Storage pool types
To help you determine which storage pool type best meets your storage requirements, you should evaluate the characteristics of each storage pool type.
Use the following table to evaluate each type of storage pool.
| Storage pool type | Description | Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Directory-container storage pool | A primary storage pool that a server uses to store data. Data that is stored in directory-container storage pools uses both inline data deduplication and client-side data deduplication. | Use when you want to deduplicate data inline. By using directory-container storage pools, you
remove the need for volume reclamation, which improves server performance and reduces the cost of
storage hardware. You cannot use this type of storage pool for storage pool backup, migration, reclamation, import or export operations. |
| Cloud-container storage pool | A primary storage pool that a server uses to store data. Use cloud-container storage pools to store data to an object-store based cloud storage provider. Data that is stored in cloud-container storage pools uses both inline data deduplication and client-side data deduplication. | By storing data in cloud-container storage pools, you can exploit the cost per unit
advantages that clouds offer along with the scaling capabilities that cloud storage provides. You cannot use this type of storage pool for storage pool backup, migration, reclamation, encryption, import or export operations. |
| Random-access storage pool | A set of volumes that the server uses to store backup versions of files, files that are archive copies, and files that are migrated from client nodes. Files are stored on DISK devices. | Use this type of storage pool to keep a copy of your data on DISK devices. You can migrate data in or out of this storage pools. |
| Sequential-access storage pool | A set of volumes that the server uses to store backup versions of files, files that are archive copies, and files that are migrated from client nodes. Files are stored on tape or FILE devices. Data that is stored in sequential-access storage pools uses both postprocess and client-side data deduplication. | Use this type of storage pool to keep a copy of your data on TAPE devices. You can migrate data into this type of storage pool. |
| Copy storage pool | A named set of volumes that contain copies of files that reside in primary storage pools. Copy storage pools are used only to back up the data that is stored in primary storage pools. A copy storage pool cannot be a destination for a backup copy group, an archive copy group, or a management class (for space-managed files). | Use copy storage pools to have a copy of active and inactive data that you can restore to a
primary storage pool after a disaster or outage. You cannot use inline data deduplication, compression, replication, or data deduplication with this type of storage pool. |
| Container-copy storage pool | A set of tape volumes that contain a copy of deduplicated extents that reside in a directory-container storage pool. Container-copy storage pools are used only to protect the data that is stored in directory-container storage pools. Container-copy storage pools are used to repair damage in a directory-container storage pool or to restore a directory-container storage pool if a disaster occurs. Container-copy storage pools are stored on sequential media. | Use container-copy storage pools to store copies of directory-container storage pools onsite or offsite. Damaged data in directory-container storage pools can be repaired by using the deduplicated extents in a container-copy storage pool. |
| Active-data storage pool | A named set of storage pool volumes that contain only active versions of client backup data. | Use active-data storage pools to restore active only data to primary storage pools after a
disaster or outage. By restoring active only data you can restore client data quicker and you use
less bandwidth. You cannot use inline data deduplication, compression, replication, or data deduplication with this type of storage pool. |
Use the following table to compare storage pool capabilities and choose the storage pool that most suits your business needs based on your storage requirements.
| User goal | Directory-container storage pool | Cloud-container storage pool | Random-access storage pool | Sequential-access storage pool | Copy storage pool | Container-copy storage pool | Active-data storage pool |
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| Protect storage pool data through node replication. |  |
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| Reduce storage needs by using inline compression. | |
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| Reduce storage needs by using inline data deduplication. | |
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| Reduce storage needs by using client-side data deduplication. | |
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| Reduce storage needs by using postprocess data deduplication. | |
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| Protect storage pool data through storage pool protection. | |
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| Back up storage pool data by using copy storage pools on disk or tape. | |
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| Store data in a cloud. | |