Storage architecture

Definitions about storage and data management including backup/recovery vocabulary, business intelligence terminology, storage area networks and database management.
  • What is cloud NAS (cloud network-attached storage)? - Cloud NAS (network-attached storage) is remote storage that is accessed over the internet as if it is local.
  • What is computer memory and what are the different types? - Memory is the electronic holding place for the instructions and data a computer needs to reach quickly.
  • What is continuous data protection (CDP)? - Continuous data protection (CDP), also known as 'continuous backup,' is a backup and recovery storage system in which all the data in an enterprise is backed up whenever any change is made.
  • What is Dell EMC? - Dell EMC is an American multinational technology company that offers products and services across all areas of computing, networking and storage.
  • What is DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)? - DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is a network management protocol used to dynamically assign an Internet Protocol (IP) address to any device on a network so it can communicate.
  • What is direct-attached storage (DAS) and how does it work? - Direct-attached storage (DAS) is a type of data storage that is attached directly to a computer without going through a network.
  • What is FTP? - File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a network protocol for transmitting files between computers over TCP/IP connections.
  • What is high availability (HA)? Definition and guide - High availability (HA) is the ability of a system to operate continuously for a designated period of time even if components within the system fail.
  • What is Hitachi Vantara? - Hitachi Vantara is a data storage systems provider, previously known as Hitachi Data Systems (HDS).
  • What is hyperconverged storage? - Hyperconverged storage is a software-defined approach to storage management that combines storage, compute, virtualization and networking technologies in one physical unit that's managed as a single virtualized system.
  • What is network-attached storage (NAS)? A complete guide - Network-attached storage (NAS) is dedicated file storage that enables multiple users and heterogeneous client devices to retrieve data from centralized disk capacity.
  • What is NVMe over Fibre Channel (NVMe over FC)? Definition and Guide - Non-volatile memory express over Fibre Channel (NVMe over FC) is a technology specification designed to enable NVMe-based message commands to transfer data and status information between a host computer and a target storage subsystem over a Fibre Channel network fabric.
  • What is parity in computing? - In computers, parity (from the Latin paritas, meaning "equal or equivalent") is a technique that checks whether data has been lost or written over when it is moved from one place in storage to another or when it is transmitted between computers.
  • What is pay-as-you-go cloud computing (PAYG cloud computing)? - Pay-as-you-go cloud computing, or PAYG cloud computing, is a payment method for cloud computing that charges based on usage.
  • What is RAID (redundant array of independent disks)? - RAID (redundant array of independent disks) is a way of storing the same data in different places on multiple hard disks or solid-state drives (SSDs) to protect data in the case of a drive failure.
  • What is RAID 0 (disk striping)? - RAID 0 (disk striping) is the process of dividing a body of data into blocks and spreading the data blocks across multiple storage devices, such as hard disk drives (HDDs) or solid-state drives (SSDs), in a redundant array of independent disks group.
  • What is RAID 5? - RAID 5 is a redundant array of independent disks configuration that uses disk striping with parity.
  • What is read-only memory (ROM)? - Read-only memory, or ROM, is a type of computer storage containing non-volatile, permanent data that normally can only be read, not written to.
  • What is SRAM (static random access memory)? - SRAM (static RAM) is a type of random access memory (RAM) that retains data bits in its memory as long as power is being supplied.
  • What is SSD RAID (solid-state drive RAID)? - SSD RAID (solid-state drive RAID) is a methodology commonly used to protect data by distributing redundant data blocks across multiple SSDs.
  • What is storage virtualization? - Storage virtualization is the pooling of physical storage from multiple storage devices into what appears to be a single storage device or pool of available storage capacity.
  • What is TCP/IP? - TCP/IP stands for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol and is a suite of communication protocols used to interconnect network devices on the internet.
  • What is the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol? How does it work? - The Server Message Block (SMB) protocol is a client-server communication protocol used for sharing access to files, printers, serial ports and other resources on a network.
  • What is throughput? - Throughput is a measure of how many units of information a system can process in a given amount of time.
  • What is U.2 SSD (formerly SFF-8639)? - A U.2 SSD is a high-performance data storage device designed to support the Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) interface using a small form factor (SFF) connector that is also compatible with standard SAS and SATA-based spinning disks and solid-state drives (SSDs).
  • What is virtual memory? - Virtual memory is a memory management technique where secondary memory can be used as if it were a part of the main memory.
  • What is wear leveling? - Wear leveling is a process that is designed to extend the life of solid-state storage devices.
  • Windows Server Failover Clustering (WSFC) - Windows Server Failover Clustering (WSFC) enables several computers to host a service, and if one has a fault, the remaining computers automatically take over the hosting of the service.
  • World Wide Name (WWN) - A World Wide Name (WWN) is a unique identifier that is hard-coded into each Fibre Channel (FC) device by the device's manufacturer.
  • write amplification factor (WAF) - Write amplification factor (WAF) is a numerical value that represents the amount of data a solid-state drive (SSD) controller writes in relation to the amount of data that the host's flash controller writes.
  • 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.
  • zebibyte (ZiB) - A zebibyte (ZiB) is a unit used to measure computing and storage capacity.