Storage Virtualization

Storage Virtualization is a term with many definitions. However, it should be understood that there are many forms of storage virtualization. At its root, virtualization should provide the ability to dynamically provision and grow storage volumes and should allow for zero downtime upgrades and maintenance, similar to what VMware does for servers. When researching a storage virtualization solution it is important that a clear list of requirements and goals are defined before deciding which type of storage virtualization solution will be most effective.

For most companies, the need to scale and upgrade the backend storage infrastructure with no disruption to the business has become a requirement. With traditional storage infrastructures this is simply not possible. In fact, most traditional vendors not only require downtime but also employ sales tactics that require more frequent upgrades.

Additionally, unplanned downtime has also become unacceptable for many companies. Some have gone to great lengths and great expense to ensure critical applications and data are protected in the face of various disaster scenarios. With traditional storage solutions, this is a very difficult and costly venture.

With storage virtualization, these pains are alleviated Storage virtualization will enable you to:

Decommission older storage hardware with zero downtime
Upgrade any component in the storage path (virtualization nodes, switches, storage hardware) with zero downtime.
Migrate storage volumes between various storage platforms and vendors
Create high availability mirrors across different storage types
Asynchronously replicate storage between sites with different storage platforms
Map existing storage volumes through a virtualization platform, allowing for seemless storage upgrades and migrations.

There are many types of storage virtualization on the market today. It’s worth leveraging our knowledge and experience before embarking on a solution.