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• SSD purge (solid state drive purge)

  SSD purge is the process of returning a flash memory device to its original state at the time of manufacturing and effectively erasing any data that has been written to the device. A purge is sometimes called a hard reset or digital sanitization.  Continue Reading

• RAM-based solid state drive (SSD)

  A RAM-based solid state drive is a storage device that is made from silicon microchips, has no moving parts and stores data electronically instead of magnetically. Continue Reading

• write amplification

  Write amplification is an issue that occurs in solid state storage devices that can decrease the lifespan of the device and impact performance. Continue Reading

• NAND flash wear-out

  NAND flash wear-out is the breakdown of the oxide layer within the floating-gate transistors of NAND flash memory. Continue Reading

• solid-state storage UBER

  Solid-state storage UBER (unrecoverable bit error rate) is the percentage of bits that have errors relative to the total number of bits that have been read. Continue Reading

• Definitions to Get Started

  • storage filer
  • information lifecycle management (ILM)
  • WORM (write once, read many)
  • direct access

  • kibi, mebi, gibi, tebi, pebi and exbi
  • holographic storage (holostorage)
  • content-addressed storage (CAS)
  • direct access storage device (DASD)

  View All Definitions

• short stroking

  Short stroking is the practice of formatting a disk drive such that data is written only to the outer sectors of the disk's platters.Continue Reading

• P/E cycle

  A solid-state-storage program-erase cycle is a sequence of events in which data is written to solid-state NAND flash memory cell (such as the type found in a so-called flash or thumb drive), then erased, and then rewritten.Continue Reading

• flash-based solid state drive (SSD)

  A flash solid state drive (SSD)  is a non-volatile storage device that stores persistent data in flash memory. Continue Reading

• stand-alone solid state storage (SSS)

  Stand-alone SSS is solid state storage that is not integrated with spinning hard drive disks as in a hybrid flash array.Continue Reading

• client solid state drive (SSD)

  Client solid state drive (SSD) is a marketing term used by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and value-added resellers (VARs) to differentiate between solid state drives built for consumers and solid state drives built for the enterprise.Continue Reading

• solid state drive (SSD) capacity

  solid state drive (SSD) capacityContinue Reading

• queue depth

  Queue depth, in storage, is the number of pending input/output (I/O) requests for a volume.Continue Reading

• solid state storage (SSS) garbage collection

  Garbage collection, like TRIM, pro-actively eliminates the need for whole block erasures prior to every write operation.Continue Reading

• write endurance

  Write endurance is the number of program/erase (P/E cycles) that can be applied to a block of flash memory before the storage media becomes unreliable.  Continue Reading

• tunnel injection

  Tunnel injection, also called Fowler-Nordheim tunnel injection, is the process by which data is written to NAND flash memory.  Continue Reading

• host-based replication

  Host-based replication is the processes of using servers to copy data from one site to another.Continue Reading

• NAS Appliance

  NAS appliances are commodity hardware that includes their own dedicated storage disks and RAID that can easily scale as more capacity is needed.Continue Reading

• converged network adapter (CNA)

  A converged network adapter (CNA) is a single network interface card (NIC) that contains both a Fibre Channel (FC) host bus adapter (HBA) and a TCP/IP Ethernet NIC.Continue Reading

• utility storage

  Utility storage is a service model in which a provider makes storage capacity available to an individual, an organization or a business unit on a pay-per-use basis. The utility model is sometimes called metered services or storage on demand.Continue Reading

• storage stack

  A storage stack, also called an integrated stack, is a bundled storage product that include servers, networking components and server virtualization software. Continue Reading

• cloud file storage

  Cloud file storage is a storage service that is delivered over the Internet, billed on a pay-per-use basis and has an architecture based on common file level protocols such as Server Message Block (SMB), Common Internet File System (CIFS) and ...Continue Reading

• cloud washing

  Cloud washing is the purposeful and sometimes deceptive attempt by a vendor to rebrand an old service by associating the word "cloud" with it.  Continue Reading

• green cloud

  Green cloud is a label that describes the potential environmental benefits that information technology services delivered over the Internet can offer society. Continue Reading

• automated storage tiering (AST)

  Automated storage tiering (AST) is a storage software management feature that dynamically moves information between different disk types and RAID levels to meet space, performance and cost requirements.Continue Reading

• D2D2C (disk-to-disk-to-cloud)

  D2D2C (disk-to-disk-to-cloud) is an approach to hybrid cloud backup that involves using local storage for staging data that will eventually be sent to a third-part cloud storage service provider.Continue Reading

• virtual LUN or thin LUN

  A virtual LUN (virtual logical unit number) is a representation of a storage area that is not tied to any physical storage allocation. Virtual LUNs are used in thin provisioning (also known as virtual provisioning) for storage area network (SAN) ...Continue Reading

• LUN zoning

  LUN zoning is a method of configuring SAN fabric to match logical unit numbers (LUNs) to the proper servers. As a rule, end devices such as hosts can only see and access storage within their zone. Limiting access in this way improves security and ...Continue Reading

• LUN masking

  LUN masking is a further constraint added to zoning, subdividing access to the port so that only LUNs authorized to access a specific server can access the corresponding port.Continue Reading

• World Wide Name (WWN)

  A World Wide Name (WWN) is a unique identifier that is assigned to a manufacturer by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and hard-coded into a Fibre Channel (FC) device.Continue Reading

• Fibre Channel port names

  Fibre Channel port namesContinue Reading

• N_Port ID virtualization (NPIV)

  N_Port ID virtualization (NPIV) is a technology that allows a single host bus adaptor (HBA) called an "N_Port" to register multiple World Wide Port Names (WWPNs) and N_Port identification numbers.Continue Reading

• SAN-in-a-box

  A SAN-in-a-box, also known as a SAN-in-a-can or a SAN kit, is a data storage device that includes all the basic SAN components are in a single package.Continue Reading

• iSCSI storage area networks explained

  In part two of our series, we examine the features of an iSCSI SAN to help you decide if it's the best SAN technology for your SMB.Continue Reading

• NDMP (Network Data Management Protocol)

  NDMP (Network Data Management Protocol) is an open protocol used to control data backup and recovery communications between primary and secondary storage in a heterogeneous network environment.Continue Reading

• driver

  A driver is a program that interacts with a particular device or special (frequently optional) kind of software.Continue Reading

• virtual SAN appliance (VSA)

  A virtual SAN appliance (VSA) is a software bundle that allows a storage manager to turn the unused storage capacity in his network's virtual servers into a storage area network (SAN).Continue Reading

• EDRM: Best practices when preparing for an e-discovery request

  We list the nine stages of the Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM), and tell you why the preservation and collection stage is so important to data storage pros.Continue Reading

• Thin provisioning storage brings utilization and capacity benefits, but with a caveat

  Thin provisioning storage can deliver capacity and utilization benefits to enterprise data storage environments, but it's been hobbled by concerns over capacity allocation overload and sluggish support from major vendors.Continue Reading

• Tutorials on data storage from SearchStorage.com

  Check out these data storage tutorials on network-attached storage (NAS), solid-state drive (SSD) technology, tiered storage, Fibre Channel, storage-area networks (SANs) and more.Continue Reading

• Virtual desktop infrastructure tutorial: Part 2

  In Part 2 of our virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) tutorial, we'll discuss which new products promise to make VDI simpler.Continue Reading

• Fibre Channel SAN switches tutorial

  Learn all about Fibre Channel SAN switches with these articles on selecting the right switches and the best practices for managing FC switching environments.Continue Reading

• virtual provisioning

  Virtual provisioning is a term used by vendors, such as EMC, to describe a process of efficiently provisioning space in storage area networks (SAN). (Continued...)Continue Reading

• garbage collection

  Garbage collection is the systematic recovery of pooled computer storage that is being used by a program when that program no longer needs the storage.Continue Reading

• HD-DVD (high-density DVD)

  HD-DVD (high-density DVD) is an optical digital storage medium with a capacity that far exceeds that of standard DVD media... (Continued)Continue Reading

• litigation hold (preservation orders or hold orders)

  Litigation hold is a stipulation requiring a company to preserve all data that may relate to a legal action involving the company... (Continued)Continue Reading

• file virtualization

  File virtualization is the creation of an abstraction layer between file servers and the clients that access those file servers... (Continued)Continue Reading

• storage consolidation

  Storage consolidation, also called storage convergence is a method of centralizing data storage among multiple servers.Continue Reading

• oversubscription

  Oversubscription, in a SAN (storage area network) switching environment, is the practice of connecting multiple devices to the same switch port to optimize switch use... (Continued)Continue Reading

• storage provisioning

  Storage provisioning is the process of assigning storage, usually in the form of server disk drive space, in order to optimize the performance of a storage area network (SAN)...(Continued)Continue Reading

• thin provisioning (TP)

  Thin provisioning (TP) is a method of optimizing the efficiency with which the available space is utilized in storage area networks... (Continued)Continue Reading

• megabyte (MB)

  As a measure of computer processor storage and real and virtual memory, a megabyte (abbreviated MB) is 2 to the 20th power bytes, or 1,048,576 bytes in decimal notation.Continue Reading

• hard drive shredder

  A hard drive shredder is a mechanical device that physically destroys old hard drives in such a way that the data they contain cannot be recovered.Continue Reading

• Ghost

  Ghost is a software product from Symantec that can clone (copy) the entire contents of a hard disk to another computer's hard disk or to storage media.Continue Reading

• COLD (Computer Output to Laser Disk)

  COLD (Computer Output to Laser Disk) is a system for archiving data such as business records and reports to one or more optical disks in a compressed but easily retrievable format.Continue Reading

• virtual tape

  Virtual tape is an archival storage technology that makes it possible to save data as if it were being stored on tape although it may actually be stored on hard disk or on another storage medium.Continue Reading

• SerDes (serializer/deserializer)

  A SerDes or serializer/deserializer is an integrated circuit (IC or chip) transceiver that converts parallel data to serial data and vice-versa.Continue Reading

• storage utilization

  Storage utilization is a measure of how well the available data storage space in an enterprise is used.Continue Reading

• storage encryption

  Storage encryption is the use of encryption/decryption of backed-up and archived data, both in transit and on storage media.Continue Reading

• 8-track tape

  An 8-track tape is a hard plastic cartridge about the size of an external modem that houses a continuous loop of non-digital (analog) audio data stored on magnetic tape.Continue Reading

• two-spindle system (twin-spindle system)

  A two-spindle system, also called a twin-spindle system, is a computer design with two internal storage drives.Continue Reading

• Common Information Model (CIM)

  The Common Information Model (CIM) is a computer industry standard for defining device and application characteristics so that system administrators and management programs will be able to control devices and applications from different ...Continue Reading

• RIMM

  In a computer, a RIMM is a memory module developed by Kingston Technology Corp.Continue Reading

• VCD (video CD or video compact disc)

  VCD (also called video CD, video compact disc or "disc") is a compact diskformat based on CD-ROM XAthat is specifically designed to hold MPEG-1video data and to include interactive capabilities.Continue Reading

• DVD-Audio (DVD-A)

  DVD-Audio (DVD-A) is a Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) format, developed by Panasonic, that is specifically designed to hold audio data, and particularly, high-quality music.Continue Reading

• bus

  In a computer or on a network, a bus is a transmission path on which signals are dropped off or picked up at every device attached to the line.Continue Reading

• switching fabric

  Switching fabric is the combination of hardware and software that moves data coming in to a network node out by the correct port (door) to the next node in the network.Continue Reading

• diskette (floppy disk)

  A diskette is a random access, removable data storage medium that can be used with personal computers.Continue Reading

• DVD (digital video disk)

  DVD is an optical disc technology with a 4.7 gigabyte storage capacity on a single-sided, one-layered disk, which is enough for a 133-minute movie.Continue Reading

• access time

  Access time is the time from the start of one storage device access to the time when the next access can be started.Continue Reading

• sector

  On a computer diskette or hard disk, a sector is one of the "pie slices" the diskette or disk is divided into.Continue Reading

• portability

  Portability is a characteristic attributed to a computer program if it can be used in an operating systems other than the one in which it was created without requiring major rework.Continue Reading

• Ultra DMA (UDMA or Ultra DMA/33)

  Ultra DMA (UDMA, or, more accurately, Ultra DMA/33) is a protocol for transferring data between a hard disk drive through the computer's data paths (or bus) to the computer's random access memory (RAM).Continue Reading

• disk cache

  A disk cache is a mechanism for improving the time it takes to read from or write to a hard disk.Continue Reading

• Standard MIDI File (SMF)

  The SMF (Standard MIDI File) was developed to allow musicians and audio file developers to transfer their sequenced MIDI data from one software application to another.Continue Reading

• WRAM (Window RAM)

  Window RAM (WRAM), unrelated to Microsoft Windows, is very high-performance video RAM that is dual-ported and has about 25% more bandwidth than VRAM but costs less.Continue Reading

• shadow RAM

  Shadow RAM is a copy of Basic Input/Output Operating System (BIOS) routines from read-only memory (ROM) into a special area of random access memory (RAM) so that they can be accessed more quickly.Continue Reading

• protected mode

  Protected mode is a mode of program operation in a computer with an Intel-based microprocessor in which the program is restricted to addressing a specific contiguous area of 640 kilobytes.Continue Reading

• thin server

  In the computer industry, a thin server is a PC that contains just enough hardware and software to support a particular function that users can share in a network, such as access to files on a storage device, access to CD-ROM drives, printing, or ...Continue Reading

• exabyte (EB)

  An exabyte (EB) is a large unit of computer data storage, two to the sixtieth power bytes.Continue Reading

• HSM (Hierarchical Storage Management)

  HSM (Hierarchical Storage Management) is policy-based management of file backup and archiving in a way that uses storage devices economically and without the user needing to be aware of when files are being retrieved from backup storage media.Continue Reading