OSNEXUS QuantaStor Hyperscale Storage Platform

What is Block Storage?

Built for performance, block storage breaks files into small blocks of data, and stores them where it is most convenient. Each block is assigned a unique ID, thus allowing the blocks to be spread out among storage systems. This enhances efficiency and reliability, by allowing the data to be retrieved quickly. It is even possible for blocks to be stored across systems of different operating systems.

Another big advantage of block storage is that it can be used to decouple data from the user environment. Performance is maximized by storing the blocks across multiple systems. In a QuantaStor based SAN environment, software will quickly reassemble the data from the various locations where it is stored, then send it along to the user.

Block storage retrieves data very quickly by pulling it from multiple paths simultaneously. This offers a distinct advantage over file storage, where all the data in a file is stored in one location. In block storage, each block is stored individually. The storage application decides where to store each data block. As a result, all the blocks that make up a file can be stored across multiple disks, in multiple systems, even with different operating systems. Block storage is an ideal choice for enterprises running huge databases that must be immediately and consistently available without interruption.