Unified Storage

Unified Storage is a storage platform that provides several storage types and protocols in a common architecture – typically block and file workloads, sometimes supplemented by object storage interfaces.

A single system then serves SMB and NFS file shares as well as iSCSI or Fibre Channel block volumes in parallel. The added value lies in fewer silos: instead of separate systems for different requirements, a more centralized operating model emerges with uniform administration, consistent policies and better utilization of the infrastructure. This is particularly attractive where different teams and applications have so far operated their own storage islands.

Unified storage is therefore not an end in itself, but a response to fragmented environments – the platform must fit the actual workload mix. Used correctly, the approach combines operational simplicity with technical flexibility and simplifies the implementation of overarching rules in Data Management.