Approaching the task of choosing a data storage vendor can be a difficult one. From supported platforms to connectivity, company viability to disaster recovery, there are countless variables involved in deciding which company fits your business’ needs. Below are a few questions to get you started on the journey to choosing the perfect data storage vendor.
What is the upgrade timeline?
Data vendor approaches to upgrades will likely vary. Some vendors prefer to complete small array upgrades regularly while others will replace all equipment after a certain number of years. Your upgrade storage plan should be contingent on your company’s needs and goals and should be non-disruptive to your IT process.
Does your data storage support RAID? If so, what forms of RAID are supported?
Redundant Array of Independent Disks, or RAID, is a system that incorporates multiple hard drives into one unique storage system and one large virtual drive. By distributing multiple copies of the same information across several hard drives, RAID insulates data from system or infrastructure failures. Different forms of RAID offered by data center storage include software and hardware, and nearly a dozen different levels of RAID scheme configurations.
What is the maximum number of servers that an array can support?
A storage array, also known as a disk array, is a storage system used to support block-based storage, originally designed to separate servers from storage. Arrays have evolved with the modern business environment, available in different sizes and capacities for varying business needs.
What type of encryption is used to secure data center traffic?
As data center workloads migrate to the cloud, the role of encryption is becoming more imperative. Cloaking data in the public cloud with firewalls and IPS systems becomes increasingly difficult, leaving sensitive data open to scrutiny. While encryption has historically led to slower user experiences, companies such as Intel have introduced advanced encryption instructions that allow strong encryptions to run with few performance penalties.
At what block size (granularity) is your technology able to pinpoint duplicates?
Deduplication is the process of eliminating redundant information within data storage by way of a specialized data compression technique. Ideally, an efficient storage provider will recognize duplicates at a block size of 4 KB. While larger chunk sizes may facilitate a speedier deduplication process, they also lend themselves to a less effective deduplication process.
Choosing a data center vendor can be a difficult process. Silverback Data Center Solutions offers the services you need, from relocation to decommissioning, and everything in between.
