Inside Research: Scale-Out File Storage

Source: https://gigaom.com/2020/08/10/inside-research-scale-out-file-storage/
August 10, 2020 at 05:18PM

In a new Key Criteria report, GigaOm analyst Enrico Signoretti looks at how file storage—one of the most popular ways to store data—has been adapted for modern scale-out systems, and how this helps large enterprises achieve their ends.

“Key Criteria for Evaluating Scale-Out File Storage” examines the history of file storage and shows how its strengths—ease of use, cost-effectiveness, and its importance for legacy systems—allow it to maintain continued relevance in today’s crowded storage market. In the report, Enrico also explains how these systems work, including their structure and basic components, and the differences between scale-up and scale-out systems.

In this Key Criteria report, Enrico defines the evaluation metrics that enterprises should use to judge the quality and relevance of file storage systems:

• Scalability
• Flexibility
• Performance
• System lifespan
• Usability
• TCO and ROI

The report looks at the table stakes—the basic requirements—of a scale-out file storage system, which include file protocols, data services, and a two-tier architecture. It also shows how vital flexible licensing and support have become to any deployment of a scale-out file system.

The main body of the report details the features that differentiate vendor solutions and help enterprises identify the correct solution for their needs. Enrico addresses several features but especially focuses on integrations with both block storage and public cloud as being essential to the long-term usability of any scale-out file storage system.

Finally, the report examines the emerging trends that will define good solutions in this space over the next two to five years. Enrico believes one particularly important trend is the emergence of AIOps—using machine learning to keep administrators on top of what’s happening in their systems and identify problems before they cause catastrophic failures.

If you’d like to learn more about this report, which will help you understand the wider market and the ways to judge the capabilities of vendor solutions, click here.