Storage Choices For Virtual Server Environments

Server virtualization is the most substantial shift in IT so far this decade. Adoption is high, and firms are virtualizing mission-critical and business-critical applications. But while server virtualization has become mainstream, firms still struggle with storage availability and performance. Storage configuration options abound, and successful deployment can be tricky. In an attempt to add clarity to this tricky decision process, Forrester surveyed 124 of its global clients on the topic of storage for virtual server environments. Overall, Forrester found a high number of virtual server deployments in production, mainly using preexisting Fibre Channel storage area networks. For IT professionals who will either upgrade or deploy a new storage environment to support server virtualization, this report gives an overview of what firms have done in the past, as well as key Forrester recommendations.