Thin provisioning optimizes storage utilization and reduces costs

04.03.2011

This ensures that no storage resources are wasted and that applications can function properly. In addition, this technology helps automatically migrate data based on usage patterns. If data in higher tiers has not been used for an extended period of time, it is demoted to lower tiers. Conversely, if data in lower tiers is frequently accessed, it is promoted to higher tiers. Storage efficiency can be greatly improved with this technology.

In terms of tangible benefits, the overarching result of using thin provisioning is it helps significantly reduce costs. With thin provisioning, utilization can be greatly increased and you can get more out of your existing capacity, reducing the need to add new HDDs (hard disk drives). This can generate significant cost savings, which can be particularly important for companies with limited budgets.

These benefits are highlighted by the figure below. With thin provisioning, capacity is dynamically allocated to applications from a consolidated storage pool, eliminating the need for the allocated but unused capacity in full provisioning.

The benefits of delaying new HDD acquisitions are further magnified by the fact that . Delaying acquisitions thereby becomes even more worthwhile.