVirtualStorage.com's tutorials provide the in-depth learning information storage administrators need on the topics of data storage issues related to server virtualization and desktop virtualization; SAN and file storage virtualization; and ...  Continue Reading

• Cloud file storage pros and cons

  Discover advantages and disadvantages of cloud file storage, what vendors are in the market, and what environments work well with file storage in the cloud.  Continue Reading

• Data storage tutorials

  SearchStorage.com's tutorials offer storage professionals comprehensive training on topics such as SANs (storage area networks), NAS (network attached storage), backup, data storage devices, data management, and RAID (redundant array of inexpensive ...  Continue Reading

• Choosing the best virtual server storage: A tutorial

  Choosing primary storage for virtual servers involves balancing performance, capacity, features, and costs. Learn the key factors to pick the best virtual-server storage system.  Continue Reading

• Solid-state storage technology: Transforming storage with NAND flash

  Solid-state storage technology is poised to revolutionize data storage with new implementations of NAND flash; discover the benefits of solid-state storage.  Continue Reading

• Cloud data storage: New technologies make cloud storage more appealing

  Discover the benefits and drawbacks of cloud data storage, get details on players in the private storage cloud space and learn more about cloud storage services.  Continue Reading

• Network-attached storage (NAS) tutorial: Do you need a NAS gateway?

  NAS gateways are more complicated and expensive than NAS filers. Learn if the investment in a NAS gateway in the right choice for your company.  Continue Reading

• Managing data storage in small businesses: A data storage strategy tutorial

  In this tutorial on managing data storage in small businesses, learn about how to choose the best data storage strategy, what your networked storage options are, and the pros and cons of working with a VAR.  Continue Reading

• Data migration process best practices

  A data migration process can be challenging and complicated. Check out these best practices before you begin a data migration process in your SMB.  Continue Reading

• NFS Version 4.1 update: pNFS spec approved

  NFS Version 4.1 (NFSv4.1) has been updated with the pNFS spec, and that means faster file service for data storage managers is on the horizon. Check out this three-part tutorial to find out now pNFS promises to improve file optimization.  Continue Reading

• RAID data storage tutorial: RAID strategies for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs)

  In this tutorial on RAID data storage for SMBs, learn about RAID data protection is changing, how to choose the correct RAID level, and optimizing RAID storage for your business.  Continue Reading

• Multiprotocol and unified data storage tutorial for SMBs

  In this tutorial, learn how to choose the best multiprotocol storage system, and about the block and file storage protocol options available in the latest offerings.  Continue Reading

• iSCSI essentials: A practical guide to iSCSI storage

  Our E-Guide will help data storage pros cut through the hype surrounding iSCSI storage by examining the infrastructure and security factors associated with iSCSI and weighing the benefits of iSCSI against Fibre Channel.  Continue Reading

• Thin provisioning storage brings utilization and capacity benefits, but with a caveat

  Thin provisioning storage can deliver capacity and utilization benefits to enterprise data storage environments, but it's been hobbled by concerns over capacity allocation overload and sluggish support from major vendors.  Continue Reading

• The expanding tiered storage model

  The tiered storage model is growing, with solid-state drives (SSDs) at the top and cloud backup at the bottom. Find out how these two storage tiers can fit into your storage infrastructure, and learn about changes within the other tiers of storage.  Continue Reading

• Maximizing your enterprise data storage capacity: Improve efficiency and utilization

  Learn how to maximize your enterprise data storage capacity by improving efficiency and increasing utilization of storage systems using a tiered storage approach; storage resource management (SRM), data classification and data migration tools; and ...  Continue Reading

• Tutorials on data storage from SearchStorage.com

  Check out these data storage tutorials on network-attached storage (NAS), solid-state drive (SSD) technology, tiered storage, Fibre Channel, storage-area networks (SANs) and more.  Continue Reading

• Data storage provisioning best practices

  Best practices for data storage provisioning start with the need for the many stakeholders to communicate and coordinate so the process will be effective. The team approach will also help with the establishment of policies and rules, as well as tool...  Continue Reading

• Data classification fueled by e-discovery, storage tiering

  Today's data classification products allow storage professionals more automation and the ability to take action on the information they tag and index.  Continue Reading

• E-discovery and building a document retention policy

  Data storage managers need to address document retention policies and email archiving to build a comprehensive e-discovery plan. A litigation hold process should also be included.  Continue Reading

• Tiered storage tutorial

  Find out what tiered storage is, the key technologies behind it, and how tiered storage can lower operational costs while improving application performance.  Continue Reading

• Network-attached storage appliances for SMBs tutorial

  Learn how to select the best network-attached storage (NAS) appliance in this tutorial on NAS purchasing considerations for SMBs.  Continue Reading

• Virtual desktop infrastructure tutorial: Part 2

  In Part 2 of our virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) tutorial, we'll discuss which new products promise to make VDI simpler.  Continue Reading

• Virtual desktop infrastructure tutorial: Part 1

  Data storage is a major consideration for organizations implementing a virtual desktop infrastructure, from capacity planning to performance to costs.  Continue Reading

• SMB storage strategy tutorial

  Developing an effective storage strategy for the data center can be crucial for SMBs. Check out this guide for tips on developing an effective data center strategy, including information on outsourcing storage, cost-effective data security measures ...  Continue Reading

• Storage Tutorials

  Storage learning guides take you step by step through the storage buying process and list the best practices you need to be aware of before starting any technology upgrade or implementation.  Continue Reading

• Fibre Channel SAN switches tutorial

  Learn all about Fibre Channel SAN switches with these articles on selecting the right switches and the best practices for managing FC switching environments.  Continue Reading

• Best practices for Fibre Channel switching environments

  To find the best switch for your Fibre Channel SAN, you'll need to determine the application throughput and I/O for sizing that SAN.  Continue Reading

• Selecting a Fibre Channel switch: FC switches for your SAN

  One of the key decision points for any organization building a SAN is which Fibre Channel switch to use to connect their servers and storage devices.  Continue Reading

• Fibre Channel tutorial: Fibre Channel SANs vs. iSCSI

  Learn how to choose between Fibre Channel and iSCSI, buy an entry-level SAN, move from DAS to a SAN, troubleshoot SAN performance issues, and more.  Continue Reading

• NAS best practices: Avoid file management nightmares by planning

  The good news is that you can get a NAS box up and running in 20 minutes. The bad news is that deploying your second, third and fourth NAS system creates a file management nightmare.  Continue Reading

• Realizing benefits of storage consolidation sometimes easier said than done

  When done right, storage consolidation will reduces machine count and increases storage utilization. Just be sure to invest in vendor support, since problems stemming from consolidating a storage infrastructure will have a deep impact.  Continue Reading

• Finding the right CAS system for your organization

  Content-addressed storage (CAS) is a specialized type of archive that provides the inexpensive and high-capacity storage needed to retain data that, although accessed infrequently, still has long-term relevance to the enterprise.  Continue Reading

• SAN technology quiz

  By taking this exam, you can evaluate your knowledge of storage area network (SAN) technologies.  Continue Reading

• Email archiving product specifications

  Product specifications for email and file/document management tools can help storage administrators evaluating email archiving products quickly and compare them.  Continue Reading

• Selecting archiving products

  Some data archives are little more than "dumb" disk arrays, but the more sophisticated archives provide data deduplication for single-instance storage, robust power conservation features and immutability for data that may be needed as evidence in ...  Continue Reading

• Storage consolidation: Weighing the pros and cons

  Storage consolidation holds out the promise of more efficient storage management. But pitfalls include slower network performance and a difficult data migration process.  Continue Reading

• Guide to data migration tools for storage consolidation

  One of the hardest parts about storage consolidation is data migration -- knowing what data to move, and when and where to move it. What are the criteria for purchasing a data migration tool?  Continue Reading

• NAS product guide

  NAS is so easy to install and manage that NAS sprawl is a common problem. This is why NAS is often a prime candidate for consolidation initiatives. Learn how to purchase NAS appliances with an eye toward NAS storage consolidation.  Continue Reading

• Connecting ISCSI SANs over a distance

  The need to implement business continuity and disaster recovery plans is forcing data centers to connect Fibre Channel SANs across the wide area network (WAN). This article looks at the basic schemes used to connect SANs over a distance.  Continue Reading

• Data classification product specifications

  The product snapshots in this chapter of the Tiered Storage Buying guide highlight key specifications for a cross-section of data classification products.  Continue Reading

• Data migration product specifications

  This chapter of the Tiered Storage Buying guide focuses on product specifications for data migration tools.  Continue Reading

• E-discovery product specifications

  The product snapshots in this chapter highlight key specifications for a cross section of e-discovery tools.  Continue Reading

• Finding the right archiving software product for your organization

  Archive software provides many of the features we take for granted in modern archive systems, including index and search, data classification and migration, retention and deletion, litigation hold and even data reduction technologies, such as data ...  Continue Reading

• WAN backups, archives and disaster recovery

  With backups and disaster recovery sets, the main consideration for the WAN is efficiency: making the most of available bandwidth to move the most data in the least time. But not every organization can afford high-bandwidth WAN connections, and ...  Continue Reading

• WAN mirroring and replication

  This overview of WAN mirroring and replication discusses remote issues, rolling disasters, security and cost concerns.  Continue Reading

• Pros and cons of iSCSI storage for SMBs

  The low cost, easy maintenance and simple management of iSCSI storage technology has spurred many SMBs to deploy SANs. Using iSCSI, SMBs can run block-based applications at performance levels that rival Fibre Channel SANs.  Continue Reading

• Pros and cons of NAS for SMBs

  NAS isn't just for the enterprise. SMBs also must meet growing file-based data storage needs. This article offers information about NAS, so you can decide if it is right for you.  Continue Reading

• When purchasing NAS products, look before you leap

  Storage can be added to a network using NAS devices -- dedicated disk-based storage devices that attach to the LAN through an ordinary network connection. NAS devices can be expanded with additional disks, and new NAS appliances can be added as ...  Continue Reading

• How to make the right NAS gateway purchasing decisions

  NAS gateways overcome the inherent limitations of scale and flexibility by utilizing externally connected storage as external standalone disk arrays. NAS storage capacity is typically expanded by simply adding more disks to the appliance, but this ...  Continue Reading

• NAS gateway product snapshots

  A NAS gateway offers file-based accesses to external storage on a disk array -- or a SAN, where users can take advantage of superior performance and reliability while maintaining a level of simplicity. Since storage is moved off of the NAS device, ...  Continue Reading

• NAS management software specifications

  Network attached storage (NAS) appliances and gateways must be configured and managed using NAS management software that allows administrators to allocate space, manage RAID and storage behaviors, perform routine maintenance, and other tasks. ...  Continue Reading

• NAS appliance specifications

  NAS appliances are noted for their convenience, offering dedicated internal storage that is relatively straightforward to identify and manage. The biggest issue for NAS appliances is avoiding network bottlenecks and supporting expansion without ...  Continue Reading

• Data retrieval strategies: Document management software overview

  This overview focuses on the role of document management software in data storage and how it can mitigate risk for the enterprise.  Continue Reading

• ISCSI TCP/IP TOE card purchase considerations

  ISCSI SANs are quickly gaining acceptance in small business and enterprise environments, but the benefits of iSCSI are often tempered by performance limitations when iSCSI storage traffic is added on top of everyday user LAN traffic. One means of ...  Continue Reading

• Data retrieval strategies: Retrieving data from archives overview

  This overview highlights some of the key issues involved with retrieving data from archives, such as data security, indexing and searching, and data retention.  Continue Reading

• Specifications for storage capacity planning products

  Gauging storage needs over time is one of the biggest challenges faced by IT administrators, and a new generation of capacity planning tools is emerging to help forecast growth and utilization of storage resources, and even perform predictive ...  Continue Reading

• Fibre Channel HBA hardware specifications

  A host bus adapter (HBA) provides an interface that interconnects servers, switches and storage devices on a fabric. But the selection of an HBA goes far beyond its installation and physical connectivity. Today's HBAs support vastly improved ...  Continue Reading

• Midrange storage array buying guide

  Midrange disk arrays cover a lot of ground in today's storage organizations. For example, a midrange disk array can start with about 10 terabytes (TB) using 20 drives -- all the way up to 500 disk systems offering 250 TB or more. But midsized ...  Continue Reading

• High-end storage array specifications

  High-end disk arrays are absolutely essential for organizations that depend on high performance and huge storage capacity. Such complex platforms often demand careful attention and management, but will also include a suite of powerful features, such...  Continue Reading

• Test your knowledge of data storage management strategies

  Are you on top when it comes to data management? Take our final exam and evaluate your knowledge of data management strategies. This test isn't for the weak, so you might want to do a bit of studying first by checking out our new Data Management ...  Continue Reading

• WAN/WAFS platform specifications

  WAFS products support the efficient exchange of data between remote locations over a WAN, allowing remote offices to access data from a data center as if it were local. WAFS can typically support a wide range of applications across virtually any WAN...  Continue Reading

• Virtual SAN product specifications

  Virtual SANs can improve manageability, maintain security, improve utilization, simplify troubleshooting and ease disruptions during upgrades or changes. The product snapshots in this chapter highlight key specifications for a cross-section of ...  Continue Reading

• Storage virtualization hardware specifications

  Although host-based virtualization can be accomplished by running commercial storage virtualization software on a generic host server, software can also be packed with hardware in the form of a dedicated appliance, incorporated into storage ...  Continue Reading

• Learning Guide: NAS

  If you want to learn more about NAS, this is the place. Whether you're setting up your first NAS box or you're an expert who wants to stay up to date on what's new in the NAS world, you'll find something of interest here. Check out our resources on ...  Continue Reading

• Learning Guide: SAN

  It doesn't matter if you're a SAN beginner or a veteran. Our SAN Learning Guide has all the latest information. Find out if a SAN is right for you, how to configure one, the best way to manage it and how a SAN figures into your backup plans.  Continue Reading

• Learning Guide: SAN-based backups

  There are a number of ways to implement and manage SAN-based backups. Learn best practices from this rich collection of technical advice.  Continue Reading