Storage virtualization – whatever you want it to be.

Storage virtualization - what is it? Does anyone know? I hear the term thrown around describing all kinds of storage devices. It must be good - after all who doesn't love to talk about 'server virtualization'. Kinda the same thing with 'green storage' whatever that is - but that's another blog. Virtualizing anything must be good nowadays - what vendor doesn't want to be associated with the server virtualization stampede, and rightly so.

The definition of storage virtualization according to the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) includes terms like: abstracting, hiding, aggregating, isolating devices, or the delivery of new services. With that definition, pretty much anything can be described as being virtualized. Cool. So if I'm a vendor and I offer a RAID device, then by definition my device supports virtualization- call marketing and get that on the flyer for heaven's sake.

The whole storage virtualization lingo has gone astray - it's become meaningless with overuse and nothing more than a marketing jingle. Now I'm not saying that the functions offered by virtualization are not useful, they definitely are, but let’s call it what it is or should be: 'storage simplification'. An ultimate user should be able to identify what app's she plans to run and order up a chunk of storage to meet that need. And if her data needs protection then order that up too. Does the user or IT admin really want to muck around with the parts and pieces in a storage system to meet the needs? No. It’s much kinder to simplify the complexity and automate by simplification whatever is needed under the covers. It’s the 'whatever is needed' part that storage virtualization vendors focus on. I push the gas pedal the car goes - I don't adjust the timing and fuel mixture - the gas pedal simplifies that for me.

So what's important? Forget about the term 'storage virtualization'. Focus on function and features. Determine what you are looking for in the ultimate storage ecosystem. Do you want to provide nuts to bolts information lifecycle management? Ok then, look for storage vendors who can move data auto-magically from storage tier to tier with some content management thrown in. Or are you tired of managing volume capacities? Then get yourself into thin provisioning. Need volumes to follow around server virtual machines? Look for storage that can flit along with the VM. Need to backup and archive?  Get data deduplication. Consolidate all those disk arrays you've got into a common management point with a few extra features thrown in? Yes we can. Whatever - you get the idea. Call it what it is, describe the function you're looking for and find vendors who can deliver. If the storage vendor wants to call it virtualization, then great, give him a knowing smile, pat him the back, but ask for a firm bid.

Posted by: Gene Ruth

Comments

[Val Bercovici]

Nice post. I caught this over @ Virtualization.Info, but coincidentally blogged on this myself the other day:

http://blogs.netapp.com/exposed/2008/07/virtualization.html

I agree with you. I almost cringe every time I'm asked to discuss the topic precisely because of the industry abuse you cite above.

I love our V-Series product, but in my mind the "V" stands for Value, which NetApp offers along the lines of your 3rd paragraph above for all our supported 3rd-party RAID arrays.