SAN management
Top Stories
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Feature
15 Nov 2023
Comparing RAID levels: 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 and 50 explained
RAID protects data and improves storage performance and availability, but it can be confusing. Read about the different levels of RAID, the pros and cons, and where they work best. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Oct 2021
What is SAN zoning and what are the different types of zoning?
Zoning can be set up according to server, storage and SAN switch. Discover what type of zoning to use, how zone sets extend SAN segmentation and the various zoning schemas. Continue Reading
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Definition
12 Jul 2024
SCSI (Small Computer System Interface)
SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) is an electronic interface that enables PCs and servers to communicate with peripheral hardware, such as storage devices, printers and scanners, faster and more flexibly than previous parallel data transfer interfaces. Continue Reading
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Definition
03 Jun 2024
software-defined storage (SDS)
Software-defined storage (SDS) is a software program that manages data storage resources and functionality and has no dependencies on the underlying physical storage hardware. Continue Reading
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Definition
13 May 2024
unified storage
Unified storage -- sometimes called network unified storage or multiprotocol storage -- is a storage system that enables users to run and manage files and applications from a single device. Continue Reading
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Definition
08 May 2024
logical unit number (LUN)
A logical unit number (LUN) is a unique identifier for designating an individual or collection of physical or virtual storage devices that execute input/output (I/O) commands with a host computer, as defined by the Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) standard. Continue Reading
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Definition
03 Apr 2024
enterprise storage
Enterprise storage is a centralized repository for business information that provides common data management, protection and sharing functions through connections to computer systems. Continue Reading
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Feature
15 Nov 2023
Comparing RAID levels: 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 and 50 explained
RAID protects data and improves storage performance and availability, but it can be confusing. Read about the different levels of RAID, the pros and cons, and where they work best. Continue Reading
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Definition
16 Jun 2022
converged network adapter (CNA)
A converged network adapter (CNA) is a single network interface device that provides the functionality of both a Fibre Channel (FC) host bus adapter (HBA) and a TCP/IP Ethernet network interface card (NIC). Continue Reading
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Definition
31 Mar 2022
oversubscription
Oversubscription in a storage area network (SAN) is the practice of committing more network bandwidth to devices connected to that network than what is physically available. Continue Reading
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Definition
04 Mar 2022
LUN masking
LUN masking is an authorization mechanism used in storage area networks (SANs) to make LUNs available to some hosts but unavailable to other hosts. Continue Reading
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Definition
02 Mar 2022
virtual LUN (virtual logical unit number)
A virtual LUN (virtual logical unit number) is a representation of a storage area that is not tied to any physical storage allocation. Continue Reading
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Definition
20 Jan 2022
direct access
In computer storage, direct access is the process of reading and writing data on a storage device by going directly to where the data is physically located on the device rather than having to move sequentially from one physical location to the next to find the correct data. Continue Reading
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Definition
22 Dec 2021
InfiniBand
InfiniBand is an industry standard communications specification the InfiniBand Trade Association (IBTA) developed. Continue Reading
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Definition
19 Oct 2021
storage volume
A storage volume is an identifiable unit of data storage. It can be a removable hard disk, but it does not have to be a unit that can be physically removed from a computer or storage system. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Oct 2021
What is SAN zoning and what are the different types of zoning?
Zoning can be set up according to server, storage and SAN switch. Discover what type of zoning to use, how zone sets extend SAN segmentation and the various zoning schemas. Continue Reading
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Definition
23 Oct 2020
paging
Paging is a function of memory management where a computer will store and retrieve data from a device’s secondary storage to the primary storage. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
05 Jun 2018
HPE adds bulk to M-series Ethernet SAN switching
Hewlett Packard Enterprise expanded its M-series Ethernet storage switching with a smaller switch and orchestration software designed to improve management features for iSCSI SANs. HPE first ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
28 Mar 2017
ZeroStack gives Intelligent Cloud Platform Nimble back-end
ZeroStack's "private cloud in a box" software is now available on Nimble Storage boxes. The vendors this week launched a joint partnership to sell ZeroStack Intelligent Cloud Platform software on ... Continue Reading
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News
28 Mar 2017
Entry-level Brocade FC switch enables NVMe flash fabric
New Brocade SAN switch turns Fibre Channel into NVMe fabric for all-flash storage. The G610 device is targeted at converged infrastructure, small SANs and rack-based flash servers. Continue Reading
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Feature
03 Mar 2017
SAN arrays maintain primary data storage dominance, for now
Solid-state flash is the most sought-after technology for primary storage, as storage area networks remain the main focus of increasing capacity for most enterprises. Continue Reading
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News
06 Jan 2017
Storage and SAN management tools: 2016 Products of the Year finalists
The six finalists in the 2016 Products of the Year storage and SAN management tools category run the gamut from network probes to complete SAN control software. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Oct 2016
Making a storage capacity plan that doesn't bust your budget
Storage capacity is growing at a rapid rate and by using the latest innovations in storage technologies it is possible to meet demands without growing your storage budget apace. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Oct 2015
Purchasing an enterprise SAN: Top-tier products compared
Expert Jacob Gsoedl drills into eight top-tier enterprise SAN products and how each one performs in seven technical areas. Detailed charts make the information easy to digest. Continue Reading
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Feature
02 Sep 2014
SAN storage systems purchases driven by capacity, performance
Anticipated year-over-year capacity growth of 24% and the need to boost the performance of existing applications is driving new SAN storage systems. Continue Reading
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Guide
24 Jun 2013
LUN storage: Working with a SAN's logical unit numbers
This guide provides a complete picture of LUN implementations, including best practices for LUN mapping and management. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Apr 2013
Five LUN storage questions for pros
Learn what expert Brien Posey has to say to storage administrators about five questions they have about LUN storage in their environments. Continue Reading
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Definition
27 Jul 2012
Multipath I/O (MPIO)
Multipath I/O (MPIO) is a Microsoft framework designed to mitigate the effects of a host bus adapter (HBA) failure by providing an alternate data path between storage network devices. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Jul 2010
10 Gigabit Ethernet for iSCSI storage, NAS storage still hinges on cost
While 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 GbE) offers greater bandwidth for iSCSI storage or NAS storage, IT shops still have to justify upgrade costs with their needs. Continue Reading
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Definition
20 Jan 2010
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
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Tip
16 Oct 2008
Benefits and drawbacks of incremental and differential backup
The differences between incremental and differential backups continue to generate many debates and cause confusion. Read this tip to learn how incremental and differential backups differ, and the benefits, drawbacks and uses of each. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 May 2008
Determining the number of drives in a RAID group
How many drives in a RAID group will it take to give you the performance you need for a database or email or file server, or for that new VMware implementation? Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Apr 2008
Host bus adapter (HBA) architecture explained
HBAs are integral pieces of a SAN environment -- they connect the server to the SAN -- but few storage administrators know how to configure them. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Apr 2008
How to size a SAN
If your DAS storage infrastructure has reached its limits, or your existing SAN is out of date or just plain end-of-life, your first step will be to know what your storage requirements are. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Jun 2007
RAID levels defined
This tip offers a listing of the RAID levels in use today and details the characteristics and applications of each. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Jun 2007
How to choose the correct RAID level
This tip offers nine things to consider when deciding which RAID level is right for your organization's needs. Continue Reading
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Answer
03 May 2007
RAID-5 configuration
Storage management expert Ashley D'Costa answers a reader's question about RAID-5. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Jan 2007
Block and file access unite with multiprotocol storage
This tip looks at the pros and cons, as well as when and where to deploy multiprotocol storage, which is also referred to as "unified" storage. Continue Reading
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News
21 Dec 2005
Top 10 SAN Tech tips of 2005
This link will take you to a page that hosts our Top 10 SAN tips for 2005 Continue Reading