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Somehow, it’s become a question everyone is looking to answer — and answer in a way that separates them from all the other people trying to succeed in the same space: What is software-defined storage? Depending on whom you ask, software-defined storage (SDS) is either a meaningless buzz phrase, a new spin on virtualization, or a truly revolutionary way of thinking about the connection between — and necessary separation of — hardware and software. In this SearchVirtualStorage.com video, DataCore Software Chairman Ziya Aral offers his take on SDS, and his perspective on how the technology has evolved.
“Each time this subject comes up, there is a slight redefinition of the term, but software-defined storage is a continuation of what used to be called storage virtualization,”
Aral said. It’s an approach, simply put, “to breaking hardware away from software.” This year, major storage players such as EMC made a play in the SDS market. EMC disclosed its plans for ViPR in May and began shipping it in August. The vendor acknowledged that defining the term was not simple, and executives agreed the term was overused.
Many industry analysts agree with Aral’s point, that software-defined storage is already living up to the hype and it’s because storage and server systems are looking more and more similar to each other. For companies like DataCore, the SDS craze is an opportunity to point out that major vendors are trying to fix a “broken storage model,” and that DataCore believes the company’s SANsymphony-V storage virtualization software, with no hardware or application-programming-interface restrictions, set the standard for SDS many years ago.
