Stay Ahead Of Shady Flash Storage Providers

By Rick Delgado, contributing writer

Over the span of just a few years, flash storage has become increasingly useful and, as a result, increasingly popular among businesses. This is in part driven by the influx of Big Data into organizations as companies try their best to analyze it and discover valuable insights. It’s gotten to the point where the traditional hard disk drives in use for decades are quickly being replaced in many instances with the much faster solid-state drives.

A recent Gartner report predicts that, by the end of the current decade, a not insignificant 20 percent of high-end storage arrays will be replaced with the increasingly common solid-state arrays now favored by many organizations. It’s clear that flash storage is turning into a more preferable option, and that means companies are turning to flash storage vendors to satisfy their demand.

Flash storage providers have popped up everywhere, each offering unique products and solutions. As with any vendor, some are straightforward in what they promise, while others are of a shadier nature. Flash storage can be a sizeable investment, so knowing what to look for to avoid the less than reputable providers is a must for businesses looking to get into the flash game.

When it comes to dealing with flash storage vendors, it’s best to look out for a number of red flags. Perhaps one of the most prominent that should grab your attention is when they act like they know about your industry than you do. Many interactions with providers starts with you explaining what you need to get done and how you hope flash storage will provide it. A shady vendor will then talk about how you would be better off with multiple arrays when only one will do just fine.

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