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A SAN particularly is a computer network used to improve the accessibility of storage resources. The elements in the SAN could be disk arrays or tapes that are networked together but cannot be managed by a server, it is controlled by a SAN management software. Most of the times, SAN and NAS used their proprietary software and hardware, so that makes them less flexible. As mentioned above, SRM aims to improve the speed and efficiency of the storage used in SANs. So with an SRM, you could manage all SANs from a single server. Implementing Storage Management. Storage management is a broad concept, that includes techniques, software, processes that aim at improving the performance, availability, recoverability, and capacity of the storage resources. The first step to implement storage management would be to train IT personnel and storage administrators on best storage management practices. There are a couple of storage management standards and organizations to start getting information. An example is the Storage Management Initiative Specification, (SMI-S), which is a data storage standard developed by the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA).
IBM Spectrum Control supports a wide range of storage systems, software-defined storage and storage area networks (SAN) devices with monitoring, and provides a central console to manage storage infrastructure. IBM Spectrum Virtualize supports provides data storage security and control across hybrid environments. IntelliMagic Vision's AI-driven analytics platform analyzes the performance health of all your multi-vendor SAN components on a daily basis and translates the outcome into intuitive dashboards and rated charts. The vendor promises it automatically identifies issues in the making… NEC offers HYDRAlock supporting data storage management with compliance modes of write-once, read many (WORM) administration. The combination of enterprise-grade tools and data services make StoneFly SCVM capable of facilitating numerous use-cases and scenarios, promises the vendor. Users can configure file storage, development and test environments, archive storage, and back up storage repositories with… Rocket Arkivio data management solutions enable tiered storage, optimized backup, file system reporting, compliance, and archiving for unstructured data.
If all of your storage solutions are provided by one vendor, you should see if that vendor also offers a storage management solution. In contrast, if your storage architecture is highly varied, be sure to select a tool that can support your architecture. Analytics features: Many storage management software options provide visibility into your storage solutions and analytics on their performance, while others focus more exclusively on storage optimization. If your business values analytics and visibility, be sure to choose a storage management software that provides sophisticated analytics options. Virtualization options: Most storage management tools offer support for virtual drives, but many are specialized in that area. If your business virtualizes a large amount of storage, you should choose a storage management software that specializes in virtual drives. Storage Management Software Pricing Storage management software pricing is highly dependent on what features are included in the product.
Reliability is another commonly overlooked cost-cutting measure. Both modern data centers and individual centralized storage solutions are more reliable than dispersed individual machines. This single investment will ultimately prove to be more cost-effective and reliable than seemingly less expensive solutions, based on multiple distributed machines. Hard drives are undeniably the most burdened and hard-working parts of any computer or server, and therefore no hard drive will work forever. Storage solutions help users overcome the consequences of damaged hard disks by saving data on several HDDs placed in a RAID and consolidating data on a single server. While centralizing data in one location may seem like a security risk, data scattered on several machines increases the number of portals through which intruders can compromise your company's information. Therefore, protecting a central server is not only easier, but a more cost effective way of doing business. These advantages provide one conclusion - storage centralization is a must.
For these reasons, iSCSI is chosen mainly by small and medium enterprises. NAS provides both storage and a file system, which is the main difference between Network Attached Storage and Storage Area Network (including i. e. iSCSI). SAN provides mostly block-based storage and leaves file system concerns on the "client" side. The next difference between NAS and SAN is that NAS appears to the client OS (operating system) as a file server, whereas an allocated space available through SAN still appears to the client OS as a disk. Despite their differences, SAN and NAS are not mutually exclusive, and may be combined as a SAN-NAS hybrid, offering both file-level protocols (NAS) and block-level protocols (SAN) from the same system. It gives a wide range of possibilities, from an ordinary file sharing platform to an expanded area, created for work and archiving data. Fibre Channel is a network technology used for storage networking (in Storage Area Network). FC is dedicated for large enterprises and advanced projects.
What is Storage Management Software? Storage Management Software (sometimes Data Storage Management Software) gives a unified overview of managed arrays to ease and facilitate control of the individual arrays and the entire data center, private cloud, or the virtualization services for which they're being used. Storage management solutions also help backup storage systems and aid in disaster recovery. As businesses use more storage solutions, a storage management solution becomes necessary for supporting all of them from a single software for visibility and management. A common use of storage management software is to optimize storage usage, so less important data, or data that doesn't need high performance storage can be moved to cheaper storage options. In this way, storage management software options help businesses make their storage solutions more affordable over a long period of time. Storage Management Software Features & Capabilities Storage Management solutions provide a variety of features, some of the most common are as follows: Data management Storage Provisioning Storage Solution backup Storage Solution Visibility Virtualization and replication Storage Management Software Comparison When purchasing a storage management software, you should consider the following aspects of each option: Supported Storage Systems: Some storage management software options are built to support vendor specific storage tools.
It offers speed and the ability for implementation of complex solutions. The biggest advantage of FC is its high performance and the ability to perform distant connections. Fibre Channel is also used with the most efficient HDDs. The difference between FC (2Gb/s or even 8 Gb/s) and iSCSI (1Gb/s - 10Gb/s in the most expensive option) is minimal when dealing with point-to-point connections with a bottleneck, for example a server or mass storage device. The main difference is the ability to create a fast network with a large number of switches. Fibre Channel-based solutions are quite expensive and complex compared to iSCSI. FC also requires the installation of a second HBA controller, as well as additional drivers and managing software. These expenses make Fibre Channel unattainable for smaller companies. What is the best choice for your company? There is no best choice for everyone. Companies must determine their needs, possibilities, and potential budget. Users must remember that functionality within a company's individual circumstances is much more important than speed.