Over the last twelve months a trend towards implementing flash drives as a new tier of memory has emerged. Driven by the lower cost of flash when compared to RAM plus the growing realization that not all of an application's data requires the performance boost that flash provides, more organizations are looking to deploy flash as a new tier of memory. (read more)

It's easy for those new to VMware, or even for those who have used VMware for awhile, to assume that all VMware backup solutions provide similar functionality. While it might be true to say that all of these solutions protect VMs, their similarities in many cases end there. Among their differences, two of the largest focus on how they manage VMware backups and the ensuing archives that are created which is where software like VizionCore's vRanger Pro stands out. (read more)

The maturing and proven high availability and reliability features in NFS v4 clear the way for organizations to introduce more cost-effective, easier to manage NAS solutions from NetApp into their data centers for use by their mission-critical applications. (read more)

It is easy to think that the arguments regarding the cost of disk versus tape have abated. While that may be true in some circles, it still rages in the circle of small and midsized businesses (SMBs) that purchase and use direct attached media for backup. However a careful analysis of the total cost of ownership between RDX and LTO-3 will show that an RDX disk-based backup solution can be more affordable than a comparably configured LTO-3 tape solution. (read more)

Next generation networked storage systems are adding solid state drives (SSDs) at an accelerated pace as a means to deliver dramatic performance gains for mission-critical, performance sensitive applications. To accomplish this, SSDs are being constructed to look and act like hard disk drives (HDDs) and while this seems sensible, this creates the possibility for data integrity issues to emerge. (read more)

Enterprise users are facing some tough choices right now as solid state drives (SSDs) begin to proliferate in the datacenter. Not only must they sort through the performance benefits and documented drawbacks of typical SSDs, they must also determine which SSDs are suitable for use in mission critical applications. But as they do, new evidence is emerging that an SSD's classification as "enterprise ready" is not determined by an SSD's use of "MLC" or "SLC" but rather if it possesses the ability to detect and correct soft errors as they occur. (read more)

Server virtualization is clearly becoming the end game for all size data centers. But as they virtualize their physical servers using Microsoft Windows Server 2008, new challenges emerge that range from managing each virtual machine's storage to effectively scaling up the number of the virtual machines (VMs) on each physical machine. This is where Virsto One, the newly introduced storage virtualization software from Virsto Software, comes into play. (read more)

Virtualization, consolidation and servers are becoming inextricably linked in the minds of mid-sized organizations as they look to reduce data center footprints and energy consumption while increasing server hardware utilization. Yet what can get overlooked during the consolidation and virtualization of their Windows applications is the development of a corresponding storage strategy. This is where the specifics on what is needed to deliver on an appropriate storage solution for this environment become a necessity. (read more)

Considering that many enterprise organizations have numerous applications spread across many server platforms with numerous database servers on the backend, the value of decommissioning these application servers quickly becomes evident. However application retirements go beyond just the hardware and software costs. Maintaining and managing the infrastructures needed to support legacy applications takes expertise, often specialists. (read more)

Putting a disaster recovery plan in place is a task that every company pays lip service to but when push comes to shove, how many companies - regardless of their size - actually take the initiative and follow the plan all the way through? The answer is far too few. (read more)