In the next five years, storage area networks (SANs) will be increasingly object based. Object-based data storage resembles file-based data storage except it makes greater use of metadata. But object-based data storage isn’t a total win-win proposition. It trades the efficiency and performance of block-based data storage for easier management and more automation. Object metadata will let you manage data storage more effectively and apply policies based on the data content, regulatory requirements, ownership of the data and so on. The metadata can also be used to dynamically store data at the most appropriate service levels. Let’s take a look at some of the potential trends for SANs over the next five years and the likelihood that they’ll actually evolve: ??? * Disk drives – Likelihood 90% ????? Hard disk drives remain the dominant data storage medium in 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch form factors; 4K sectors will emerge for enhanced error correction; expect capacities to reach 4 TB disk capacity, but 15K rpm will remain the top choice for performance. ??? * Management – Likelihood 60% ????? With the widespread adoption of VMware Inc

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The Future of Storage Area Networks (SANs)