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Problem solve

Get help with specific problems with your technologies, process and projects.

• Three key strategies to prevent RAID failure

  In this tip, analyst Jon Toigo shares several ways storage admins can proactively prevent the failure of RAID arrays. Continue Reading

• What is the top storage challenge with in-memory databases?

  Wikibon CTO David Floyer said the greatest challenge with an in-memory database from a storage perspective is recovery in the event of a problem. Continue Reading

• Comparing performance and cost of DRAM vs. NAND

  George Crump of Storage Switzerland compares the performance and cost of DRAM to NAND flash in this Expert Answer. Continue Reading

• How DRAM or NVRAM cache can reduce flash SSD write amplification

  DRAM/NVRAM caching provides SSD systems with better performance while reducing flash SSD write amplification. Continue Reading

• Comparing write-through, write-back and write-around caching

  George Crump of Storage Switzerland compares three common types of caching -- write-through, write-back and write-around -- in this Expert Answer. Continue Reading

• How to create a successful data archiving strategy

  A good archiving process provides the automation needed to deliver the necessary application granularity while minimizing the impact to IT operations.Continue Reading

• Alternatives to RESTful API for accessing object storage

  This tip examines other options for connecting to object storage when an application isn't compatible with the RESTful API.Continue Reading

• Is there a difference between traditional tiering and sub-LUN tiering?

  Sub-LUN tiering can help with performance in some environments, but according to analyst Jon Toigo, it can also get complicated with growing capacity.Continue Reading

• Using the RESTful API as an onramp to object storage

  RESTful APIs are essential in moving data on and off of object storage systems. Expert Marc Staimer describes the three options currently available.Continue Reading

• Data archiving technology to keep on the radar

  Archival storage options are expanding, getting more resilient and less costly. Find out which technologies are making an impression.Continue Reading

• Five questions to ask when choosing a data archiving technology

  Many factors need to be considered when determining what the right archiving platform is for you. Jon Toigo highlights the most important in this tip.Continue Reading

• Hyper-V storage best practices to optimize your virtual environment

  Microsoft expert Brien Posey walks through the best storage tips and features to make the most out of a Hyper-V environment.Continue Reading

• Comparing DIMM-connected flash vs. PCIe flash benefits

  Leah Schoeb of Evaluator Group discusses DIMM-connected flash as compared with PCIe flash benefits in this Expert Answer.Continue Reading

• The variety of enterprise SSD options available today

  Leah Schoeb of Evaluator Group discusses the variety of enterprise SSD options available today in this Expert Answer.Continue Reading

• Wikibon CTO: Erasure coding can help reduce data backup costs

  Erasure coding can help reduce the data needed for backups and lower the cost of backup and recovery over the traditional approach, Wikibon CTO says.Continue Reading

• Fact or fiction? Flash SSD storage is faster than HDD storage

  The general perception of SSD storage is that it's always faster than HDD storage. Marc Staimer examines whether that's actually true.Continue Reading

• How does storage thin provisioning work with Hyper-V automatic trim?

  Learn how Windows Server 2012 R2's automatic trim feature frees up capacity from thinly provisioned virtual hard disks.Continue Reading

• Problems with using SSDs for write caching and how to avoid them

  Marc Staimer looks at using SSDs for write caching and explains why most storage SSD caching is write-through and not write-back.Continue Reading

• Why is persistent cache important?

  Leah Schoeb, partner with Evaluator Group, discusses the importance of persistent cache in this Expert Answer.Continue Reading

• Use Windows Server 2012 R2's Storage QoS feature to boost performance

  Learn how the new Storage QoS feature in Windows Server 2012 R2 can boost storage performance and make the best use of capacity.Continue Reading

• How cloud providers are using NAND flash technology today

  Leah Schoeb, senior partner with Evaluator Group, discusses how cloud providers are using flash today in this Expert Answer.Continue Reading

• How Windows Server 2012 R2 will change storage management

  Microsoft MVP Brien Posey explains how new features in Windows Server 2012 R2, such as native tiering and deduplication, affect storage management.Continue Reading

• Hadoop clusters: Benefits and challenges for big data analytics

  Brien Posey explains how Hadoop clusters can be extremely beneficial to large amounts of unstructured data, but aren't ideal for all environments.Continue Reading

• Top tips for OpenStack Swift object storage use

  Senior cloud architect Beth Cohen offers tips on how to use OpenStack Swift object storage in the most efficient and economical ways.Continue Reading

• How to align laptop flash drive partitions in Windows

  Marc Staimer outlines how to ensure that your laptop flash drive partitions are aligned properly in this Expert Answer.Continue Reading

• RAID alternatives: Will erasure codes rule?

  Learn why the reliability of RAID technologies could be related to the increased use of erasure coding by both new and established storage vendors.Continue Reading

• Can object storage systems be used with file-based apps?

  Learn how to use applications such as Microsoft Exchange or SQL Server with object storage systems on the back end.Continue Reading

• How can host-based and array-based data replication techniques be compared?

  Learn the benefits and drawbacks to host-based and array-based replication methods to determine which one better suits your environment.Continue Reading

• Storage thin provisioning: Comparing implementation types

  Analyst Erick Slack explains how to create a thin volume, migrate from thick to thin provisioning and determine when to use thin provisioning.Continue Reading

• Manufacturing NAND flash chips

  NAND flash chips are made in fabrication plants known as fabs. Market oversupply or undersupply can cause manufacturers to alter production plans.Continue Reading

• PowerShell tutorial: Managing Windows Storage Spaces

  This PowerShell tutorial shows users how to fully interact with Windows Storage Spaces, which will help them script the storage provisioning process.Continue Reading

• Five LUN storage questions for pros

  Learn what expert Brien Posey has to say to storage administrators about five questions they have about LUN storage in their environments.Continue Reading

• Streaming large video files in today's big data environments

  Solid-state drives are a good choice for streaming large video files. Other factors to consider include cost and how often video will be accessed.Continue Reading

• Microsoft VHDX format: Understanding benefits, conversion process

  Virtualization expert David Davis explains how the new VHDX format in Windows Server 2012 has improved environments, and how to convert old VHD files.Continue Reading

• Can shared storage be used with Hadoop architecture?

  Storage expert John Webster discusses three ways to use shared storage together with Hadoop architecture in this Ask the Expert answer.Continue Reading

• Ten questions to help compare cloud storage services

  Cloud storage expert Arun Taneja suggests 10 questions to help you successfully compare cloud storage services.Continue Reading

• Top tips for doing a cloud storage cost analysis

  Arun Taneja breaks the cloud storage cost analysis process into three categories: monthly storage pricing, transaction charges and cost of bandwidth.Continue Reading

• Understanding unified storage architecture

  Randy Kerns explains that there's more than one way to build a unified storage architecture in this Storage Decisions 2012 TechTalk.Continue Reading

• Advantages of using an object storage system

  Learn the advantages of implementing an object storage system in your data storage environment.Continue Reading

• Persistent VDI vs. non-persistent VDI and their effect on storage resources

  Learn the difference between persistent VDI and non-persistent VDI, how they affect storage and which one carries advantages in terms of capacity and backup requirements.Continue Reading

• Citrix StorageLink integrates SAN with virtualization environment

  Find out what benefits Citrix StorageLink delivers to Citrix XenServer, such as access to advanced features on the storage array, offloading of storage operations to the array, and more.Continue Reading

• Various cloud gateway options and use cases

  Arun Taneja explains why a cloud gateway is essential for cloud storage, and drills into the various types of cloud gateways on the market today.Continue Reading

• RAID with SSD: A primer

  While RAID is still a storage standard, questions remain about RAID’s relevance with SSDs. This tip will explore the basics of using RAID with SSD.Continue Reading

• How to implement storage virtualization technology at the server level

  Learn about storage virtualization technology at the server-, or host, level, including info on products from Virsto, VMware, DataCore, LeftHand and FalconStor.Continue Reading

• Block-level storage virtualization: Reasons to implement it

  Learn about the reasons to implement block-level storage virtualization, in Part 1 of a four-part series.Continue Reading

• I/O performance in need of a fix

  Despite technological advances, unacceptable I/O performance could hold the entire industry back. Here are some solutions that have materialized.Continue Reading

• Storage vMotion: Application and performance

  In this tip, learn how Storage vMotion operates, its uses, its system requirements and the steps to take to perform a Storage vMotion.Continue Reading

• Using SSD technology to support memory overcommitment in vSphere

  Using SSD in a vSphere environment helps with memory overcommitment. Find out how memory overcommitment works and why SSD is better at supporting it than mechanical disk.Continue Reading

• The impact of SSD technology on the network and CPU

  SSD technology can have a noticeable effect on the network and CPU utilization. Learn how increased traffic loads can change the bottlenecks in your environment.Continue Reading

• Hybrid clouds: Three routes to implementation

  Are you implementing hybrid clouds in your firm? Find out whether cloud storage software, cloud storage gateways or application integration is the best bet.Continue Reading

• Is PCIe SSD right for you? Deploying PCI Express SSD devices

  Learn about the PCI Express (PCIe) solid-state drive (SSD) market, how and where to deploy PCIe SSD in your environment, and challenges with the technology.Continue Reading

• Implementing ITIL: Getting started with ITIL v3 service management

  Are you implementing ITIL v3 service management? Discover five phases of the Information Technology Infrastructure Library process and the benefits of ITIL.Continue Reading

• Understanding storage performance metrics

  Learn how to accurately measure storage performance metrics in your data storage system, and discover why your results may differ from vendor benchmark numbers.Continue Reading

• iSCSI storage area networks explained

  In part two of our series, we examine the features of an iSCSI SAN to help you decide if it's the best SAN technology for your SMB.Continue Reading

• Data storage capacity planning: How to estimate your storage requirements

  SMBs should ask themselves these five questions to help them get started with their data storage capacity planning.Continue Reading

• Data storage management strategies: Managing logical unit numbers (LUNs)

  This tip explores the background of LUNs in an SMB data storage environment, the different LUN features vendors have to offer and how to determine what type of LUN is best for you.Continue Reading

• Director switch comparison: Brocade DCX Backbone versus Cisco Systems MDS 9500

  Are you looking for director switch for your SAN? We compare the Brocade DCX Backbone and Cisco Systems MDS 9500 offerings in terms of latency, throughput and FCoE support.Continue Reading

• Green storage best practices control costs, increase energy efficiency

  Green storage best practices control power and cooling costs, and increase energy efficiency in your data center. Tiered storage, consolidating storage arrays, solid-state drives (SSDs) and MAID can help.Continue Reading

• SaaS shopping list for SMBs

  Storage-as-a-service (SaaS) companies have changed how they operate. Learn what to look for when shopping for an online data backup provider with this product features checklist.Continue Reading

• Determining the number of drives in a RAID group

  How many drives in a RAID group will it take to give you the performance you need for a database or email or file server, or for that new VMware implementation?Continue Reading

• How to size a SAN

  If your DAS storage infrastructure has reached its limits, or your existing SAN is out of date or just plain end-of-life, your first step will be to know what your storage requirements are.Continue Reading

• How to calculate available disk space on a RAID 5

  Storage management expert Ashley D'Costa answers a reader's question: "How do I calculate the disk space available on my RAID 5?"Continue Reading

• Using SAS and SATA for tiered storage

  This podcast offers detailed information about SAS and SATA so you can strike the right balance between SAS and SATA in a tiered storage environment.Continue Reading

• RAID levels defined

  This tip offers a listing of the RAID levels in use today and details the characteristics and applications of each.Continue Reading

• How to choose the correct RAID level

  This tip offers nine things to consider when deciding which RAID level is right for your organization's needs.Continue Reading

• RAID 4 vs. RAID 5

  Storage management expert Ashley D'Costa discusses RAID 4 vs. RAID 5.Continue Reading

• RAID-5 configuration

  Storage management expert Ashley D'Costa answers a reader's question about RAID-5.Continue Reading

• Storage virtualization: Where and how

  This tip outlines the various locations to implement storage virtualization functionality, the different approaches to storage virtualization and offers suggestions on how to choose the right approach for your environment.Continue Reading

• What is unstructured data and how is it different from structured data in the enterprise?

  Expert Pierre Dorion talks about unstructured data and its impact on the data enterprise.Continue Reading

• Block and file access unite with multiprotocol storage

  This tip looks at the pros and cons, as well as when and where to deploy multiprotocol storage, which is also referred to as "unified" storage.Continue Reading

• Hard zoning vs. soft zoning

  SAN expert Greg Schulz explains the difference between hard and soft zoning.Continue Reading

• Is storage automation right for you?

  This tip covers what storage automation is, and what it is not, and what it means to you. Also, you will learn why you should, or should not implement a storage automation product.Continue Reading