Disk array
A disk array is a disk storage system which contains multiple disk drives. It is differentiated from a disk enclosure, in that an array has cache memory and advanced functionality, like RAID, deduplication, encryption and virtualization.
Components of a disk array include:
- Disk array controllers
- Cache in form of both volatile random-access memory and non-volatile flash memory.
- Disk enclosures for both magnetic rotational hard disk drives and electronic solid-state drives.
- Power supplies
Traditionally disk arrays were divided into categories:
- Network attached storage arrays
- Storage area network arrays:
- * Modular SAN arrays
- * Monolithic SAN arrays
- * Utility Storage Arrays
- Storage virtualization