With a typical volume only containing 25% of actual user data a massive saving occurs not having to implement the remaining 75% under thin provisioning. Then taking the 25% which has been written and deploying it on more appropriate technologies using a hybrid approach utilizing enterprise technology for active and nearline technology for inactive data using automated ILM affords:

• 20% of the 25% number (active data) going to enterprise disk
• 80% of the 25% number (inactive data) going to nearline disk - compared to enterprise disk, this solution's cost and energy requirement is only a single digit percentage of the enterprise disk when comparing the same amount of usable storage.

Newer generation disk drives will offer specific power saving features.

Longer term, 2.5 inch disk technologies will afford far greater power economies as those devices become mainstream and ultimately replace the current 3.5 inch disk technologies.

SSD technologies, while not economical at the present time, may provide a future option to exploit power savings.

Look to Compellent for future information as these technologies evolve.