As far as cost is concerned, SAS specifications allow users the flexibility to create a large-scale
disk array by using SAS or SATA hard disks at comparatively lower cost.
Once the exclusive realm of write-once optical disk, a new generation of WORM storage alternatives has emerged that includes WORM
disk arrays and WORM tape.
As iSCSI
disk arrays and IP SANs proliferate, there are a few lessons to learn from the FC SAN evolution and recent trends.
Therefore, a large database will constantly read from and write to the entire
disk array.
Precise has enhanced the functionality of Precise/SQL with the launch of Precise/Crosspoint, developed exclusively for the HP Surestore XP
disk array family.
"This world record TPC-H benchmark result demonstrates the powerful combination of HP's flexible and highly available Superdome server, the HP Surestore
Disk Array XP512 and the Informix XPS database server to deliver extraordinary performance in meeting the real world demands of a data warehousing environment," said Mark Hudson, worldwide director of marketing, HP Business Systems and Technology Operation.
With virtual tape solutions, data is backed up on a nearline
disk array (usually SATA disks) and then later moved to tape.
Through its alliance with EMC, NEC Computers offers high-performance, high-availability storage solutions with the EMC CLARiiON FC4500 fibre channel
disk array. The FC4500 is the center of a complete storage area network (SAN), offering industry-leading performance with up to 7 terabytes of storage capacity and full redundancy.
In other words, the 8Gb/s Fibre Channel speeds between the disk drives on a Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FC--AL) all within a storage
disk array. 8GFC was added to the roadmap so that suppliers and users could map their future to a smooth migration from 4GFC.
Some startups have introduced specialty appliances, while a few of the established
disk array vendors have retrofitted their products with iSCSI channels.