How does file archiving differ from file virtualization?

How does file archiving differ from file virtualization?

File archiving is about moving inactive data. By comparison, virtualization is about abstraction, for example,

    Requires Free Membership to View

    Login

    When you register for SearchDataBackup.com, you’ll also receive targeted emails from my team of award-winning editorial writers. Because your job never seems to get any easier, it’s our goal to keep you up-to-date on the latest backup tips, trends and technologies that will help you get the job done.

    Rich Castagna, Editorial Director

    By submitting your registration information to SearchDataBackup.com you agree to receive email communications from TechTarget and TechTarget partners. We encourage you to read our Privacy Policy which contains important disclosures about how we collect and use your registration and other information. If you reside outside of the United States, by submitting this registration information you consent to having your personal data transferred to and processed in the United States. Your use of SearchDataBackup.com is governed by our Terms of Use. You may contact us at webmaster@TechTarget.com.

insulating applications from storage. With the recent buzz about file virtualization, some vendors try to describe file archiving as a form of file virtualization. Others argue that file virtualization is about global namespaces and global file systems, clusters, heterogeneous file replication, etc.

Keep in mind that virtualization is typically associated with virtualizing the file system and allowing you to perform different operations. So, migrating inactive data through file virtualization (even part of an automated tiered storage environment) could potentially overlap the definition of file archiving, though file virtualization offers many more potential capabilities.

Go back to the beginning of the File Archiving FAQ Guide.


This was first published in April 2007