What Is Storage Provisioning?

Storage provisioning is like a game of Tetris. You have to fit all the pieces together, and you can't waste space. It's also like a game of Tetris because it's repetitive work with little excitement. You'll spend much time repeating this process, so make sure you have your favorite music playing or something else to keep yourself entertained while you're working! Storage provisioning is how a business allocates server storage space in a networked computing environment. There are two main types of storage provisioning: manual and automated. Manual methods can be cumbersome, time-consuming and prone to human error when performed incorrectly. Mechanical methods often require specialized software that requires significant training for administrators who implement them. Storage provisioning is a tricky thing. It's like the three bears. You only want enough storage to fit your needs, not too much, or you'll have to pay for it. You might think that it's easy to find the right balance. Still, it can be surprisingly tricky. You'll be able to automatically provision storage to all your devices on runtime and demand through a SAN software appliance. This will allow you to get enough of what you need without worrying about paying for unnecessary amounts. The best option is to be fat and thin regarding storage provisioning. Your storage area network (SAN) needs to handle all your data requirements, but you can still buy all your storage at once. With fat provisioning, you can get the most bang for your buck by purchasing enough space for now but knowing that you'll have room for expansion if needed. Thin provisioning ensures that only what is required is allocated and nothing more. This means you don't waste money on extra storage capacity if it isn't being used at all times, which could save you thousands of dollars annually!