The rise of hyperconvergence and software-defined storage technologies makes virtual data storage an attractive option for enterprises looking to cut down on IT costs. In fact, because these solutions do not require the hardware redundancies typically needed in traditional storage architectures for disaster recovery, they are able to reduce upfront costs and ongoing operating costs by a significant amount.
Virtual data storage enables IT departments to pool physical storage devices, such as SANs that appear to be one device or a virtual storage array. There are several ways to utilize the technology using host-based virtualization, for example network-based storage (which integrates Find Out More virtualdataspace.biz/virtual-data-room-as-a-tool-for-multi-project-management/ storage devices from an FC or iSCSI SAN in a single pool addressed by a central management console). Host-based Virtualization is typically found in HCI Systems and Cloud Storage.
Virtual storage needs to be compatible with the underlying hardware infrastructure but also with servers, hypervisors, and networking components. It should also be able to enable data encryption as well as granular authentication and access controls as well as robust backup and disaster recover capabilities.
Virtual storage must also be able to address issues with latency and performance. This includes ensuring that critical software can be run without compromising performance or causing delays to retrieval of data. This involves evaluating the storage controller’s capabilities, network bandwidth and disk I/O capacity as well as implementing caching mechanisms. This also includes implementing advanced storage functions such as tiering and replication at the virtualization level.
