Block storage is a type of data storage that uses raw storage volumes called “blocks” to store data. Commonly used in SAN, iSCSI, and local disk environments, each of these blocks can function as a stand-alone hard drive.
A block file is a type of file that is stored in blocks. Companies usually use block files when they require speedy, accurate, and efficient data transfer, such as when retrieving information from a database. Operating systems such as Linux and Windows can access the blocks via Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE), Fibre Channel, or iSCSI protocols.
With block storage, each block contains a specific amount of data, typically 256KB to 4MB. Each block represents a portion of a file that isn’t organized in any specific hierarchical order. In fact, the data on blocks sitting beside neighboring blocks may be completely unrelated to each other.
Each block has its own unique identifier to differentiate it from other blocks. When a file needs to be retrieved, an application will send a request, and the blocks will be located and assembled.
Besides the identifier, the blocks don’t contain any metadata. Because of the lack of metadata, block storage is very efficient since almost all the block’s storage capacity stores the actual data. There’s no wasted space. This makes block storage ideal for workloads that require rapid scale-up and fast read/write performance.
Directly used by an operating system and available as volumes, block storage can carry out a wide range of tasks. In fact, block storage is the most popular type of storage for most applications.
Some popular use cases for block storage include:
Like any technology, block storage has its pros and cons. That said, the advantages of block storage are clear: It's best suited for high performance and fast data access.
Here are three key benefits of using block storage:
Of course, block storage also has its drawbacks. There's no denying that it can be more expensive than other forms of storage and it may not be the best solution for all workloads.
Some disadvantages of block storage include:
The three most common types of data storage solutions are block, file, and object. They each have their own unique features and limitations, which means an enterprise-wide system can’t be "one size fits all."
Some of the major distinctions between block, file, and object storage are as follows:
It's no secret that data is becoming more and more important by the day, but traditional storage solutions can no longer keep up. Not only are they slow and unreliable, but they also can be expensive.
Pure Storage offers a better way. Our all-flash block storage products, such as FlashArray//C, FlashArray//X, and FlashArray//XL are designed for performance, simplicity, and reliability.
An all-flash array (AFA) contains only flash memory drives in place of spinning disk drives and offers:
To learn more about how Pure Storage can help you get the most out of your block storage, contact us today
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