Software-defined storage (SDS) allows
organizations and users to uncouple or abstract storage resources from the
underlying hardware platform to enjoy improved flexibility, greater efficiency,
and faster scalability. This approach makes storage resources programmable and
helps them to become a vital part of a larger software-designed data center
(SDDC) architecture. Here resources can be automated and orchestrated with ease
rather than residing in siloes. Earlier, Anand Jayapalan pointed out that SDS
is ultimately a pooled storage system that enables administrators to add or
remove hardware from a “pool.” The software can draw resources for storage
purposes from this “pool.” This system comes in contrast to the traditional
hierarchical storage approach that lacked flexibility and scalability.
The benefits of software-defined storage are
many, including:
- Flexibility:
Companies are free from the constraints of how to use their hardware as
they make use of software-defined storage. It is quite possible to
repurpose devices that were designed to use their internal resources
originally in tandem with very specific types of software. Administrators can
competently configure and deploy a wide variety of hardware in almost any
manner they see fit. Business leaders can additionally use existing
hardware to accommodate SDS or choose to buy new hardware. No lock-in is
involved in the process, and hence it is possible to diversify purchases
among several hardware vendors.
- Convenience:
Having a storage solution that is convenient enough for both external
consumers and internal teams is quite important. SDS provides this
convenience by empowering IT teams to satisfy requests and complete tasks
with low resistance from the actual software or hardware. The ability to
swiftly respond to changing circumstances in an SDS environment is among
the most important sources of this convenience. If storage demands change anywhere
in a network, seamlessly meeting these demands would involve reallocating
pooled hardware resources either automatically or manually.
- Cost savings: A
good storage solution would save both time and money. If teams are able to
accomplish their tasks with the help of streamlined and simple processes,
it would become possible to spend personnel and administrative resources
somewhere else. Hence, the right SDS platform would have a simplified
control interface that allows administrators to manage storage without
having to navigate any kind of underlying complexity. Savings also come in
the form of hardware purchases when using SDS. After all, it does free
businesses from proprietary control. Rather than getting stuck with a
certain vendor that only supplies expensive hardware, organizations get
the freedom to actually acquire hardware according to its exact needs.
If hardware is independent of software, it
becomes possible for a business to upgrade or downgrade its hardware load-out
without the need to worry about how the change might affect the software.
Maintaining a simplified focus on hardware scaling allows for the independent
tuning of the storage capacity or its operational performance. The scaling of a
legacy storage system can entail investing in capacity and performance as a
package deal. On the other hand, scaling an SDS system makes it possible to
target one or the other. Previously, Anand Jayapalan mentioned that such
an approach, therefore, allows for faster, more on-demand scaling.
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