Storage virtualisation has been gaining some significant traction in the UK because it allows storage managers to save on equipment costs, boost capacity utilisation and simplify the management of their storage environments. But while virtualisation can reduce expenditures, it can also introduce new complexities, particularly when it comes to data backups.
For your convenience, SearchStorage.co.UK has compiled our most recent resources on storage virtualisation. Check out the articles below to learn about disaster recovery (DR) for virtual servers, the impact of virtualisation on storage and backup environments, how virtualisation can boost utilisation - and more.
Data storage for virtual environments: Pros and cons of DAS, NAS, and SAN
Data center consolidation and cost reduction have driven the steady adoption of virtual server technologies in enterprise data storage environments. The major players (Microsoft, VMware and Xen) all provide support for using direct-attached storage (DAS), network-attached storage (NAS) or storage area networks (SANs). This article provides tips on how to decide which data storage technology is best for your virtual environment: DAS, NAS, or SAN, and the pros and cons of each.
Storage virtualisation can boost utilisation, simplify management
Despite not making the same kind of splash as server virtualisation, storage virtualisation has been gaining some significant traction in the UK. The technology can help storage managers save on equipment costs, help them boost capacity utilisation in their data centres, and simplify the management of heterogeneous storage environments.
Disaster recovery methods for virtual servers
Different companies require different disaster recovery methods for their virtual servers. Depending on the hypervisor in use, IT infrastructure in place, and expected recovery time objective (RTO) and recovery point objective (RPO), companies can protect their virtual servers using traditional backup methods, synchronous or asynchronous replication, or continuous data protection.
Podcast: Backing up a virtual server environment
Antony Adshead, our UK bureau chief, spoke with Roy Illsley, senior research analyst at Butler Group, about backing up a virtual server environment, some of the biggest issues that arise in backing up virtual machines, and what users can do to make virtual machine backup easier. You can read the transcript or listen to the podcast as an MP3 download.
Best practices for using server virtualisation in your storage environment
Server virtualisation can lower costs and increase capacity on physical servers by sharing them among several virtual machines. However, there are a number of best practices to consider when using or thinking about server virtualisation.
The impact of server virtualisation on storage and backup environments
Server virtualisation has been on the radar for many organisations over the past five years, and now many IT shops are becoming aware of the technology's impact on data storage and backup environments. There are lessons to be learned from early adopters of server virtualisation. This special report examines the implications of virtualisation on backup and storage, the need for shared storage and some specialised virtualisation backup tools.
