Scaleable Storage Appliances
Best architecture to meet these demands is a scaleable self-maintaining storage appliance
- appliance: a single-function device optimized to provide one application or service
- consists of software and hardware constructed with that service in mind
- interface to WAN/LAN via standard high-level protocols
- internal implementation hidden
- storage appliance: integrates an application with its data storage in one unit
- scaleable appliance: incrementally scaleable with automatic integration of new resources (e.g., disks)
- self-maintaining appliance: runs autonomously, without human intervention, once initially configured
Examples: e-commerce, decision-support DB, PDA proxy, video server, or online voting appliances