Provides for a single point for consistent policy definition and management control. Applies to disk and tape storage systems. Security Permits access to storage by only those applications that have access rights. Outboard functionality Move data seamlessly and transparently across layers of the storage hierarchy. Server-less backup and recovery.
Software is key to exploiting the benefits of virtual storage systems.
Virtualization techniques are now beginning to appear and deliver significant functionality for storage networking. Specifically, the network based approach to storage virtualization implements the virtualization functionality embedded within network firmware or software attached to the networking devices such as switches, routers, appliances, or domain directors. This seems like the most logical approach to control data traffic and storage management for SANs becoming the foundation for the future SAN manager. In this example, it becomes possible for a storage administrator to implement a single storage policy for all attached storage. These approaches are emerging as either symmetric, where both the control information and data go through the same path, and asymmetric, where there are separate paths for control and data flow.