4
Enterprise Cloud For Dummies , Nutanix Special Edition
Flash storage
Not so long ago in a datacenter not so far away , solving storage performance issues was about as likely as a Stormtrooper hitting a target . Storage administrators were often witnessed throwing hardware at a problem . They had to add spindles — more spinning disks — to imbue their storage environments with sufficient IOPS to meet workload demand .
And then a funny thing happened on the way to Tatooine . Flash storage started to become a viable option for the enterprise . As this solid state storage became more popular , vendors began to work in earnest on ways to address the two major issues with the technology : cost and longevity .
In recent years , the cost of NAND‐based flash storage has plummeted by double‐digit percentages while capacity has increased . Today , when considering a standard disk‐based form factor , you can buy an SSD that has even more capacity than a disk . Of course , that 16TB behemoth costs far more than the same spinning disk capacity , but it also means you can achieve all‐flash capacity density that is better than that of disk .
Just as important as the ability to leverage flash is the ability to get at data quickly . This is where data locality comes into play . The closer that data is to processors and RAM , the more quickly that data can be retrieved and consumed . This is one area in which even all‐flash storage arrays can be challenged . Storage in such environments sits in a separate silo and must traverse the storage fabric , which adds latency to the computation . The farther away from your application the data lives , the greater the latency and the lower the throughput . As you consider flash or hybrid storage solutions for your datacenter , keep this point in mind . A solution that enables data storage right in the server chassis will enjoy far better overall performance than solutions that require data to traverse a slow network .
Many people today still worry about flash “ wear ” that can cause drives to fail in place . As flash has become a staple of the datacenter , however , the wear concern has become a nonissue for most organizations . Drive manufacturers and array vendors have begun to implement all manner of mechanisms
These materials are © 2016 John Wiley & Sons , Inc . Any dissemination , distribution , or unauthorized use is strictly prohibited .