Back-End Storage And Servers; Front-End Services; Policy - Acopia Adaptive Resource Switch Cli Maintenance Manual

Introduction
The ARX

Back-end Storage and Servers

Front-end Services

Policy

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The Adaptive Resource Switch aggregates heterogeneous file systems and storage
into a unified pool of file storage resources. Through this unification, you can manage
these resources to adapt to user demands and client applications. File storage assets
can be differentiated based on user-defined attributes, enabling a class-of-storage
model. You can reclaim stranded capacity through policy implementation for more
effective storage utilization, and you can add capacity without disruption. Back-end
resources are monitored for availability and performance, as well as user-access
patterns that drive policy decisions.
The Adaptive Resource Switch acts as an in-band file proxy for the Network File
System (NFS) and Microsoft's Common Internet File System (CIFS) protocols.
Front-end services provide the file virtualization layer that masks the physical file
storage from the user and application. The switch becomes the file access point, as
opposed to the actual physical resource, providing file access through a namespace.
Users and applications maintain a single consistent file path that is transparently
mapped to the proper physical resource where the information resides.
The Adaptive Resource Switch provides policy-based resource switching. Through
policy configuration, you can optimize the placement of files onto the appropriate
storage resources and automatically adapt these resources based on user and
application demand. The ARX performs file replication and migration based on
performance, usage or other life-cycle characteristics, enabling you to implement a
flexible file services strategy. Examples of policies include: migrating files to reclaim
stranded capacity; migrating files across different tiers of storage based on access
patterns and/or value; and replicating frequently accessed files for performance. The
result is more efficient utilization and greater flexibility in file storage management.
CLI Maintenance Guide