I've talked a lot about the I/O blender in the last decade or so.[1. I've even been told I invented the term!] I've always said that information is the solution, allowing arrays to de-multiplex data. But a new enterprise storage company, Infinidat, claims that they can beat the I/O blender using math. Here's their concept. You should check out my I/O Blender series: History, … [Read more...] about Infinidat’s Solution For the I/O Blender: Math
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Why is DataGravity Such a Big Deal?
DataGravity just released their embargo and my little techie corner of the Internet is on fire. There's a very good reason for that, but it might not be obvious at a glance. Read on to learn why DataGravity is a Big Deal even though it might not work out. Let's start with the hardware: DataGravity just introduced a pretty ordinary storage array aimed at the fat middle of … [Read more...] about Why is DataGravity Such a Big Deal?
Storage Arrays Do A Few Things Very Well
Storage arrays are big, expensive, and difficult to manage. Plus, concentrating storage in a single device puts everything at risk if there is an outage. So why buy a storage array at all? Arrays do a few things very well, and this often makes up for the difference, on balance. Storage Arrays Accelerate Performance One of the most important advancements in data storage in … [Read more...] about Storage Arrays Do A Few Things Very Well
VMware VAAI Storage Array Support in Plain English
The most exciting enhancements in VMware vSphere 4.1 is the addition of vStorage API for Array Integration (VAAI). This new API allows VMware ESX to offload storage processing functions to capable storage arrays, reducing the workload on the server hardware in introducing new and exciting possibilities for performance and efficiency. VAAI in ESX 4.1 includes three separate … [Read more...] about VMware VAAI Storage Array Support in Plain English
greenBytes Embraces and Extends ZFS
I've long hollered that ZFS is a real storage revolution in the making, but recognized that it still had a way to go before replacing UFS, HFS+, and most volume managers. Well, a little Rhode Island company called greenBytes comes out of stealth today to announce that they're doing just that - taking the solid ZFS core and adding some serious enterprise storage features to it. … [Read more...] about greenBytes Embraces and Extends ZFS