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management, thus facilitating data center storage consolidation efforts.
SAN solutions should be considered for consolidation and when very-
high-density servers preclude large direct attached server storage arrays.
Many blade server implementations include SAN elements for storage
aggregation and provisioning external to the high-density server blade
chassis. Organizations with sufficient networking capacity and through-
put can integrate SAN storage pools and host agents across numerous
well-connected locations, allowing enterprises to take advantage of sepa-
rate cooling efficiencies for server data and data storage centers.
Distributed File Systems (DFS)
Distributed file systems allow access to storage resources through access
virtualization. By aggregating storage capacity on DAS, NAS, and SAN
elements of the enterprise, DFS solutions allow the highest resource utili-
zation fraction possible. Managed by both software agents and dedicated
hardware, DFS solutions also allow transparent data replication and pref-
erential resource access based on connectivity, security, or other architec-
tural factors. In addition to capacity aggregation, storage virtualization
also allows transparent media substitution. As an example of this func-
tionality, virtualized hard drive-based storage systems can be accessed
using standard tape storage access protocols and tape-aware backup appli-
cations as if they were connected directly to a tape media device.
External Interaction
In addition to virtualized distributed storage solutions, other file system
constraints can affect storage policy planning in extended enterprise net-
works. Authorization systems may be integrated with file and share-level
access control, requiring logical network proximity to authentication ser-
vices and adequate connectivity to ensure availability. Encrypted file sys-
tems may be required for mobile devices, or in solutions storing sensitive
or protected information. Point to point transport encryption and other
forms of data protection may also be mandated by legislative controls
or operational guidelines, requiring segregation of certain bodies of data
or transport control limitations that must be included in storage policy
development and data center planning efforts.
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