Storage virtualization is a concept and term used within computer science.
Specifically, storage systems may use virtualization
concepts as a tool to enable better functionality and more advanced features
within and across storage systems.
Broadly speaking, a 'storage system'
is also known as a storage array or Disk array
or a filer. Storage systems typically use special hardware and software along
with disk drives in order to provide very fast and reliable storage for
computing and data processing. Storage systems are complex, and may be thought
of as a special purpose computer designed to provide storage capacity along
with advanced data protection features. Disk drives are only one element within
a storage system, along with hardware and special purpose embedded software
within the system.
Storage systems can provide either
block accessed storage, or file accessed storage. Block access is typically
delivered over Fibre Channel, iSCSI, SAS, FICON or other protocols. File access is often provided using NFS or CIFS protocols.
Within the context of a storage
system, there are two primary types of virtualization that can occur:
- Block virtualization
used in this context refers to the abstraction (separation) of logical storage (partition) from physical storage so that it may be accessed without regard to physical
storage or heterogeneous structure. This separation allows the
administrators of the storage system greater flexibility in how they
manage storage for end users.[1]
- File virtualization
addresses the NAS challenges by eliminating the
dependencies between the data accessed at the file level and the location
where the files are physically stored. This provides opportunities to
optimize storage use and server consolidation and to perform
non-disruptive file migrations.
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