The emergence of software-defined storage and hyperconvergence technologies makes virtual data storage a viable solution for companies seeking to cut costs in IT. In reality, since these solutions don’t require the hardware redundancies typically needed in traditional enterprise storage systems for disaster recovery, they could reduce both upfront expense and operating expenses over time by substantial amounts.
Virtual data storage enables IT to pool physical data storage devices, such as SANs, into one device or virtual storage array. There are many ways to utilize the technology, including host-based virtualization and network-based storage (which connects storage devices from an FC or iSCSI storage system into a single pool addressed by a central management console). Host-based Virtualization is typically used in HCI Systems and Cloud Storage.
In order to work with virtual storage, it has to be compatible with the hardware infrastructure including networking components, servers and other servers, as well as with standard management tools and hypervisors. It should also enable data encryption access, granular authentication and access controls, as well as robust backup and disaster recover capabilities.
Virtual storage should also be able to address concerns about performance and latency. This includes ensuring that critical applications can http://www.virtualdataspace.biz/what-is-a-bolt-on-acquisition/ function without hindering performance or increasing the time required to retrieve data. This requires evaluating storage controller capabilities, network bandwidth and capacity for disk I/O as much as deploying caching mechanisms. It also involves the implementation of advanced storage features like replication, tiering and virtualization at the virtualization layer.