Storage virtualization abstracts the storage management of physical hardware and creates a central pool of storage capacity. This allows applications to be run on a single or smaller number of servers. It also removes dependencies between data accessible at the file level and its physical location on the server, making it easier to optimize storage use and perform non-disruptive file transfer and more.
Storage virtualization is an essential element of modern IT environments. It provides significant benefits that can significantly improve IT operations and reduce costs. It helps organizations reduce costs by reducing number of physical servers needed for each application, and it can make it easier to switch to new technology platforms.
The primary benefit of using virtual storage for data is that it simplifies the IT environment by decreasing the amount of physical hardware needed to support applications. Traditionally, every application required its own hardware. Think of print servers or mail servers. With traditional data storage models organizations overcrowded their datacenters by costly and redundant hardware. Storage virtualization allows an IT team to streamline their approach and cut down on the cost of managing a complex datacenter.
By using virtual storage, an organization could converge its server SAN and reduce its CAPEX by using the same internal drives for both purposes. It is also possible to improve efficiency and storage utilization by combining several disks and storage arrays to one pool that is accessible to the entire SAN.
