Technical Education
StoneFly’s Education section discusses and explains most common terms of modern technologies used in StoneFly product, such as iSCSI powered SAN storage, Unified Storage solutions and RAID technology, Server Virtualization, Flash Memory, Storage Snapshot Technology and much more.
What is File Level Storage vs Block Level Storage?
Storage systems are popular with two types of technologies and those are File level storage, which is seen and deployed in Network Attached Storage systems and Block level storage which is seen and deployed in Storage Area Network storage. In the article below, we will explain the major difference in between File level storage vs. block level storage.
What is Flash Memory all about?
If you ever felt like an alien, when the conversation at a party diverted to certain tech subjects, were above your reach, then now is the time to build up your knowledge base. Flash memory is one such term, which is used in a number of components that are part of our day to day lives. The most common technique of storing modern day’s storage information is through Flash Memory. So, they are chances that, you already use it on daily or hourly basis, but little did you know about its importance in the computing world.
What is RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks)?
RAID is a storage technology based acronym which stands for Redundant Array of Independent Disks or Redundant array of Inexpensive disks. The letter “I” stands for two words, which are mentioned above; but the term “Independent” sounds more appropriate and is far or less subjective to it and depends on the context of the conversation.
What is Server Virtualization?
Computer has made things simple for the human kind and with the technological developments; it has become a basic and essential need of every business. It is useful not only in simplifying and managing the workloads, but also helps out businesses to carry out their offsite work functions, even though, if they are geographically separated. Under these circumstances, maintaining numerous computers can complicate the work environment and also can increase the operational expenses.
What is Storage Snapshot Technology?
Storage Snapshot is proving its prevalence effective in the data storage field, as it offers data protection along with data mining and data cloning. Most of the vendors who deliver storage hardware and related software are offering snapshot technology support, as it offers advanced data protection, which is essential for mission critical businesses. Storage snapshot offers zero impact backup with minimal or zero application downtime, as it takes up frequent backups. It helps in reducing data recovery time as it takes up backup of large volumes of data in an efficient way, facilitating instant recovery from snapshot.
What is a Virtual Server?
A Virtual Private Server is created by partitioning the physical server into multiple mini servers, made possible by the technology of Server Virtualization. The term Virtual Server is widely used by Internet hosting services and it is often used to refer a Virtual Machine. A Virtual Private Server VPS works in a federated environment used by other virtual machines. But in all aspects the functionality is equivalent to that of an environment created by a physical computer dedicated to individual customer needs. It offers the same privacy, which is seen in separate physical computer environment, configured to run server software. Virtual Private Servers are also known with the synonyms Virtual Root Server VRS and Virtual Dedicated Server VDS.
What is Cloud Computing?
Cloud Computing is a term used for hosted computing services delivered to the client over the internet. The computing resources can be related to hardware and software and are presented as a utility to the users via a web browser. The service is classically sold as per demand and will be billed on minute or hourly basis and is entirely managed by the provider. The ultimate goal of cloud computing is to offer easy, scalable access to computing resources and IT services.
Data Continuity – The True Essence of Disaster Recovery
Data Continuity planning which encompasses disaster recovery, paves way in minimizing the impact of a catastrophe on an enterprise, by making sure that alternate processes are in place to carry out key operational functions. It helps in not only preserving the assets in an enterprise but also enhances the ability of the enterprise to achieve its goal, retain acceptable levels of productivity, maintain high level of customer service and ensures it stays in the business. The Data Continuity has also being referred to as Business Continuity.
Disaster Recovery – Vital For Business Continuity Planning
Disaster Recovery (DR) is a procedure or a process to resume business after an unexpected disruptive event. The disruptive event can be a natural catastrophe, terrorist attack, mechanical errors, human driven errors or due to computer malware. Disaster recovery is a division of business continuity planning.
IP Storage – True Definition of IP Storage
IP Storage in a generalized way can be termed as utilizing Internet Protocol (IP) in a Storage Area Network (SAN). The Internet Protocol used in the SAN environment will be usually over Gigabit Ethernet. It is usually termed as a substitute to the Fibre Channel framework, which is seen in traditional SAN infrastructure.
iSCSI – Universal Protocol for IP Storage
iSCSI is an internet protocol based storage networking standard used in linking data storage appliances. iSCSI stands for Internet Small Computer System Interface and was developed by Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). iSCSI facilitates carrying of SCSI commands over the IP networks and so offers data transfers over intranet and thus simplifies the management of storage over long distance. iSCSI can be used to transmit data over Local Area Network (LANs), Wide Area Networks (WANs) and can enable location independent data storage as well as retrieval of data.
What is a Logical Unit Number (LUN)?
A Logical Unit Number (LUN) is a number used for recognizing a logical unit related to computer storage. A logical unit is a device which can be addressed by computer network protocols like Fibre Channel (FC), Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), Internet SCSI (iSCSI), File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and other such related protocols.
Network Attached Storage – Simplified Data Storage Technique
Network Attached Storage (NAS) is a storage technology that allows users to create shared volumes that can be accessed by one or more users. NAS volumes ( NAS Shares) can be accessed by more than one user or server. NAS not only operates as a file server, but is specialized for this task either by its hardware, software or configuration of those elements. NAS is often manufactured as a computer appliance or a specialize computer built from the ground up for storing and serving files, rather than simply a general purpose computer being used for the role.
What is a Storage Hypervisor?
In simple terms Storage Hypervisor is a portable software program that can run on a physical server hardware platform, on a virtual machine, inside a hypervisor OS or in a Storage Network. The software offers a comprehensive monitoring function and storage control, in order to function as a transparent virtual layer across centrally managed disk pools and thus offers improvement in speed, utilization and availability.
Storage Virtualization – Technique to Simplify Data Storage
Virtualization of physical storage from multiple storage devices to a single storage device, which can be managed from a central console, is called as Storage Virtualization. This concept is basically used in Storage Area Network (SAN) environment. Since managing multiple storage devices is a tedious and time consuming task, with the help of centralizing storage resources through storage virtualization the tasks such as backup, recovery, archiving can be made easy by just disguising the actual complexity of the SAN. Thus, the technology of virtualization offers a consistent and simple interface for complex functions faced in the storage environment.
Thin Provisioning – Defining Thin Provisioning From Basics
Thin Provisioning is an exercise of employing virtualization technology in order to give an appearance of more physical resource than it actually has in reality. It is a technological mechanism which applies to large scale storage virtualization systems, Storage Area Networks and computer disk storage systems which are available on a centralized platform. In some contexts Thin Provisioning is also referred as Sparse Volumes. In shared environments related to storage, Thin Provisioning offers the flexibility of optimizing utilization of the available storage space.
What is Tiered Storage?
Tiered Storage is a storage networking technique where data storage is carried out on various types of media based on price, performance, availability and recovery attributes. This is to ensure that data which is intended for restoration during data loss or data corruption can be available locally for fast recovery, while the data which may be useful for future uses could be archived on low cost media to lower the functional costs.
Video Management System For Beginners
The Internet Protocol has drastically changed the Video Management system in Surveillance field. The IP Video Surveillance delivers high quality surveillance recordings, fast search and retrievals, easy maintenance and the freedom of escaping the dealing with the tape media.
Storage Area Network SAN
Storage Area Network (SAN) is a high performance oriented dedicated and consolidated data storage network, whose principal function is to communicate with computer servers and to facilitate data access to them. The SAN can be located offsite and may comprise of disk arrays, robotic libraries, tape libraries and optical jukeboxes. But it appears as local data storage to the operating system on the servers, which access it. As there is a growing number of network topologies, which are having physical and architectural properties, SAN doesn’t need to depend on Fibre Channel or Ethernet or any other specific interconnect technology.