Storage Virtualization – Making Use of Storage Space

Storage virtualization is the technique of consolidating many network storage hardware systems into one network storage device. This single storage device is managed from a central control point or server and helps speed up the functioning of a data center and cuts down on costs of having to invest in multiple storage devices for each server on the network. Storage virtualization is a technology that is more widely utilized in a SAN or storage area network.

Where is Storage Virtualization Used?
Managing multiple storage devices can be very time-consuming and requires a lot of skill on the part of the administrator. With storage virtualization software a storage network administrator can perform many administrative tasks on the storage system such as archiving, recovery and backup. SAN managers can utilize storage virtualization technology to perform these maintenance tasks in a more easy and efficient fashion. Storage virtualization is a technique that disguises the actual complexity of the storage area network and administrators put this software to use by using hardware and software combined. Here is where a lot of friction is created among third party manufacturers and leaders in the field of software such as Microsoft and the likes.

Storage virtualization is a technique that enables administrators a consistent controlling interface for all the different storage devices in the entire enterprise, not only at the data center. A storage array could consist of systems from IBM, EMC Corporation, Hitachi Storage Systems and many more. Each of these systems come with their own set of storage applications. This makes handling the individual storage systems very difficult and the need for a common interface becomes very apparent. Storage virtualization software placed above all these storage device applications is the answer to the problem.

Learn More from the Talk Show
CIOTalkRadio is a talk show that strives to bring out the many problems faced by the world of computerization. The talk show invites many engineers, CIOs and CEOs to the show to discuss the problems and the probable solutions for the technology. These problems may relate to installation of storage virtualization software or hardware conflicts due to third party hardware manufacturers not developing their hardware drivers to support the latest storage virtualization techniques. Server virtualization is becoming very stable and the industry is now considering using storage virtualization in combination with server virtualization. If this technology can actually be made to work flawlessly together, IT will be seeing an entirely new era of computing on the horizon. Sign up with CIOTalkRadio for a regular update on this emerging technology through their newsletters on storage virtualization to learn a lot more about this technology than you would learn otherwise.