When I was a child, about four or five years old, my dad told me a joke. It wasn't a very funny joke, but it stuck in my mind because of what happened next. The joke went like this: Dad: "What's big at the bottom, small at the top and has ears?" Me: "I … Continue reading Understanding Disk: Caching and Tiering →

Storage for DBAs: In a recent news article in the UK, supermarket giant Tesco said it threw away almost 30,000 tonnes of food in the first half of 2013. That's about 33,000 tons for those of you who can't cope with the metric system. The story caused a lot of debate about the way in … Continue reading Understanding Disk: Over-Provisioning →

Storage for DBAs: The year 2000. Remember that? The IT industry had just spent years making money off the back of the millenium bug (which turned out not to exist). The world had spent even more money than usual on fireworks, parties and alcohol. England failed to win an international football tournament again (some things … Continue reading Understanding Disk: Mechanical Limitations →

Storage for DBAs: It's a familiar worn-out story. A downtrodden and oppressed population are rescued from their plight by a mysterious superhero. Over time they come to rely on this new superbeing - taking him for granted even, complaining when he isn't immediately available to save them and alleviate their pain. As the years progress, memories … Continue reading Understanding Disk: Superpowers →