The storage and server market is like Mount Everest: big and broad, with a heck of a lot to see in one view--from the humble floppy drive all the way up to gigantic data-center-size disk and tape arrays. The category also encompasses storage-related technologies, such as storage management, storage virtualization and storage backup software, and includes servers in all their glitz and glory, from small appliances like Sun Microsystems' Cobalt to the big machines that do the heavy lifting in your data center.
Among this dizzying array of products and technologies, we've identified some key trends of late--notably server consolidation and burgeoning support for the iSCSI protocols. For example, Microsoft announced on March 12 that it will support iSCSI in Windows client and server operating systems by June.
Server makers continue their steady march toward commodization. Many vendors are using the same chipsets, processors and embedded NICs. As a result, the emphasis in the server arena hasn't been on performance but on serviceability, software, manageability and cost. We've undoubtedly started on the path to the utility data center, where processing power, memory, internal and external bandwidth and storage are data-center resources, not isolated on individual servers. Current server consolidation and storage virtualization trends are indicative: IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Sun and other companies have begun utility-computing projects for high-end data centers. These initiatives are crucial proof-of-concept work, demonstrating the viability of the utility data center. Many of the products we tested this year edge us toward the goal of implementing such a center.
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