Storage architecture and strategy
Top Stories
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News
19 Nov 2024
Microsoft Ignite sparks third-party storage, backup offers
A flurry of storage and backup news has emerged around Microsoft Ignite, including from Dell, as it looks to support hybrid cloud customers and establish solid footing with Azure. Continue Reading
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News
18 Nov 2024
Storj CEO Winegar: Distributed storage uptake big in 2025
The new CEO looks to increase enterprise adoption of distributed storage with SOC 2 compliance and new capabilities. Continue Reading
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Definition
04 Dec 2023
magnetic tape storage
Magnetic tape is one of the oldest technologies for electronic data storage. Continue Reading
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News
01 Dec 2023
S3 Express One Zone set to power generative AI workloads
Andy Warfield of AWS Storage breaks down the new AWS S3 tier of fast object storage and discusses future S3 development in a session at the vendor's re:Invent 2023 conference. Continue Reading
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News
29 Nov 2023
Amazon S3 storage picks up speed at re:Invent 2023
The release of Amazon S3 Express One Zone kicked off AWS re:Invent 2023, which featured new storage products that added capabilities to the public cloud's file and object storage. Continue Reading
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Definition
29 Nov 2023
block storage
Block storage is an approach to data storage in which each volume acts as an individual hard drive that is configured by the administrator. Continue Reading
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Definition
21 Nov 2023
email archiving
Email archiving is a systematic approach to saving and protecting the data contained in emails to enable fast retrieval. Continue Reading
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Definition
20 Nov 2023
SAN switch (storage area network switch)
A SAN switch (storage area network switch) is a device that connects servers and shared pools of storage devices and is dedicated to moving storage traffic. Continue Reading
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Definition
06 Nov 2023
object storage
Object storage, also called object-based storage, is an approach to addressing and manipulating data storage as discrete units, called objects. Continue Reading
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Definition
03 Nov 2023
Fibre Channel switch (FC switch)
A Fibre Channel (FC) switch is a networking device that's compatible with the FC protocol and designed for use in a dedicated storage area network (SAN). Continue Reading
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Tip
31 Oct 2023
Compare block vs. file vs. object storage differences, uses
Object storage has surged in popularity, but file and block still have clearly defined uses. Access, metadata and performance are among admins' key considerations. Continue Reading
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Definition
27 Oct 2023
virtual storage area network (VSAN)
A virtual storage area network (VSAN) is a logical partition in a physical storage area network (SAN). Continue Reading
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Definition
27 Oct 2023
yobibyte (YiB)
A yobibyte (YiB) is a unit of measure used to describe data capacity as part of the binary system of measuring computing and storage capacity. Continue Reading
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Opinion
26 Oct 2023
NetApp aims to boost all-flash consolidation with ASA C-Series
NetApp's ability to deliver multi-cloud capabilities with Google and other cloud providers rather than as a storage-as-software deployment might accelerate multi-cloud operations. Continue Reading
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News
24 Oct 2023
Nyriad aims to simplify storage-as-a-service pricing
Nyriad's UltraIO-as-a-Service enters the market, seeking to simplify purchasing and on-premises deployment. However, it's not a fit for every industry. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Oct 2023
10 data storage questions for enterprises to ask
Does top management support your organization's storage needs? Is the storage platform compliant with regulations? These are just two of the data storage questions you need to ask. Continue Reading
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Opinion
18 Oct 2023
Storage as a service value continues to increase
Explore how storage as a service can be a cheaper option for enterprises and how one vendor will potentially increase the value with updates to its platform. Continue Reading
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Definition
18 Oct 2023
archive
An archive is a collection of data moved to a repository for long-term retention, to be kept separate for compliance reasons or moved off primary storage media. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Oct 2023
Future of storage lies in collaboration, unified management
Storage vendors throughout 2023 bet big on unified management and collaboration tools as what the market will want and what will help them stand out among the enterprise C-suite. Continue Reading
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News
21 Sep 2023
OpenZFS interest grows alongside rise of unstructured data
With the explosion of unstructured data, lower-cost file systems such as OpenZFS are gaining more attention as they continue to gain support from vendors. Continue Reading
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News
21 Sep 2023
Komprise offers insight into storage costs across clouds
Storage Insights for the Komprise Data Management platform enables users to define metrics for storage consumption across clouds and vendors for cost management and migration. Continue Reading
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News
18 Sep 2023
Scality CEO on ESG and storage as a solved problem
Scality's CEO discusses the company's ESG efforts, ESG in IT, object storage's role in primary storage and AI while seeing the problems of storage have mostly been solved. Continue Reading
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Definition
08 Sep 2023
write-through
Write-through is a storage method in which data is written into the cache and the corresponding main memory location at the same time. Continue Reading
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Definition
08 Sep 2023
write-back
Write-back is a technique used to cache data between the local processor or central processing unit and the final storage location, which is typically either main memory -- RAM -- or disk. Continue Reading
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News
06 Sep 2023
Panasas taps Seagate's Ken Claffey as new CEO
In this Q&A, the new Panasas CEO talks about the company's direction, how it is branching out and how generative AI will drive adoption of parallel file systems. Continue Reading
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Definition
31 Aug 2023
I/O (input/output)
I/O (input/output), pronounced "eye-oh," describes any operation, program or device that transfers data to or from a computer. Continue Reading
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News
30 Aug 2023
NetApp cloud storage evolving for stateful K8s, AI
Stateful Kubernetes storage, faster storage for AI data ingestion and more are all important features NetApp seeks to support for first-party cloud storage among the hyperscalers. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Aug 2023
The future of storage administration: 4 key questions answered
What are the best moves a storage professional can make? Learn about the skills, technologies and strategies to focus on now for the most payback in the future. Continue Reading
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News
24 Aug 2023
Google Cloud adds storage capabilities to support AI, ML
The latest additions to Google Cloud's storage portfolio will focus on bringing object storage into the file-centric workloads of AI and ML alongside a Google-run NetApp service. Continue Reading
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News
22 Aug 2023
VMware vSAN Max disaggregates storage for hybrid cloud
Early HCI vendor VMware separates storage from compute in its new vSAN offering, targeting enterprise hybrid clouds and seeking to avoid the compute sticker shock. Continue Reading
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Definition
18 Aug 2023
Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM)
The Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM) is a conceptual framework that outlines activities for the recovery and discovery of digital data. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
18 Aug 2023
Navigate storage networking requirements, architectures for AI
Optimize your approach to AI workflows with reliable storage networking capabilities to enhance productivity, strengthen performance and improve data management. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Aug 2023
7 decentralized data storage networks compared
Decentralized storage offers organizations an alternative to centralized cloud storage. While cost can be a benefit, support levels vary among some of the top vendors. Continue Reading
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News
10 Aug 2023
AWS adds vaulting, multi-cloud services at Storage Day
The hyperscaler introduced new features and services to AWS including an air-gapped cyber vault service and support for multi-cloud at its annual storage event. Continue Reading
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News
08 Aug 2023
Vast Data sets sights on analytics, AI
Vast Data expands on its primary storage origin story, adding database management options and targeting analytics, all with an eye on AI workloads. Continue Reading
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News
01 Aug 2023
Vast Data looks beyond storage to the data lakehouse
Vast Data, a storage software vendor, introduces a new data management platform that unites its software capabilities into a platform. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
26 Jul 2023
A primer for edge infrastructure deployments
There are several questions to ask and approaches to consider regarding edge storage and infrastructure. An example of use may help your organization decide on implementation. Continue Reading
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Definition
26 Jul 2023
hot plugging
Hot plugging is the addition of a component to a running computer system without significant interruption to the operation of the system. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Jul 2023
Evaluate object storage advantages and disadvantages
Object storage advantages include capacity and flexibility, while access time is one of the disadvantages. Compare key pros and cons of this trending type of storage. Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Jul 2023
For hybrid, on-prem storage, containers need fresh approach
Organizations want the flexibility of containers and the reliability of legacy storage. IT experts weigh in on how IT built for different eras can -- and needs to -- work together. Continue Reading
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Definition
17 Jul 2023
NVMe over Fabrics (NVMe-oF)
NVMe over Fabrics, also known as NVMe-oF and non-volatile memory express over fabrics, is a protocol specification designed to connect hosts to storage across a network fabric using the NVMe network protocol. Continue Reading
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Feature
13 Jul 2023
DreamWorks Animation taps NetApp in transition to cloud
DreamWorks Animation built a microservices-focused hybrid storage architecture by combining NetApp flash storage and software with Microsoft Azure cloud services. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Jul 2023
How to maintain polyglot persistence for microservices
Managing microservice data may be difficult without polyglot persistence in place. Examine how the strategy works, its challenges and some options for polyglot databases. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Jul 2023
Storage in space? The data's already there
As research and businesses become more established in space, data storage needs are growing. Vendors are building for the otherworldly conditions and keeping an eye on the moon. Continue Reading
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Definition
30 Jun 2023
flash storage
Flash storage is any type of drive, repository or system that uses flash memory to write and store data for an extended period. Continue Reading
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Definition
29 Jun 2023
NVMe (non-volatile memory express)
NVMe (non-volatile memory express) is a transfer protocol created to accelerate the transfer speed of data in solid-state storage devices. Continue Reading
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News
26 Jun 2023
HPE GreenLake exec: It's always the year of storage
In this Q&A, HPE's Omer Asad talks about HPE GreenLake's transformation into an on-premises hyperscaler and the importance of both storage hardware and the abstraction of it. Continue Reading
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Feature
22 Jun 2023
Distributed blockchain storage survives Web3 hype
Storage vendors selling distributed blockchain storage continue to make an enterprise pitch for Web3 technology, despite a wary market following the Web3 hype cycle. Continue Reading
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News
21 Jun 2023
Western Canada Lottery bets on HPE Alletra MP storage
When its old infrastructure needed an upgrade, Western Canada Lottery went all in with GreenLake and HPE Alletra storage. Continue Reading
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Opinion
15 Jun 2023
Pure flash storage evolves, puts HDD investments in question
Innovations in flash storage driving down cost might make it more difficult to justify investments in hard disk drives moving forward, Pure Storage CEO and others claim. Continue Reading
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Definition
09 Jun 2023
storage pool
A storage pool is capacity aggregated from disparate physical storage resources in a shared storage environment. Continue Reading
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Definition
31 May 2023
Direct Memory Access (DMA)
Direct Memory Access (DMA) is a capability provided by some computer bus architectures that enables data to be sent directly from an attached device to the computer's main memory. Continue Reading
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Definition
24 May 2023
3D NAND flash
3D NAND is a type of non-volatile flash memory in which the memory cells are stacked vertically in multiple layers. Continue Reading
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News
22 May 2023
Dell finds storage Apex of Project Alpine
Storage and cloud products developed under Dell Technologies' Project Alpine emerge for Dell Apex, including storage platforms for partner clouds and public cloud offerings. Continue Reading
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Opinion
18 May 2023
Nutanix lays out vision for multi-cloud PaaS
Organizations face challenges with complexity across IT infrastructure. Nutanix aims to simplify with a PaaS platform that extends across many locations. Continue Reading
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News
16 May 2023
Scality hardens Artesca in 2.0, deepens Veeam connections
Artesca 2.0, the latest update for Scality's object storage service, includes new security features, such as login MFA, and greater support for Veeam's data protection APIs. Continue Reading
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Definition
15 May 2023
SerDes (serializer/deserializer)
A SerDes or serializer/deserializer is an integrated circuit (IC or chip) transceiver that converts parallel data to serial data and vice-versa. Continue Reading
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Definition
15 May 2023
RS-232C
RS-232C is one of the earlier versions of the long-established standard RS-232, which defines a physical interface for relatively low-speed serial data communication between computers and related devices. Continue Reading
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Definition
04 May 2023
FDISK
FDISK is a disk utility included in all versions of MS-DOS, Windows and Linux for formatting or partitioning a hard disk drive, or to delete different portions of it. Continue Reading
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Definition
26 Apr 2023
protected mode
Protected mode, also called protected virtual address mode, is the primary mode of operation for an Intel-based x86 microprocessor. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Apr 2023
Overcome obstacles to storage sustainability
Green IT initiatives should include data storage, but there are various sustainability challenges related to both on-premises and cloud-based storage systems. Continue Reading
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Definition
25 Apr 2023
JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
JPEG (pronounced JAY-peg) is a graphic image file compressed with lossy compression using the standard developed by the ISO/IEC Joint Photographic Experts Group. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Apr 2023
What the new LTO roadmap means for tape storage
The future of tape is bright, and it should be on every storage manager's shortlist. LTO and its massive current and future capacity have a place among other storage media types. Continue Reading
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Definition
06 Apr 2023
software portability
Software portability is a characteristic attributed to a computer program if it can run with minimal rework on operating systems (OSes) other than the one for which it was created. Continue Reading
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Definition
24 Mar 2023
storage virtualization
Storage virtualization is the pooling of physical storage from multiple storage devices into what appears to be a single storage device -- or pool of available storage capacity. Continue Reading
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Answer
16 Mar 2023
Can composable infrastructure and computational storage mix?
'Composable' and 'computational' are often said in the same breath, but how exactly are they related -- or not? While there are differences, a combination could serve enterprises. Continue Reading
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News
14 Mar 2023
Amazon adds new S3 features for data lakes, hybrid cloud
Amazon dropped new features for its object storage service that include an open source file client, new data purchasing capabilities and private data replication for Outposts. Continue Reading
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News
09 Mar 2023
Komprise Analysis offers standalone SaaS data visibility tools
Analytical capabilities of the data management vendor's flagship product are now available as a separate SaaS to help provide better visibility into enterprise data. Continue Reading
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Definition
02 Mar 2023
byte
In most computer systems, a byte is a unit of data that is eight binary digits long. Continue Reading
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Definition
27 Feb 2023
brontobyte
A brontobyte is an unofficial measure of memory or data storage that is equal to 10 to the 27th power of bytes. Continue Reading
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Definition
27 Feb 2023
gigabit (Gb)
In data communications, a gigabit (Gb) is 1 billion bits, or 1,000,000,000 (that is, 10^9) bits. It's commonly used for measuring the amount of data that is transferred in a second between two telecommunication points. Continue Reading
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Definition
24 Feb 2023
SMB 3.0 (Server Message Block 3.0)
SMB 3 (Server Message Block 3.0) is a protocol that provides a way for a computer's client applications to read and write to files from a server in a computer network. Continue Reading
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Definition
15 Feb 2023
copy data management (CDM)
Copy data management (CDM) is an approach to reducing storage consumption that involves eliminating the unnecessary duplication of production data. Continue Reading
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Definition
03 Feb 2023
virtual address
A virtual address is a binary number in virtual memory that lets a process use a location in primary storage (main memory) or, in some cases, secondary storage. Continue Reading
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Definition
01 Feb 2023
kilobyte (KB or Kbyte)
A kilobyte (KB or Kbyte) is a unit of measurement for computer memory or data storage. Continue Reading
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News
31 Jan 2023
NetApp to lay off 8% of workforce, blames economy
NetApp reduced its global workforce by 8%. Analysts said the layoffs are a combination of hardware buyer hesitancy and employee redundancies from acquisitions. Continue Reading
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Definition
24 Jan 2023
cloud archive
A cloud archive is storage as a service for long-term data retention. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Jan 2023
What are the types of knowledge management systems?
In order to understand the different types of knowledge management systems, organizations should know about the different types of knowledge and the history of this market. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Jan 2023
The best enterprise data storage products of 2022
Backup, cloud, disk and storage system vendors vied for top honors in the TechTarget Storage Products of the Year competition. Find out which won gold, silver and bronze. Continue Reading
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Definition
12 Jan 2023
cloud storage provider
A cloud storage provider, sometimes referred to as a managed service provider, is a company that offers organizations and individuals the ability to place and retain data in an off-site storage system. Continue Reading
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News
11 Jan 2023
Amazon S3 now encrypts data by default
AWS has changed a setting for new Amazon S3 buckets to encrypt data by default, a move that increases data protection and places more emphasis on customer security. Continue Reading
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Definition
10 Jan 2023
Fibre Channel
Fibre Channel is a high-speed networking technology primarily used for transmitting data among data centers, computer servers, switches and storage at data rates of up to 128 Gbps. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Dec 2022
The future of data storage must handle heavy volume
Storage manufacturers have an eye on the future with investments in technologies, but it's unclear if they will be able to effectively counter the exponential rise in data volumes. Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Dec 2022
Explore 5 secure data storage best practices
From access control to air gapping and beyond, IT administrators should employ several technologies and procedures to help ensure they have secure data storage. Continue Reading
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News
15 Dec 2022
Software moved needle for enterprise storage in 2022
Consultants and analysts say SaaS and cloud sales will dominate enterprise storage market into 2023. But hardware innovations are still possible and on the horizon. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Dec 2022
Prep school uses Wasabi storage to protect student data
A Connecticut prep school with a massive amount of data to protect chose a combination of cloud storage providers to get the job done within a tight budget. Continue Reading
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News
12 Dec 2022
Updates to Ctera global file system target regulated industries
Data deduplication, edge caching, encryption key management and permanent delete all empower administrators in the new Ctera 7.5 global file system update. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Dec 2022
7 best practices for knowledge management strategies
Organizations can't roll out a knowledge management strategy in one day. Yet, with these best practices, those businesses can create and maintain successful knowledge strategies. Continue Reading
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Definition
08 Dec 2022
data compression
Data compression is a reduction in the number of bits needed to represent data. Continue Reading
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Definition
02 Dec 2022
data migration
Data migration is the process of transferring data between data storage systems, data formats or computer systems. Continue Reading
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News
02 Dec 2022
AWS' Kevin Miller talks S3 in 2023 and beyond
Amazon S3 has become a massive portfolio of products, which only grew at re:Invent 2022. Here, the vice president and general manager of S3 talks about what's next. Continue Reading
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Definition
28 Nov 2022
Kilo, mega, giga, tera, peta, exa, zetta and all that
Kilo, mega, giga, tera, peta, exa and zetta are among the binary prefixes used to denote the quantity of something, such as a byte or bit in computing and telecommunications. Continue Reading
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Definition
22 Nov 2022
distributed file system (DFS)
A distributed file system (DFS) is a file system that enables clients to access file storage from multiple hosts through a computer network as if the user was accessing local storage. Continue Reading
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News
21 Nov 2022
Dell PowerFlex comes to AWS for hybrid cloud storage
Dell brings its software-defined storage PowerFlex to AWS. The new offering is part of its Project Alpine initiative to connect its storage OSes to hyperscalers. Continue Reading
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News
01 Nov 2022
NetApp unites storage services under one console with BlueXP
Storage vendor NetApp launches a free web service aimed at providing on-premises hardware or SaaS customers visibility into their hybrid cloud infrastructure. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Oct 2022
A primer on CXL technology uses
The Compute Express Link, an open source memory interconnect, is gaining traction. Take a deep dive into why it's important and how it improves performance. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Oct 2022
Stay organized with 6 file storage best practices
File storage can quickly become disorganized without organizational planning. Use best practices like retention policies and naming conventions to easily manage file storage. Continue Reading
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News
25 Oct 2022
Verity ES launches enterprise-grade data deletion software
Verity ES, a new spinoff from data deletion specialist Revert Inc., has emerged from stealth and is focused on platter purging for enterprise customers. Continue Reading
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News
20 Oct 2022
St. Luke's triages healthcare data management for hospitals
Storage administrators for a network of hospitals and medical offices across Idaho turn to tagging and tiering software to staunch unstructured and ever-growing healthcare data. Continue Reading
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News
13 Oct 2022
Managed SAN service enters preview on Microsoft Azure
Microsoft Azure's newest managed storage service, now in preview, supports demanding enterprise SANs fully in the cloud. Azure also added faster SSD storage and a performance tier. Continue Reading
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News
03 Oct 2022
Spot by NetApp exec on acquisitions and catalog slimming
In this Q&A, Spot by NetApp's Kevin McGrath talks about the future of Fylamynt, evolving partnerships with hyperscalers and how buying teams for Spot's technology are changing. Continue Reading
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Quiz
30 Sep 2022
RAID data protection quiz: Test your knowledge
How well do you know RAID? It may be time to test your know-how. Find out how much you know about RAID levels, origins and their relationship to data backup with this quiz. Continue Reading