Byte and Switch: 3ware's equipment provides block-based storage access only. But as the convergence of NAS and SAN happens, you'll eventually also provide file serving as well, I take it?
Vrolyk: No, we wont actually, as this is a myth. I don't think that NAS and SAN will merge they have different uses. For example, databases run only on block interfaces, while lots of things like your home directory are best built on top of file systems. For years, block and file interfaces have existed side by side in server operating systems. I don't think that will change.
Rather, the question is: Should the same box be both a file and a block server? If you add the extra computing to run a file system to the base cost of every block server, it will simply be too expensive. Watch and see.
Block servers will be much less expensive in a few years than any file server. This trend is obscured by the fact that the only block servers available today, other than 3ware's, are Fibre Channel based and, as a result, are ridiculously expensive. Once 3ware and others provide high-volume block storage on Ethernet, it will be much more economical than file storage.
Byte and Switch: So why are so many of the startups and EMC Corp. (NYSE: EMC), come to that talking about converging the two?
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