Seagate ST3300657SS Storage Strategies for Server Virtualization - Page 3

Storage Strategies for Server Virtualization Getting the Most From Virtualized Environments Without Breaking Your IT Budget Rule 3: Holistic backup and recovery Storage for virtual servers also requires a new perspective on data protection. This new storage infrastructure is now a critical, interdependent part of a virtual server farm. It is important to think of it this way when establishing backup and recovery processes. It's best not to assume that conventional processes will work in this new environment. Push on everything, and test it mercilessly. Things to design in and test for in a virtual server/ storage environment: • Server-level recovery • Point-in-time recovery • Recovery point granularity • Remote recovery • Multi-path failure recovery Mistakes to Avoid In Deploying Storage for Virtual Servers It's easy to forget that some conventional storage thinking goes out the window when virtual storage and virtual servers enter the equation. Here are a few common mistakes to avoid: • Migrating legacy storage architectures (and cost structures) to a new virtual environment • Underestimating data growth, or trying to throttle it too severely with policy • Over-provisioning performance. Don't bring a gun to a knife fight-It costs too much! • Rigid storage architectures that limit the inherent benefits of virtual server deployment • Relying on piecemeal recovery capabilities Conclusion Server virtualization is one of the most productive data center innovations of the decade. Getting the most from this powerful technology depends on thoughtful storage deployment. Rather than fighting against the inevitable data growth that server virtualization creates, apply readily available storage technology to embrace it. With a solution optimized for the virtual server environment, storage can become a cost-neutral, complementary asset. With the right storage choices, IT managers can look at virtual server data growth and say "Bring it on!" AMERICAS ASIA / PACIFIC EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA Seagate Technology LLC 920 Disc Drive, Scotts Valley, California 95066, United States, 831-438-6550 Seagate Technology International Ltd. 7000 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5, Singapore 569877, 65-6485-3888 Seagate Technology SAS 130-136, rue de Silly, 92773, Boulogne-Billancourt Cedex, France 33 1-4186 10 00 Copyright © 2009 Seagate Technology LLC. All rights reserved. Printed in USA. Seagate, Seagate Technology and the Wave logo are registered trademarks of Seagate Technology LLC in the United States and/or other countries. Constellation is either a trademark or registered trademark of Seagate Technology LLC or one of its affiliated companies in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. When referring to hard drive capacity, one gigabyte, or GB, equals one billion bytes and one terabyte, or TB, equals one trillion bytes. Your computer's operating system may use a different standard of measurement and report a lower capacity. In addition, some of the listed capacity is used for formatting and other functions, and thus will not be available for data storage. Seagate reserves the right to change, without notice, product offerings or specifications. TP602.1-0905US, May 2009