Guide to Storage Virtualization

Importance: Storage virtualization is critical as it helps in optimizing resources by pooling physical storage from multiple network storage devices, and handles them as a single storage device. It improves efficiency by simplifying storage management, providing flexibility, and improving scalability.

What is Storage Virtualization? It is a data storage process that allows the user to manage physical hard disk drives from multiple network storage devices and handle them as if they were on a single storage device. The key principle is the abstraction of logical storage from physical storage.

How it works: The process begins by separating physical storage capacity into multiple virtual storage devices that can be managed and operated independently. The administrator uses a central management console to monitor and control the virtual storage.

Exam Tips - Answering Questions on Storage Virtualization:
- Understand basic concepts such as storage pools and abstraction.
- Get familiar with the benefits and limitations of storage virtualization.
- Know the different types of storage virtualization - block and file level.
- Understand the role of storage virtualization in cloud computing and data centers.
- Practice with situational questions that test your knowledge of when and why to use storage virtualization.
- Be able to compare and contrast storage virtualization with other kinds of virtualization.
- Know the potential security considerations with storage virtualization.
Remember, successful exam preparation involves understanding the key concepts and applying them in different scenarios.