We recap the key attributes of file and block storage access and the pros and cons of object storage, a method that offers key benefits but also drawbacks compared with SAN and NAS.

We look at file vs object storage locking mechanisms, how different forms of storage ensure data consistency, and especially how object storage is tackling the challenge.

“The markets for distributed file systems and object storage have merged,” Gartner analysts Julia Palmer, Jerry Rozeman, Chandra Mukhyala, and Jeff Vogel write in their October 19 report. “The ...