Physical Storage SAN RAID etc

In data mining and warehousing, physical storage refers to the actual hardware devices used to store data, such as hard drives, solid-state drives, and magnetic tapes. These devices are organized into storage arrays, such as Storage Area Networks (SANs), to provide high-speed access to large amounts of data.

RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) is a technology used in storage arrays to improve data reliability and performance. RAID arrays use multiple hard drives to store data and distribute it across the drives in various configurations, providing redundancy and allowing for fast read and write speeds.

In data mining and warehousing, RAID configurations such as RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 are commonly used to provide fault tolerance, data redundancy, and improved performance. RAID 0, for example, distributes data across multiple disks for faster read and write speeds, but provides no redundancy. RAID 1 mirrors data across multiple disks for redundancy, but with no performance improvement.

Storage Area Networks (SANs) are another important technology in data mining and warehousing. SANs are networks of storage devices that provide centralized storage and data management for multiple servers. SANs allow for high-speed data transfer and provide access to large amounts of data for analysis and mining purposes.

In summary, physical storage, RAID configurations, and SAN technology are essential components in data mining and warehousing. These technologies provide fast access to large amounts of data while ensuring data reliability, redundancy, and fault tolerance.