Storage Virtualization

Storage Virtualization, at both the block and file level, provides a good way to scale and environment beyond a single system as well as utilize heterogeneous storage systems or multiple file systems. If you are already planning to deploy a scale-out system, a virtualization engine may already be included to allow multiple nodes within it to appear as a single device.

One concern when deploying a storage virtualization product is scalability. Because such a device can virtualize a number of different storage systems, it is possible to exceed its limitations in large environments. In these scenarios, multiple virtualization devices may be required. If that occurs, are they treated as independent systems or can they be aggregated together (much like a scale out system)?

Management of multiple virtualization solutions is also a concern. Is the management of the back-end storage integrated? Or do you have to manage each array separately as well as the virtualization device? Can you manage multiple virtualization devices as a single entity or are they independent?