What Is Scalable Storage?

Scalable storage enables the organization to increase the data capacity using a single repository rather than multiple sentinel servers.


What Is a Scale-Out File Server?

There are two methods of storage scalability—horizontal and vertical scaling. Vertical scaling is also called scale-up, which means adding more disks on a pair of controllers to expand the capacity. This type of system is what you will find in a traditional setup. The drawback is that the maximum capacity depends on the limit of the controllers. When the system breaches the capacity, there is no choice other than adding another storage silo to the existing system.

In a horizontal, or scale-out, file server, you are only adding more capacity to the already existing node. It allows you to boost efficiency and meet the new demands in less time. However, the scale-out file server can be quite complex if you are not using NAS.


What Is Scale-Out NAS?

NAS refers to the network-attached storage, which is seen to address the limitations of the scale-up storage solution. NAS provides organizations with unparalleled freedom to upgrade the performance and capacity of their file storage systems. It can handle almost unlimited amounts of data without sacrificing efficiency. Another advantage is it is more affordable to upgrade the data center compared to the scale-up model.


What Is Scale-Out Storage?

However, true scale-out storage does not only refer to the capacity of your systems to store more data. It should also provide the capability to sort out and find the data. Ultimately, the scalable storage solution should ensure flexibility, security, functionality, and reliability.