Are Storage Arrays Dead?

Feb 15, 2017 | All Blogs, Storage, Systems

Blog Series:  About IT by Ed Turetzky

We have all grown up with the notion that shared storage requires a dedicated, specialized controller to provide both the performance and functionality necessary. Today we are seeing the move to everything being software defined including software defined storage.

Top storage trends that may be contributing:

  • Space efficiencies
  • Quicker access to data
  • Data analytics
  • Data growth rates
  • Plug and play
  • Flexibility
  • Lower costs
  • Ever-changing demands and expectations

In the past, specialized chips were designed and manufactured to obtain the necessary characteristics for that storage array. As commodity processor technology became more powerful, manufacturers, very quietly, moved to those lower cost parts. Performance and capabilities continued to grow as more people adopted the commodity processors. Things changed again when VMware entered this space with their VSAN approach to provide a software solution on top of their hypervisor to provide functionality and performance particularly to the dev/test and the SMB audiences.

Today, there are more companies offering storage solutions than ever before. The established vendors continue their development of their storage arrays by providing more functions like compression and/or deduplication and use newer, faster interconnects like 12Gb SAS and 16Gb Fibre Channel. But these vendors are also doing more and more as a software defined approach, like what IBM is doing with their Spectrum software family.

IBM has basically taken their XIV software that was only available within the XIV hardware, and turned it into a software component, Spectrum Accelerate, that can run on any x86 hardware. From this example, we can see that the major storage manufacturers are looking to hedge their bets by continuing development of the tried and true storage arrays while dipping their toe into the software defined storage space.

Helping a customer navigate this ever changing environment to find the right storage solution to meet your requirements is something that Flagship Solutions Group can assist with. With Flagship’s knowledge of both the storage arrays and newer, software defined storage, we are well positioned to be your trusted advisor.

Schedule a consultation today to learn what storage solution is right for your business.

If you liked this blog, you might also like:  Flash Storage Sets the Stage for Future Thriving

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Flash Storage

As client requirements evolve to meet new demands and workloads, IBM is uniquely positioned to help transform storage models with agile, simple to use and cost effective solutions. IBM has demonstrated market share leadership in all-flash arrays and software defined storage platforms and continues to expand its offerings and overall business value to clients. IBM FlashSystem™ helps clients make better data driven decisions faster.

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  • Report: ESG Comparing IBM FlashSystems To Traditional Performance Disk Systems

  • ESG was engaged by IBM to develop a detailed economic value model and analysis for its all-flash, enterprisegrade FlashSystem solution compared to traditional tier- 1 performance disk arrays, which is the mode of storage this model of the FlashSystem line is intended to compete against; the model and accompanying analysis is intended to help organizations determine the relative costs and benefits of leveraging IBM FlashSystem for a variety of enterprise workloads compared to a likely traditional storage alternative. The economic value model builds upon in-depth interviews with IBM technical stakeholders, relevant product demos, additional ESG market research related to typical enterprise storage system requirements, and ESG’s general familiarity with the myriad of storage solutions available in the market today. The goal of the Economic Value Validation (EVV) analysis is to provide potential customers with a comprehensive picture of the direct and indirect costs and benefits that they should consider when evaluating an investment to meet their storage needs

  • IBM FlashSystem V9000 – enabling the full value of virtualization

  • IBM and VMware® have the distinction of being the two original innovators in virtualization technology. Together they have made significant joint investments in IBM FlashSystem® and VMware vCloud Suite in product integrations, interoperability and value-add features. Learn more at: http://www.ibm.com/systems/storage/flash/ecosystem

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