Cloud Computing – Storage Virtualization
In the previous stream of articles, we have seen about several virtualization techniques in Cloud Computing. So in today’s article we will look at one more virtualization technique in Cloud Computing that is Storage Virtualization.
Storage Administration
Storage Virtualization will always offer the best storage usage. It will keep away most of the information in a particular location, which can cause Congestion, data loss, and storage accessibility.
Types of Storage Virtualization
1. Hardware-Assisted Virtualization
In Hardware-Assisted Virtualization, Hardware must always be upheld, and it is similar to para-assisted Virtualization.
In this Virtualization, the unmodified OS can perform the hardware support for Virtualization, and the user can also handle Hardware that can approach requests and secure the operations.
2. Kernel Level Virtualization
It will perform an individual version of a long Kernel. Kernel Level permits several running servers in a single host. It takes the help of a device driver to complete communication between the primary Linux Kernel and virtual machine. Thus, the following type of Virtualization is a particular type of Server.
3. Hypervisor Virtualization
The Hypervisor is the layer available between the Operating system and Hardware. Hypervisor helps to run several Operating systems. Also, it offers additional features along with essential services, which allows for the OS to run efficiently.
4. Full Virtualization
Full Virtualization is almost the same as Para-Virtualization. In this Virtualization, the Hypervisor will trap the operating system to run the operations.
5. Para-Virtualization
Para-Virtualization is dependent on Hypervisor, which handles the Software Emulation and the trapping software.
In this Virtualization Guest Operating System gets modified by the user before installing it on another machine.
The modified system is capable of communicating with the Hypervisor directly and has increased performance.
Methods of Storage Virtualization
1. File-Based Storage Virtualization
File-Based Storage Virtualization has a particular purpose, and it can also be used for a network-attached storage (NAS) system.
In Cloud Computing, File-Based Storage Virtualization makes use of the server message block or network file system protocols. Thus it will help to break the dependency in a standard network-attached storage array.
It is possible between the data getting accessed and its location of physical memory. It also offers the advantage of better handling file migration in the background, and as a result, It will enhance the performance.
2. Block-based Virtual Storage
It is the most popular and widely used rather than a virtual storage system because it is utilized for special operations. The block-based virtual storage system operated local Storage like disk partition from physical memory in the storage device.
It also pulls out the logical Storage like a Hardware disk drive or in any solid-state memory device. It will also enable virtualization management software and get familiar with the available device capacity and divide them into shared resources.
3. Array-Based Storage Virtualization ‘
Array-Based Storage Virtualization is the most common Virtualization method, which refers tk the technique in which the storage array behaves like the primary storage controller. It will act as a primary storage controller and run the Virtualization Software. It will also allow it to the group of Storage resources of other arrays and keep multiple types of physical Storage to use as storage tiers.
A storage tier might be solid-state drives (SSDs) or HDDs on multiple virtualized storage arrays. The physical location and unique collection will be hidden from the Server or users accessing Storage.
4. Address Space Remapping
In Cloud Computing, Storage Virtualization helps to achieve location independence by using the Data’s physical location.
The following system offers the space to the client for storing their data and managing the mapping process.
There is the possibility that the result of Virtualizations can push as input for a higher level of Virtualizations. It will lead to the fact that it is possible to have various layers of Virtualization mapping.
How Storage Virtualization Works
To offer access to the data stored on the physical device. In some scenarios, they use an algorithm to locate the Data on the fly dynamically.
The Virtualization Software will intercept the read and write requests from the applications, and Utilizing the map created previously helps find the device.
The following process is the same as the methodology used by Operating Systems in PC while retrieving or saving the data application.
Storage Virtualization will also disguise the actual complexity of the storage system like the SAN. It will help the storage administrator carry out the tasks treated to backup, archiving, and recovery of data quickly and in less time.
Importance of Storage Technology
1. Storage Tiering
Utilizing the Storage Technology is used as a linking bridge. The following technique helps in analyzing and choosing from the most commonly used Data and keeps it on its highest storage pool the slightest used data in the frail performance of storage resources.
2. WAN Environment
Apart from delivering several copies of data on WAN, WAN Accelerator is utilized to locally cache the data and reside it in the LAN Speed. It will not impact the WAN Performance.
3. SAN Storage
SAN Storage is present in the Storage and Block Level Storage, and the Storage is available over the Ethernet’s OS Network.
4. File Server
OS can write the Data on a remote server location and keeps it segregated and secure from the local users.
5. Storage Tiering
Storage Tiering is the process that monitors and selects the frequently used data and places it on its highest performance storage pool. The minimum used Data is placed inside the weakest performance storage pool zone.
6. Disaster Recovery
Storage Virtualization helps to increase disk Utilization, and it is flexible. It will improve disaster recovery and the continuity of the organization.
Performing Tasks
The storage Virtualization appliance will take the responsibility to perform multiple tasks like heterogeneous replication and federation. The following lineup of devices in front of arrays will build a standard interface for the host.
It will authorize the administrator to combine the protocols and arrays which are available behind the appliances.
Benefits of Storage Virtualization
Data resides in convenient storage space. It is because if because of technical issues the host is failed the data will not get compromised.
By making the storage Level abstraction, it becomes flexible on storage provision, protection, and partitions are used.
Storage Devices can perform advanced functions like disaster recovery, data duplication, data replication, and re-duplication.
1. Easy Retrieval and upload of Data
In Storage Virtualization, the data can be quickly revived from virtual Storage. It is easy to access the file from the local system. The data can also be stored very easily with the help of some applications and Internet Connection.
2. Better Management
The data can be transferred depending upon the Utilization like the Data, which is mainly used and stored on a high-performance storage system. But the state which is used at a lower rate can be stored in a slow system.
It is one example of a better management system, and the clients will not face any storage issues.
3. Security
Storage Virtualization helps the organization store data in multiple locations and secure them with maximum security. If any disaster arises, the organization can retrieve their stored data from other sites, not affecting their customers.
The security is capable of meeting the real-time usage requirements apart from offering additional storage solutions.
4. Better Storage Management
Collecting storage capacity from various machines makes it easy to allocate. Thus it results in efficiently giving the ability. With unconnected and unused systems, some systems will use operating systems, and other systems will be barely utilized.
5. Extended the life of Older Storage Systems
Virtualization also provides a broad range of features to extend the usefulness of previous older storage equipment by including them in the resource pool as a tier to handle archival or less critical data.
6. Add Advances Features Universally
In Virtualization level advanced features such as tiering, caching and replication. It also helps standardize the methods to all members, and it can deliver advanced functions to the systems that might not fulfill the requirements.
Risks in Storage Virtualization
1. Problem in Naming
2. Failure
Sometimes the VMs fail because of disasters or technical issues, resulting in data loss and downtime. The establishment of VMware consists of essential services that turn into the individual disappointment purpose.
So to resolve this issue, the security of virtual machine data must be focused on as a top priority.
3. Limited Adoption
Currently, around 33 percent of the organizations are detailing from the computer economics point of view, and they are increasing their budget for storage Virtualization. Some are understanding the reception rates: the ownership cost and return of investment.
How Storage Virtualization Applies?
1. Host-Based Storage Virtualization
In Host-Based Storage Virtualization, all the virtualization management is possible at the host level with the help of Software and physical Storage. It can be possible with any device.
The host is built by using several hosts that consist of virtual drives set to guest machines. It is not dependent on VMs in an organization or system.
2. Network-Based Storage Virtualization
It is the most common Virtualization type currently running. Devices like intelligent switches or purpose-built servers will connect to all the service devices in the fiber channel storage network in the Storage as a virtual pool.
3. Array-Based Storage Virtualization
In this technique, the storage array offers various physical Storage, and they are used as storage tiers. The software is present and responsible for handling the storage amount tier built using solid-state drives and hard drives.
4. Centralized Management
A centralized Management System offers multiple benefits like it permits managing, allocating, and viewing g storage from a single interface. Also, the downtime rate is minimized as a centralized Management system offers maximum availability.
Conclusion
In Cloud computing, Storage Virtualization allows all the drivers to combine in a centrally managed storage. Thus it helps organizations to perform their operations smoothly.