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Storage on the internet can be confusing, especially with all the different terms floating around. One of the most common types of internet storage is cloud storage.
Cloud storage allows users to store and access their files from anywhere with an internet connection. This means you can access your files on your computer, phone, or tablet, as long as you have an internet connection.
Cloud storage is often used for personal files, but it's also used by businesses to store and share files with employees. This can be especially useful for remote teams or freelancers.
Cloud storage is typically provided by third-party companies like Google Drive, Dropbox, and Microsoft OneDrive.
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Cloud Storage Types
Cloud storage types offer a range of options for storing files online.
Public cloud storage is the most common type, where data is stored on a remote server owned and managed by a third-party provider, such as Google Drive or Dropbox.
Private cloud storage, on the other hand, is a type of cloud storage where data is stored on a private server, often within an organization's own infrastructure.
Hybrid cloud storage combines elements of public and private cloud storage, offering flexibility and scalability for businesses with varying storage needs.
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Public
Public cloud storage is a type of cloud storage where an organization and their data storage provider are separate, with data being stored outside of a company’s data center.
This means that companies can store and access their data from anywhere, without having to manage the underlying infrastructure themselves.
In this model, companies pay a monthly fee to use software applications, such as those offered through Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), to access and manage their data.
This approach can be more cost-effective and flexible than traditional on-premise solutions, allowing companies to scale up or down as needed.
For more insights, see: How to Use Google Storage
Private
Private cloud storage is a type of cloud storage that is hosted and managed within an organization's own infrastructure.
This means that the data is stored on a private network, not on a public one, providing an additional layer of security and control.
Private cloud storage is often used by large enterprises that require high levels of security and compliance with regulatory requirements.
It's also commonly used by organizations with sensitive data, such as financial institutions and healthcare providers.
Private cloud storage can be more expensive than public cloud storage, but it offers more flexibility and customization options.
In some cases, private cloud storage can be more cost-effective than public cloud storage, especially for organizations with large amounts of data.
Private cloud storage can be managed by the organization itself, or it can be outsourced to a third-party provider.
This allows organizations to choose the level of control and management they need, depending on their specific requirements.
Secondary
Secondary storage is a key concept in computer systems, and it's essential to understand how it works. Secondary storage refers to the type of storage that's not directly accessible by the CPU, unlike primary storage.
Secondary storage is non-volatile, meaning it retains data even when its power is shut off. This is in contrast to primary storage, which loses data when its power is turned off.
In modern computers, hard disk drives (HDDs) or solid-state drives (SSDs) are commonly used as secondary storage. HDDs and SSDs have access times measured in milliseconds, which is significantly slower than primary storage, measured in nanoseconds.
Secondary storage is often formatted according to a file system format, which allows for the organization of data into files and directories. This format also provides metadata describing the owner of a certain file, the access time, and access permissions.
The concept of virtual memory is used by most computer operating systems to utilize more primary storage capacity than is physically available in the system. As primary memory fills up, the system moves the least-used chunks (pages) to a swap file or page file on secondary storage, retrieving them later when needed.
A fresh viewpoint: Is Memory or Storage More Important
Cloud Storage Management
Cloud storage management is a crucial aspect of storing and managing data in the cloud. It involves the collection of numerous distributed and connected resources that are responsible for storing and managing data in the cloud.
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Hybrid cloud environments appeal to companies that restrict where data is stored or prefer to secure sensitive data on-premises. Empowering your team with effective hybrid cloud security strategies is essential for these companies.
Here are some strategies for security hybrid cloud setups:
Cloud Storage Technologies
Cloud Storage Technologies are designed to handle the explosive growth of data. Scale-out storage architectures take advantage of clustered components for superior price and performance.
A key feature of scale-out storage is nondisruptive operations, which means that maintenance and upgrades can be done without interrupting access to data. This is a major advantage over traditional storage systems.
Auto Tiering
Auto tiering is a technology that automatically moves data between different classes of storage based on usage patterns.
New technologies like auto tiering were first introduced around 2007 by Compellent, with EMC and 3PAR following suit around 2008.
Data is typically stored on three classes of storage: high-performance SSD, mid-performance 10k drives, and low-performance 7200RPM archive drives.
Auto tiering resides on the controllers and moves data to the most suitable storage class as it is accessed by the user.
For example, high-speed data can be written to SSD and then moved to lower-cost 10k drives once it's no longer frequently accessed.
Data can then be moved to lower-cost 7200RPM archive drives once it becomes even less required.
Broaden your view: Azure Archive
iSCSI (SCSI)
iSCSI is a protocol that enables the transport of block data over IP networks, without the need for specialized network infrastructure, such as Fibre Channel.
This means that iSCSI allows devices to communicate with each other over the internet, making it a flexible and scalable solution for data transfer.
iSCSI is particularly useful for connecting storage devices to a network, and it's often used in conjunction with NAS devices.
A storage device connected directly to a network, such as a NAS device, can be accessed by multiple devices on the network, allowing for independent access, read, and write operations.
For another approach, see: Network Storage Internet Speed
Technology Definitions
Scale-out NAS is a type of storage architecture that takes advantage of clustered components to provide superior price and performance.
In a scale-out NAS setup, you can add more nodes as your data grows, making it a great solution for handling large amounts of structured and unstructured data.
This type of storage is designed for nondisruptive operations, which means you can add or remove nodes without disrupting your applications.
Scale-out NAS also employs policy-based management for improved efficiency and agility.
Consolidated storage, on the other hand, connects multiple servers and/or workstations to a centralized array of hard disk drives.
This setup is designed to provide higher availability, manageability, scalability, and performance for the applications these servers support.
Check this out: Add Storage Google
Hybrid
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Hybrid cloud storage is a flexible solution that allows you to store some data in your private cloud and access it from a public cloud storage provider.
This approach is beneficial for enterprises that need to balance security and accessibility. Some critical data remains in the enterprise's private cloud, while other data is stored and accessible from a public cloud storage provider.
Cloud Storage Data
Cloud Storage Data is a crucial aspect of modern technology, allowing users to access and store information from anywhere in the world.
Remote mirroring is a key feature of cloud storage, creating an additional copy of data at a remote location for disaster recovery purposes. This capability ensures resilience and access to business-critical data.
By utilizing cloud storage, individuals can safeguard their information and ensure business continuity in the event of a disaster.
Block Data
Block data is a type of raw data that doesn't have a file structure imposed on it. This makes it more efficient to transfer, especially when writing to disk.
Database applications like Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Exchange Server transfer data in blocks, which is the most efficient way to write to disk.
This block transfer method is particularly useful for large datasets, as it allows for faster data transfer and storage.
Take a look at this: Block Level Storage
Petabyte (PB)
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A petabyte (PB) is a massive unit of measurement equal to approximately 1,000 terabytes.
That's a huge amount of data, equivalent to the storage capacity of about 200,000 hours of music or 20 million 4-minute songs.
In the context of cloud storage, a petabyte can store a vast number of files, such as about 25 million Word document files, which is roughly the equivalent of 1 megabyte (MB).
This enormous storage capacity makes petabytes a crucial unit of measurement for cloud storage providers, allowing them to handle massive amounts of data for their users.
Cloud Storage Backup
Cloud Storage Backup is a crucial aspect of maintaining your digital life. A full backup is usually created the first time a backup is run, taking a snapshot of all the data selected to be backed up.
This full backup can restore all your data without needing additional incremental backup tapes or online archives to be accessed. It's like having a safety net for your digital world.
For more insights, see: Google Drive Storage Is Full
Cloud Storage Connectivity
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Cloud Storage Connectivity is a crucial aspect of accessing data from anywhere. This can be achieved through various methods, including Network-attached Storage (NAS) and Storage Area Network (SAN).
Network-attached Storage (NAS) allows users to access files at the file level over a local area network or the Internet. This is commonly associated with the NFS and CIFS/SMB protocols. NAS presents and manages file systems to client computers.
Storage Area Network (SAN) provides access at block-addressing (raw) level, leaving it to attaching systems to manage data or file systems within the provided capacity. SAN is commonly associated with Fibre Channel networks.
Here are some key differences between NAS and SAN:
Network Connectivity
Network connectivity is a crucial aspect of cloud storage, and it's essential to understand the different types of storage connections. Network connectivity allows users to access data files online as if they were stored locally on their own machine.
Direct-attached storage (DAS) is a traditional mass storage approach that doesn't use any network. This is still the most popular approach, but it's not the most flexible. DAS is often used in local storage devices.
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Network-attached storage (NAS) is a type of mass storage that's attached to a computer and can be accessed by other computers over a local area network or the Internet. NAS is commonly associated with the NFS and CIFS/SMB protocols.
Storage area network (SAN) is a specialized network that provides other computers with storage capacity. The key difference between NAS and SAN is that NAS presents and manages file systems to client computers, while SAN provides access at a raw block level, leaving it to the attaching systems to manage data or file systems.
Here's a comparison of the three types of storage connections:
SAN provides access at a raw block level, which can be beneficial for certain applications that require direct access to storage.
Mobile
Mobile cloud storage allows you to store data from your mobile phone or tablet in the cloud and access it from anywhere. This means you can access your files, photos, and other data on any device with an internet connection. Mobile cloud storage is a convenient way to keep your data safe and synced across all your devices.
Cloud Storage Replication
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Cloud Storage Replication is a process that ensures data safety by duplicating it across multiple servers. This way, if one server fails, the data can still be recovered from another server.
Asynchronous Replication is a type of replication that allows new data to be written to the primary storage site without waiting for the secondary site to finish writing. This method has the advantage of not having the latency impact of synchronous replication.
However, Asynchronous Replication also has the disadvantage of incurring data loss if the primary site fails before the data is written to the secondary site. This is a crucial consideration for businesses that rely on data integrity.
Mirroring is another type of replication that involves transferring data to another device or server within a mirrored set of devices or servers. This process ensures that data is duplicated in real-time, providing a safety net in case of hardware failure or data corruption.
Consider reading: Azure Storage Replication
Cloud Storage Hardware
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Cloud storage hardware refers to the physical components that make up a cloud storage system. These devices are typically designed to provide high-capacity storage, low power consumption, and high reliability.
Servers are a key part of cloud storage hardware, and they're often built with multiple hard drives to ensure data is stored redundantly. This is why you see servers with many hard drives, each containing a copy of the same data.
Cloud storage hardware also includes storage arrays, which are specialized servers that hold multiple hard drives in a single unit. Storage arrays are designed to provide high-speed data access and are often used in large-scale cloud storage systems.
JBOD (Just a Bunch of Disks)
JBOD (Just a Bunch of Disks) is a storage solution that houses a group of disks in its own box.
It differs from RAID in not having any storage controller intelligence or data redundancy capabilities.
JBOD is a simple and cost-effective way to add storage capacity to a system.
A JBOD setup can be connected to a computer or network using a Local Area Network that connects workstations to data centers through switches, normally using Ethernet technology and including wireless connectivity.
NAS
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A storage device connected directly to a network, so all devices on the network have the ability to independently access, read and write data to it.
NAS devices can be a convenient option for small businesses or home users, as they eliminate the need for individual computers to have their own storage drives.
Scale-out NAS addresses the explosive growth of structured and unstructured data, and performance demands of today’s workloads.
This type of storage architecture takes advantage of the superior price and performance of clustered components.
A scale-out storage architecture facilitates nondisruptive operations, allowing administrators to add or remove components without disrupting the system.
Policy-based management for improved efficiency and agility is a key feature of scale-out NAS.
Related reading: Azure Reference Architectures
External Controllers
External Controllers allow multiple devices/servers to access a form of Direct/Network-attached storage.
This means that if the server goes offline, others will still be able to access the storage. External RAID Controllers can be a reliable solution for businesses that need to ensure continuous access to their data.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the terms for computer storage?
Computer storage is measured in bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, and gigabytes, with 1 byte equal to 8 bits. These units help express large amounts of memory in a more manageable and understandable way.
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