What is data storage?

Every piece of information you gather in your business is potentially important. Whether it’s a database of customer accounts and their purchase histories, human resources records for every employee, financial information such as payroll or accounts receivable, or intellectual property such as specifications for your products, that information needs to be stored somewhere so you can access it as needed to operate your business.

Forms of data storage

File storage Also referred to as file-level or file-based storage, this type is presented as files that are stored in folders and subfolders in a directory. If you’ve used a PC and saved a document to the hard drive, for instance, you have experienced file storage. Files are accessible through a path that users must know. File storage is the most common type of storage on computer hard drives and network-attached storage (NAS) devices. Block storage Rather than storing data in a complete file, block storage breaks apart data and stores it in blocks that can hold 256 KB up to 4 MB. The blocks are then placed randomly on the storage device – which doesn’t hinder access speeds because each block is tagged with a unique identifier. When a user or application needs a file, the computer queries the block storage system, which rapidly identifies and collects all the needed blocks and reassembles them into a complete file. Block storage is ultra-efficient because it doesn’t use metadata, which takes up room on the storage device. Because it’s so fast, businesses tend to use block storage when they want to scale up quickly and when read/write performance is a critical priority. Object storage This type of data storage separates information into distinct objects with unique identifiers and metadata. It doesn’t form a hierarchy like file storage and is considered “flat.” Metadata is a critical component of object storage and each object can have quite a bit of metadata, such as information about the creator of the data and keywords, as well as policies for security, privacy, and access. Object storage works well with APIs so it’s simple to use with existing software and systems. It also scales very well. It could be spread across hundreds or thousands of devices and locations and still be super speedy because all the data is stored in one namespace. It’s the storage type of choice for public cloud providers, such as AWS, and organizations that deal with a lot of unstructured data such as video files, emails, IoT sensor data, social media content, and more.

Types of data storage solutions

Direct-attached storage (DAS)Network-based storage: NAS and SAN

The importance of data storage

Long-lasting preservation of data – Digital data storage makes it easy to pool large volumes of information for long periods of time. Easier accessibility – Everyone can get the information they need, right from their desktop computers instead of having to physically go to a room full of file cabinets.More efficient data recovery – Stored data is easily backed up by making copies, so recovery is faster and simpler if a file gets lost or corrupted. Smaller physical footprint and easier scalability – There’s no need for physical file cabinets, which take up lots of room over time, and adding more digital capacity is simple.Potentially increased security – For very sensitive data, there are many more ways to secure and protect that information digitally using today’s advanced security tools and features.Easier collaboration across teams – Centrally stored data is accessible to every authorized user and can be accessed and shared among teams as they work together. More efficient document management – It’s easier to categorize and organize data digitally, and it can be done from a computer desktop or other connected device. Enhanced productivity and workflows – Saving data digitally takes less time than printing out physical pages and creating files, which must be stored in file cabinets.

How does data storage work?

When you store data on a computer, the digital information is saved to a device, where it remains until deleted. Storage differs from computer memory in a major way: While you can access information quickly from your computer’s RAM, that data is only available in RAM until your computer is turned off. Data storage, however, retains data whether the computer is powered on or off. That’s how it can store data long-term.Saving data on a computer storage device lets you access that information when you need it. For example, the accounting department can retrieve stored data about employee work hours and use it to carry out bimonthly payroll tasks. A sales rep can pull up information about a customer before a sales call to see recent orders and go over the last visit to remind them of the issues they discussed.

Types of data storage devices

Cloud storageHybrid cloud storageSSD and flash storageBackup storage

What is the best for storing data?

DAS can be a good choice for:Small businesses, branch offices, and home offices that want a cost-efficient solution and don’t need networkingHosting just one application and its dataSecuring and isolating data for compliance purposesSAN can be a good choice for: Large data centers or business-critical applications that need centralized storage resourcesLarge numbers of employees and an IT staff with skills to manage and maintain the solutionApplications that require very high performance, such as transactional databases Hosting large relational databases that need high performanceLarge enterprises that need a high degree of storage scalabilityA fault-tolerant environment for critical applicationsNAS can be a good choice for:Reliable, cost-effective storage for many users that doesn’t compromise performanceLarge volumes of unstructured data that need to be shared among usersApplications that aren’t performance-sensitiveArchiving or backing up dataServers hosting virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) and virtual machines (VMs)Cloud storage can be a good choice for: Archiving or backing up data for disaster recoveryData lakes and data analytics platformsApplication development and testing Storing workloads during a data migrationStorage for cloud-native applications and their dataStorage for industry and regulatory complianceIoT and machine learning data

What is the safest form of data storage?

DAS can be considered secure in the sense that a hacker cannot infiltrate a network and carry out an attack. Many removable storage devices such as SSDs, USBs, and so on are considered “air gapped” if they aren’t on a networked system. However, if the device is damaged or lost, the data could be irretrievable. NAS is a fairly common target for hackers. The storage system is only as secure as your network and router, so it’s important for NAS users to take proven security measures such as regular updates, two-factor authentication, single sign-on processes, encryption, and so on. SAN is inherently more secure than NAS because its data protection algorithms stay consistent and because if your LAN is attacked, having your data stored on a separate network keeps it protected. Cloud storage is typically considered the most secure type of data storage because major cloud service providers, such as AWS, Google, and Microsoft have put billions of dollars into making it secure. It’s also secure because providers make multiple copies of your data to create a high degree of redundancy – so if a cloud server goes down, you can still access your data because it’s stored in various servers and locations.

Blog

Nutanix Flow Network Security Next-Generation is Now Available

The next generation of Flow Network Security microsegmentation is now available, evolving with a new architecture to scale, secure, and unify the security posture of all your workloads.

By Mike Barmonde, Nutanix Senior Product Marketing Manager, Network and Security

September 28, 2023 | min

Announced at .NEXT 2023, and available now, the Nutanix Flow Network Security™ (FNS) microsegmentation product line has released a next-generation architecture. The new Flow Network Security Next-Gen™ (FNS NG) product introduces an array of new capabilities critical for secure policy management and enterprise readiness, making microsegmentation even more seamless on the Nutanix Cloud Platform™ (NCP) infrastructure solution.

FNS NG is Next-Generation at Its Core

Backed by the latest AOS™ 6.7 and Prism Central™ 2023.3 releases, FNS NG is anchored by the new Prism Central based network controller to support VLAN-backed (virtual local area networks) networks or virtual private clouds (VPCs). Providing both network types will give customers a choice on how to leverage FNS NG in their unique environments, and will allow IT teams letting them use the network that best suits their purpose, securely. This version of FNS NG will support VLAN-backed networks.

For customers wanting to use FNS NG, a cluster with AOS 6.7 and Prism Central 2023.3 is required. Current FNS customers on previous AOS and Prism Central versions should contact their Nutanix account team for information on upgrade options.

Flow Network Security and Flow Network Security Next-Gen will have the same software release version, 4.0.X, leveraging a dual-stack approach for VLANs. Next Gen features will be available only when enabling the network controller and migrating to Flow Network Security Next-Gen, otherwise your current Flow Network Security installation will operate as before.

The Nutanix Cloud Platform includes solutions for basic microsegmentation policies, next-generation, and a dashboard for planning.

Now, let’s dive into some features and benefits that Flow Network Security Next-Gen will bring to you.

Microsegmentation-at-Scale for All Workloads

VLAN-backed subnets on the Prism Central network controller

VLAN-backed networks are the most commonly used network type for Nutanix customers. FNS NG makes the most of this by providing support starting with network controller-enabled VLANs. As FNS NG evolves, you’ll have access to the same set of security features in VLAN or VPC-backed networks, creating scale across your workloads.

FNS NG is anchored by the Prism Central network controller built to handle both VLAN and VPC backed networks.

Deliver Enhanced Security Postures and Policies

A new policy model built to streamline operations

Flow Network Security Next-Gen (FNS NG) introduces an overall improved policy mode to ‘bring-your-own-category’ (BYOC) and assigns multiple security policies to a single VM (virtual machine). FNS NG uses a multi-cardinality approach toward implicit prioritization and evaluation of policies that are easier to understand and rank. This new approach creates an easy-to-read framework, making implementing microsegmentation easier than ever by ensuring the same security posture follows a workload anywhere. With FNS NG, you're free to assign any category (BYOC) you choose and don't have to use AppType or AppTier.

FNS NG includes a ‘many-to-one’ policy model allowing VMs to be part of multiple security policies making security operations more seamless.

But that’s not all.

New, advanced policy life-cycle operations

Policy life cycles are now a snap including the abilities to draft, version, or clone, at will. We have further improved the lists and views to help you better understand your policies. This includes advanced filters, toggle views, enhanced searching capabilities, and an entity-focused visualization experience. Overall, the deployed policies are now more understandable and accountable, facilitating faster auditing, planning, and incident response for more effective security operations.

FNS NG’s advanced policy operations helps manage the life-cycle of a policy to enforce, clone, save, and monitor.

Expanding Enterprise Security Readiness

Deploy new role-based access controls

As Nutanix administrators go deeper in managing security and networking on NCP, the need to plan for microsegmentation projects or distribute roles relating to governing the environment must be available. FNS NG introduces new role-based access controls helping administrators provide viewing roles for Nutanix users. Helpdesk, security operations teams, and networking groups can quickly view FNS NG policies for auditing and alignment.

FNS NG introduces coarse grained role-based access controls for admin and viewer-only user types helping increase security operation awareness.

Unify Security and Networking Operations with FNS NG

Powerful AI and Planning for FNS NG with Security Central

Security Operations is a critical component of modern cybersecurity. The Nutanix Security Central™ solution provides SecOps insight for your applications and workloads on Nutanix Cloud Platform with deep integration into FNS NG. SaaS-based and built on AI, Security Central helps plan for an FNS NG implementation by recommending policies and grouping applications. Starting day one, Security Central will support the monitoring and planning of FNS NG, and for customers wanting to get started with Security Central, you can start your free, cloud service-based trial today

What’s Next?

Flow Network Security Next-Gen is a huge leap forward in helping further solidify your approach to strong defense-in-depth and a zero-trust mindset. From dynamic policies to scaling across your enterprise, building a strong cyber resilient strategy against advanced persistent threats becomes easier than ever with Nutanix. Get started today!

Test Drive Flow Network Security today
Deploy AOS 6.7 and Prism Central 2023.3
Reach out to your Nutanix sales team for a demo or more information

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