Conclusion


The division of so-called networked storage into block-optimized and file-optimized categories has always been less rooted in design than in architectural preference supported by vendor marketing. In the final analysis, all data is block data, but certain storage platform attributes ”RAID, scalability, protocol support, I/O performance ”have always guided the selection of storage platforms by smart storage planners who seek to match storage product capabilities to application performance requirements.

NAS/SAN hybrids may well become the preferred storage platforms going forward. If vendors were to modularize or "componentize" platform capabilities and features, selecting the right kind of storage for a particular application might become as simple as selecting a full meal from an a la carte menu.

In point of fact, the SAN has not delivered the intelligence that enables it to recognize applications and to deliver to them automatically the right amount or "flavor" of storage. The promise of the Enhanced Network Storage Architecture (ENSA) that started the SAN phenomenon in the late 1990s has yet to be realized. In its absence, storage administrators must still undertake the tedious and labor- intensive process of matching storage product capabilities to known application performance requirements. A modular NAS/SAN hybrid may provide a mechanism for doing so.



The Holy Grail of Network Storage Management
The Holy Grail of Network Storage Management
ISBN: 0130284165
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 96

flylib.com © 2008-2017.
If you may any questions please contact us: flylib@qtcs.net