It's never been a better time to be in the market for enterprise storage products, with many excellent options available at affordable prices. But the market can be confusing for the uninitiated, with a variety of network options and capabilities. Even those of us "in the know" about enterprise storage are sometimes surprised by the offerings and companies in this space! So … [Read more...] about Which Small Enterprise Storage Arrays Are Worth Considering?
DCIG
How To Select a Virtual Server Backup Product?
A few months ago, DCIG released their Virtual Server Backup Software Buyer's Guide. Although some were critical of the process and results of this guide, I appreciate the effort involved in pulling together the data. Personally, I would rather have a single source for data, even if I didn't agree with the recommendations! Now I have been asked to write an article for … [Read more...] about How To Select a Virtual Server Backup Product?
Back From the Pile: Interesting Links, February 25, 2011
So there it is. Intel's Light Peak was launched as Thunderbolt in the new Apple MacBook Pro line. What else happened? My writing Processing and Scheduling Thin Provisioning is another entry in my State of the Art Thin Provisioning series I posted another napkin-tastic infographic: Real-World Port Throughput Relative To Light Peak Wednesday saw the Thunderbolt … [Read more...] about Back From the Pile: Interesting Links, February 25, 2011
SMB Arrays: Drive Carriers Or Not?
One reason I decided to work with the folks at DCIG to collect data for their Small Business Storage Array Buyers' Guide was to learn more about the various products in the space. One difference I noted in these small arrays, which usually hold 4 to 8 drives, is their use of hard disk drive carriers or sleds. There are pros and cons to both approaches, but I was pleased to see … [Read more...] about SMB Arrays: Drive Carriers Or Not?
In Praise of Performance Comparisons
I've long been critical of poorly-executed performance comparisons and the "fastest is always best" mentality behind them. Who really cares if a Honda minivan accelerates quicker than a Toyota when no real-world owner will ever keep the accelerator floored from stop to highway speed? The same goes for enterprise gear: Is an over-subscribed backplane really a problem when most … [Read more...] about In Praise of Performance Comparisons