Storage Virtualization Can Help You Save Money

Storage virtualization is the process of combining the physical storage of multiple storage resources, to make them appear as a single virtual server device. By pooling all storage media (hard disk, optical media, SSD, NAS, tape) into a single pool of available virtual storage, the physical hardware is separated from the function of data storage and all storage can be managed from a single centralized console at the virtualization layer, simplifying and streamlining the management process.

The management of the storage is separated from the underlying hardware storage allowing for more flexibility and agility, while reducing downtime and allowing for greater scalability and better utilization of resources. Storage virtualization relies on software, which can detect storage capacity based on the combined availability of physical storage space and respond in real-time to changes in workload. That pool of virtual storage can then be accessed and used by virtual machines, allowing for network-independent management of storage.

One of the primary challenge’s organizations face as they continue to grow, is the ability to scale storage to meet the needs of their expanding IT requirements. Organizations are generating and collecting more information than ever, making it important to consider how it is all stored. As we've discussed before, optical media is no longer a viable medium for backups and file storage. Instead, businesses should consider virtualized storage - doing so will help save money and yield other significant benefits.

The costs of traditional storage

When you think of the IT infrastructure for a regular business, you probably imagine a room with servers and other hardware that govern all operations. While this is the case for many companies, for smaller organizations, all of this equipment can be extremely costly to maintain. Even though you may have a set number of servers, as more information is generated, many IT admins feel the need to continue growing the number of hardware components being used to handle all of the incoming data.

However, as Network Computing noted, the value of procuring individual components is diminishing and placing more pressure on business finances. By virtualizing storage, server hardware for many users has been reduced by 50 to 80 percent. This improved infrastructure efficiency reduces capital and operational costs, as well as frees up space for other initiatives. As data becomes more critical for organizations, virtualizing storage will be a critical move to ensure that expenses remain manageable and files are still easily accessible.

Virtualization can reduce the amount of hardware needed for storage.

Benefits of virtualization

The cost savings afforded by virtualization can be critical for business success. Not only will the change reduce hardware expenses, but it will also lower power and cooling consumption, which are often major drains on operating budgets. Besides this significant advantage, virtualizing storage can offer a number of other benefits to organizations like reducing the number of man hours as well as overhead costs. As InfoWorld noted, virtualizing storage can enable faster provisioning, increase uptime and improve disaster recovery and business continuity efforts. The consequences of unplanned downtime are rising, making virtualization's reliability a major asset for restoring systems and getting the business running after a disaster strikes.

"[M]ost enterprise server virtualization platforms have software that can help automate the failover when a disaster does strike," InfoWorld stated. "The same software usually provides a way to test a disaster recovery failover as well. Imagine being able to actually test and see your failover plan work in reality, rather than hoping and praying that it will work if and when the time comes."

Virtualization can bring significant results for your business. To find out more about how virtualized storage can benefit you, check out this video!