Storage

Useful information about storage for every IT infrastructure

• Storage Systems – Central data storage with high availability
• Storage media for storage systems and their use cases
• Storage architectures: DAS, NAS and SAN
• Storage Systems - Flexibly scalable through expansion units
• Advantages of refurbished storage systems
• FAQ: Frequently asked questions about storage systems
• Refurbished storage systems in stock and ready to ship - ServerShop24

Storage Systems – Central data storage with high availability

In companies with high data volumes and in data centres, storage systems play a crucial role in data management. With central storage solutions, important data can be managed efficiently and made available with high availability. Comprehensive security mechanisms such as redundancy, encryption, authentication and defined access control meet the stringent requirements of sensitive business areas. This ensures that customer and patient information, for example, is protected from unauthorised access and is only accessible to authorised users.

Professional storage systems offer numerous drive bays for hard drives or SSDs depending on the model, and can often be expanded with additional units. Redundant storage ensures that mission-critical data is protected from loss even if individual drives fail, and generally remains available. As growing business areas increase the demands on data storage, storage systems also offer versatile scalability for flexible adaptation to new requirements.

For the long-term archiving of important data sets or for regular data backup, storage systems often also allow the integration of tape drives. With such a backup system, information is written to magnetic tapes, which are distinguished by their high storage capacity. This allows large volumes of data to be retained securely and permanently, for example where required by statutory regulations.

Storage media for storage systems and their use cases

The choice of storage media significantly shapes the performance of a storage system. Not every scenario requires maximum speed, and not every scenario benefits from the highest capacity. A sensible combination of both technologies often delivers the best cost-benefit ratio.

HDD-based storage offers affordable capacity with traditional hard disk drives for sequential workloads, archive data and backup target storage. Their strength lies in storage density and price per terabyte, which is why they continue to dominate data and archive tiers. For applications with high throughput and moderate IOPS requirements – such as streaming, large file repositories or long-term archives – they are the economically obvious choice.

NVMe SSDs significantly enhance the performance characteristics of a storage system. Where latency and speed matter – in databases, virtual machines, real-time analytics or data-intensive AI workloads – modern all-flash arrays realise their potential. Hybrid configurations offer flexibility for different workloads through automated tiering, dynamically moving data between fast flash and affordable HDD storage based on actual access frequency.

Tape drives for backup and archiving remain relevant in many industries. Magnetic tapes offer high storage capacity, long archival periods and low cost per stored terabyte. Legal retention obligations or compliance requirements often make them indispensable.

Storage architectures: DAS, NAS and SAN

Three fundamental standards dominate the enterprise sector, each with specific strengths. Depending on the existing infrastructure, scalability and management complexity differ.

Direct Attached Storage (DAS)

DAS systems connect storage directly to a host server via SAS, SATA or NVMe. This simplicity is both a strength and a limitation: minimal latency, maximum transfer rates for the individual host, and all without network configuration for storage attachment. For dedicated workloads with high throughput requirements – such as database servers, rendering farms or local virtualisation clusters – DAS offers a lean, cost-efficient solution. The restriction lies in the lack of shared usability: resources are tied to the connected server.

Network Attached Storage (NAS)

NAS systems elevate the storage resource to the network level via protocols. File access is provided for heterogeneous client environments over NFS or SMB/CIFS, independent of the operating system. Integration requires only network connectivity; management is handled centrally via the NAS system itself. For shared working directories, home drives, content repositories or distributed teams, this architecture is often the most pragmatic choice, although performance is influenced by network speed and the nature of the access patterns.

Storage Area Network (SAN)

SAN solutions implement a dedicated storage network area, typically based on Fibre Channel or iSCSI over isolated Ethernet segments. Block-level access enables use as a native hard drive from the host's perspective – file systems, clustering and databases operate transparently, as if local storage were attached. The decoupling of server and storage resources allows dynamic allocation, live migration of virtualised workloads and centralised storage optimisation. Data centres with high virtualisation density, consolidated database landscapes or requirements for continuous availability particularly benefit from this standard.

Storage Systems - Flexibly scalable through expansion units

Storage systems are often an ideal solution for existing IT infrastructures. They combine all required components in a 19" chassis, which can be installed efficiently and space-savingly in a server cabinet or rack. In addition to the data carriers for the required storage space, all other important components are also included here.

Storage Controllers

The integrated storage controllers manage all installed hard drives. This component controls all read and write accesses, organises the array of drives and thus ensures that all data is stored securely even in the event of a drive failure. Like hard drives, storage controllers are often available redundantly, which further increases the reliability of the storage system. This eliminates the single point of failure – if one controller fails, the redundant partner controller takes over operation. The range of functions and connection of the data carriers may vary depending on the model.

Network Interfaces

The network card defines the connection to the existing infrastructure. Ethernet ports cover typical NAS scenarios, 25GbE/100GbE expand the spectrum for performance-hungry workloads. Fibre Channel connections address SAN environments with advantages in latency and high throughput. Converged adapters combine multiple protocol stacks, which simplifies the cable infrastructure.

Cooling and Power Supply

Stability in continuous operation requires well-thought-out thermal and electrical solutions. Redundant power supplies ensure uninterrupted operation in the event of failure of individual units, and hot-swap-capable components such as chassis fans allow replacement without system interruption. The modular design of professional enterprise storage systems thus enables maintenance and repair during ongoing operation.

Expansion units

When the capacity of the base system is exhausted, expansion units (also known as shelves or expansion enclosures) provide additional space for drives. Through direct connection to the storage system, the available storage capacity can be increased flexibly, with the expansion being configurable either as its own drive array or as part of an existing RAID system.

Advantages of refurbished storage systems

• Affordable enterprise storage technology with high reliability
• Available immediately without long lead times
• Flexibly scalable capacity through expansion shelves
• Support for HDDs and SSDs depending on performance requirements
• Redundant components ensure high data availability
• Professionally refurbished and carefully tested
• Resource-efficient use of high-quality enterprise hardware

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about storage systems

Refurbished storage systems in stock and ready to ship - ServerShop24

More complex business processes, new technologies and legal requirements often increase the volume of data generated by growing companies. When expanding your storage capacity, carefully tested used equipment is often an ideal and sustainable alternative to expensive new hardware.

In our online shop you will find a large selection of used storage solutions from renowned manufacturers such as HPE, Dell, Fujitsu, Lenovo and NetApp, which can meet many requirements of your IT infrastructure with excellent value for money. Our extensive stock also enables short delivery times, so you can receive your order quickly and deploy it for the necessary expansion of your storage capacity.
We have been your reliable partner for professionally refurbished used servers, storage systems, workstations and network equipment since 2010. Our range also includes suitable components for expansion as well as spare parts and optional Hardware Care Packs for extended protection of your systems.

Our friendly and experienced support team will assist you in selecting suitable storage solutions for your infrastructure and answer all questions regarding compatibility and expansion options. Contact us – together we will find the right storage system for your business.