How far can an integrated storage system go?

Server storage virtualization allows storage administrators to select any storage system and provide the functionality and management of these systems through virtualization software. Nevertheless, the integration system continues to flourish. The concept of a storage management program is the real threat to an integrated storage system. How far can an integrated storage system go if most of the functionality of an integrated storage system is compromised to a management program?

An integrated storage system allows you to obtain both storage hardware and storage services (snapshots, automated provisioning, and replication) from a single vendor, which is designed to provide a "turnkey" solution that is easier to deploy and support.

But this system is challenged by software virtualization, which allows storage services to be added to virtually any vendor's storage hardware through virtualization of software from device or hypervisor. This is a classic "turn-key" and "build" battle, the management process makes this concept of "build" simpler, integrated storage may need to improve its products to compete with it.

Through the innovation of software

One of the ways that integrated storage systems can continue to dominate is to innovate through their own storage software. In some cases, this means keeping abreast of isolated storage solutions or managed program-based solutions. For example, some storage vendors now have the ability to move volumes between different storage systems like hypervisor, bringing online volume migrations to a non-virtual environment and to management programs that cannot perform online storage migrations.

In other cases, software innovation refers to what a storage virtualization solution cannot do, such as automatic compact recycling (thin reclamation), rather than simply streamlining the configuration, automating block-level data migrations between tiered storage types, rather than the entire volume, as well as more powerful snapshots and cloning capabilities.

The ability to add storage virtual tools that are not or will never be available, such as primary storage deduplication, can make an integrated storage system go further. The De-duplication function plays a vital role in the virtual environment.

Through the innovation of hardware

Another area where storage system vendors can innovate is to innovate the hardware itself by leveraging a custom-designed ASIC or FPGA that can improve performance. This breaks the traditional wisdom of using "off-the-shelf" hardware, but this can help storage vendors resist infringement of software-only solutions. If you are a hardware vendor, you may also use hardware to improve performance, such as automatic compact configuration, automatic tiering, and snapshots.

The storage services capabilities of virtualized vendors have improved significantly, and their drawbacks can be addressed through Third-party add-on software. As a result, storage hardware vendors should focus on creating powerful hardware. Many vendors want to rely on software to differentiate their systems and use off-the-shelf hardware components in the solution. This is a reasonable strategy, but it means continuing to be ahead of the storage management program and the products provided by the individual storage virtualization software vendor. Eventually, many users may find that they only need software virtualization stack capabilities.

Suppliers should focus on developing cost-effective and space-saving hardware that will be their advantage without competing with competitors, and we believe that storage vendors can create their own hardware advantages to gain a foothold in the storage virtualization marketplace.

(Responsible editor: The good of the Legacy)