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The nonvolatile memory express protocol is a huge step forward in maximizing the benefits of flash storage. NVMe puts storage closer to the CPU, reduces latency and increases the amount of parallel sessions for storage devices. NVMe over Fabrics, meanwhile, allows the client host to talk directly to NVMe flash storage across a high-speed network. But it does raise a number of questions. What is the best approach to integrating NVMe flash storage? How well will the protocol and devices work with existing tech?
From the get-go, all-flash data centers seemed attractive. The idea that production databases would respond instantly to requests for unstructured data is extremely appealing. Falling flash prices, unprecedented storage densities and technologies such as compression and deduplication make all-flash seem more reasonable than ever. However, it raises disaster recovery and cost issues.