Tips

Tips

Storage Area Network (SAN)

• Unified storage architecture approaches: Modular vs. integrated

  Find out what the considerations are for VARs with customers looking for both file and block storage in a single device.  Continue Reading

• SMB SAN solutions: Storage networking options

  Find out which SMB SAN solutions might be a good fit for your customers. Storage networking options examined include Fibre Channel, FCoE, InfiniBand, iSCSI, AoE and SAS.  Continue Reading

• How to perform storage network performance analysis and fix storage network problems

  Learn how to conduct storage network performance analysis to troubleshoot and fix storage network problems relating to network capacity, adapters, cabling and switches.  Continue Reading

• SAN vs. NAS storage and virtualization: Three recommendations for VARs

  Learn the advantages and disadvantages of SAN vs. NAS storage when addressing the issue of storage and virtualization environments with customers.  Continue Reading

• How to choose the right iSCSI initiator type

  Find out how to choose the right iSCSI initiator type for your customers: a software iSCSI initiator or a hardware iSCSI initiator. In addition, find out which use cases are most suitable for each type of initiator.  Continue Reading

• Steps to FCoE readiness

  FCoE-compliant products are shipping, and there are problems in the data center that could be solved by the technology. Find out what steps to take to get your company and your customers ready for FCoE and what projects are good candidates for it.  Continue Reading

• FCoE: How to prepare customers for it

  Find out which customers are better suited for Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) and how you should prepare them for the specification, now that it's been ratified.  Continue Reading

• How to manage EMC, NetApp arrays with Perl scripting

  The more pieces of hardware you have, the more complicated managing them becomes. Find out how one consultant simplifies management of EMC Symmetrix DMX and NetApp arrays using Perl scripting.  Continue Reading

• iSCSI, FCoE or InfiniBand for storage networking?

  While iSCSI is clearly emerging as the storage networking protocol of choice for SMBs, the choice for enterprises isn't so clear-cut. The decision is between Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) and InfiniBand. Learn the pros and cons of all three ...  Continue Reading

• Optimizing iSCSI SANs with the right Ethernet switch

  The choice of Ethernet switch for your customer's iSCSI SAN might seem inconsequential, but choosing the wrong one can hamper future SAN growth. Find out what factors should govern your choice of Ethernet switch.  Continue Reading

• Storage network bandwidth planning: How to avoid network latency

  Storage network bandwidth must constantly be taken to account to avoid network latency and maximize your clients' application performance.  Continue Reading

• Planning storage area network capacity growth

  To address ongoing storage capacity issues clients will want to expand their storage area networks (SANs) -- but how to do that is dependent upon various storage networking factors.  Continue Reading

• Apple Xsan for high-speed storage access on Mac OS X

  Apple Xsan allows you to set up customer shops with shared, high-speed storage access on Mac OS X. In the second part of his Apple Xserve storage series, Larry Loeb offers an overview of this technology.  Continue Reading

• Storage area network (SAN) protocols: iSCSI and Fibre Channel

  Storage area networks (SANs) are partially defined by their interconnection scheme -- Fibre Channel or iSCSI. Get an overview of these storage networking connectivity options.  Continue Reading

• Storage area network (SAN) architecture efficiency

  Efficient storage area network (SAN) architecture can be achieved through smart use of SAN components which minimize the SAN fabrics needed.  Continue Reading

• Designing storage area network for multiple fabrics

  When reviewing a customer's storage area network (SAN) topology, determine if, when and how you'd want to scale beyond a single SAN fabric.  Continue Reading