Shared Storage
What is Shared Storage?
Shared storage consolidates files and other information in a central resource that can be accessed or shared among multiple users and data systems simultaneously. Gathering and storing data in a single, shared resource streamlines archive and backup processes, and simplifies information security. Shared storage solutions include network attached storage (NAS), storage area networks (SAN), and redundant arrays of independent disks (RAID), as well as dedicated storage servers and cloud storage.
How do storage spaces work?
Information in a shared storage resource can be accessed directly over a local network, remotely over the Internet using file transfer protocols (FTP) or a storage management application, or by applications via an application programming interface (API). Users and applications must be authenticated according to the organization’s security policies before they are able to access, modify, or create files on the shared storage.
Why would a small/midsize business need a storage pool?
Information in a centralized, shared storage pool can be accessed and utilized by multiple users simultaneously, ensuring that up-to-date information is available to all interested users for reference or collaboration. It is more easily protected through regular archives and redundant backups, and it minimizes potential confusion caused by multiple versions of the same file.
What can shared storage do for my business?
Information is the lifeblood of every modern business. Outdated methods of sharing data—shuffling files back and forth using portable drives, disks, email attachments, even cloud storage—quickly become inefficient and unreliable once an organization grows beyond a handful of users.
A carefully planned and managed shared storage system is vital for any growing business.
· It eliminates the need for multiple hard drives, with multiple copies of the same file distributed among multiple users.
· It simplifies file management, with a single definitive version in a centralized location, easy to find, utilize, and update.
· It enhances collaboration, enabling multiple users to access the same details at the same time, and make individual contributions in real time.
· It increases efficiency, allowing massive databases and large files (such as high-definition videos) to be accessed by multiple users simultaneously.
· It allows scalability, expanding easily to accommodate larger data volumes and growing business needs without disruption or downtime.
· It improves reliability, with advanced data management and regular backups.
How can shared storage help my team?
Shared storage improves collaboration across your team by providing equal access to current files. Relevant information is always centrally located, immediately available, and easy to find, so your team members don’t waste time looking for files and determining which of several versions is the most recent—or worse, consolidating relevant updates from multiple different versions. With a centralized, shared storage system, your team members can collaborate more quickly, effectively, and productively.
How can shared storage improve my performance?
Working separately on files distributed among a number of local hard drives introduces unnecessary delays and crippling uncertainty—who is responsible for maintaining the most up-to-date version of every file? Where is it saved? When was it updated, and by whom? How quickly can they share it, and who else needs access to it?
Moving to a shared storage system improves performance and productivity by making files immediately available to everyone who needs access to them, so they can work together efficiently and effectively.
HPE and shared storage
HPE Solutions for Shared Storage help you establish a centrally managed, easily maintained data storage system that provides the efficiency and agility your business deserves, ready to provide immediate access to business-critical information throughout your organization, and able to expand on demand as your business grows.
HPE Solutions for Shared Storage are based on HPE MSA Storage as the data storage backbone, with HPE ProLiant rack servers providing processing power for virtualization, database, and file and backup workloads. And they can be extended easily to hybrid cloud for additional disaster recovery options with cloud services.