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Unified storage is an evolving technology, but not a new one. It is one of the technologies that  IT managers are using to improve their storage efficiency as well as to improve business flexibility and lower the total cost of storage. Unified storage is an important tool that can help address many existing data center challenges, including helping you get power, cooling and space utilization under control. Introduced almost a decade ago, it is can present data storage to host systems using various protocols.

With unified storage, a number of issues are addressed.  It enables both block and file access. There are many that prefer just one storage system, steering clear of specialized storage systems, like network attached storage for file-based access or a complicated block-based storage system. With a unified storage platform, there is a combination of both modes to offer a single solution, which is the most advantageous solution.

There are numerous advantages of unified storage, and some of them include:

• With unified storage, there is a unified block- and file-level storage by way of SAN, NAS, and iSCSI interfaces, permitting storage administrators to combine numerous workloads onto a distinct storage platform.

• With progressive software features for provisioning, data protection and system management, there is an enhancement in storage efficiencies and utilization rates that facilitates ease in management.

• There is cost-effective storage of files at various stages of their lifecycle, because of the several tiers of disks.

• Unified storage simplifies implementation with the integration of hardware and software solutions.

• Installing a unified storage system takes away the conjecture linked with planning for file and block storage capacity separately, as it has the ability to plan complete storage capacity consumption

• Unified storage removes the capacity utilization penalty associated with planning for block and file storage support separately. The users need not worry about overbuying, as there is increased utilization, with no stranded capacity

• Users can allocate storage to support application requirements regardless of whether the application requires block or file data access as there is pooled storage flexibility.

• There is augmented support for server virtualization initiatives. With unified storage, users have the choice of how they store virtual machine (VM) data without having to separately buy SAN and NAS capacity

With the right unified storage solutions and enterprise storage servers, enterprises can build an efficient information infrastructure that lets them store, protect, optimize, and leverage their information, from a single e-mail to production databases. Our unified storage solutions manage more data, more efficiently.

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