Editing Disk array (section)

[[File:HP EVA4400-1.jpg|thumb|HP EVA4400 storage array, consisting of 2U controller enclosure (top) and 4 2U disk shelves]]
A '''disk array''' is a [[disk storage]] system which contains multiple disk drives.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/disk_array.html|title=What is Disk Array Definition? Webopedia Definition|last=Beal|first=Vangie|website=www.webopedia.com|language=en|access-date=2020-04-07}}</ref>  It is differentiated from a [[disk enclosure]], in that an array has [[cache (computing)|cache]] memory and advanced functionality, like [[redundant array of independent disks|RAID]], [[Data deduplication|deduplication]], [[encryption]] and [[Storage virtualization|virtualization]].

Components of a disk array include:<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.dnsstuff.com/storage-array|title=What Is a Storage Array? Data Server and Disk Architecture|date=2019-10-10|website=DNSstuff|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-07}}</ref>

* [[Disk array controller]]s
* [[Cache (computing)|Cache]] in form of both volatile [[random-access memory]] and [[Non-volatile memory|non-volatile]] [[flash memory]].
* [[Disk enclosure]]s for both [[Magnetic storage|magnetic]] rotational [[hard disk drive]]s and electronic [[solid-state drive]]s.
* [[Power supply|Power supplies]]
Typically a disk array provides increased availability, resiliency, and maintainability by using additional redundant components (controllers, power supplies, fans, etc.), often up to the point where all [[single point of failure|single points of failure]] (SPOFs) are eliminated from the design.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://searchstorage.techtarget.com/definition/array|title=What is disk array? - Definition from WhatIs.com|website=SearchStorage|language=en|access-date=2020-04-07}}</ref> Additionally, disk array components are often [[Hot swapping|hot-swappable]].

Traditionally disk arrays were divided into categories:<ref name=":1" />

* [[Network attached storage]] (NAS) arrays
* [[Storage area network]] (SAN) arrays:
** Modular SAN arrays
** Monolithic SAN arrays
** Utility Storage Arrays
* [[Storage virtualization]]

Primary vendors of storage systems include [[Coraid, Inc.]], [[DataDirect Networks]], [[Dell EMC]], [[Fujitsu]], [[Hewlett Packard Enterprise]], [[Hitachi Data Systems]], [[Huawei]], [[IBM]], [[Infortrend]], [[NetApp]], [[Oracle Corporation]], [[Panasas]], [[Pure Storage]] and other companies that often act as [[OEM]] for the above vendors and do not themselves market the storage components they manufacture.<ref name=":0" />