|
Optimal Virtualized Storage
Storage anywhere, storage anytime, storage any way you want it
|
Imagine being able to carve out storage space, expand server volumes, link to storage on arrays in other networks, and logically move terabytes of data in seconds with only a few mouse clicks-all without bringing any application down. Through its innovative approach to storage, Xiotech Corporation enables you to do all this and more in a heterogeneous server environment.
Xiotech has made all this possible by pioneering a unique approach: optimal virtualized storage. Optimal virtualized storage is a reality, and it is helping to resolve real business issues and save money for organizations of any size or IT staffing level. We define optimal virtualized storage (based on SNIA definitions) as follows:
An abstraction of detail that separates layers (SNIA).
Specifically:
The ability for the host and network layers (as defined in the SNIA Shared Storage Model) to virtually (instead of physically) utilize storage (block) layer resources such as virtual controllers, virtual ports, and virtual disks, which, in turn, transparently stripe data across and utilize all available space and physical resources (drives) in virtualized pools (tiers) of capacity and performance, enabling storage to be centrally managed and shared with a heterogeneous server network, without the addition of any network-based or host-based software layers.
Optimal virtualized storage provides a wealth of benefits:
- Simplified storage capacity management: You can focus on storage requirements instead of on the size, type, shelf/ bay placement, and other characteristics of physical disk drives.
You can increase storage capacity by simply adding disk drives, mixing and matching drives of any capacity or type, in any placement (location within the array). This can be done quickly-in seconds-without bringing any system down.
- Simplified configuration: With virtualized storage you can easily configure the storage to the specific environment, run different RAID levels in the box, and change RAID levels on the fly.
- Centralized storage in a heterogeneous server environment: Different servers with different operating systems can attach to and share a massive, centralized storage pool concurrently.
- Simplified storage allocation: Virtualized storage makes it possible to carve storage into virtual disks and dole these virtual disks out to servers when and where capacity is needed. You can then return the capacity to the storage pool when finished.
- Simplified volume expansion: You can quickly expand virtual disks on the fly.
- Simplified data management: With virtualized storage you can easily manage, copy, mirror, and swap data within the storage box and across the storage area network (SAN).
- Efficient capacity utilization: Because data is striped across any and all available disk drives, you have greater flexibility in how you can configure storage.
- Maximized system performance: All spindles and actuators are available to process read/write requests. This eliminates data access bottlenecks or hot spots. In addition, seek distances are reduced, resulting in faster access times.
With the convergence of iSCSI, Fibre Channel, and the availability of high-speed bandwidth connections, connectivity to far-flung storage islands is feasible. Optimal virtualized storage will enable islands of heterogeneous storage to be combined into one "ocean" of storage that can be carved out and allocated to applications whenever it is needed, wherever it is needed, any way it is needed.
Storage anywhere, storage anytime, storage any way you want it. Xiotech is delivering this vision today. The future of optimal virtualized storage is here-and only from Xiotech.
Read The Full Article 
|
