Local and shared storage comparison
The following table is a comparison of both the local and shared storage for a quick reference:
Features | Local storage | Shared storage |
VM live migration | No | Yes |
High availability | No | Yes, when used in distributed shared storage |
Cost | Lower | Significantly higher |
I/O performance | Native disk drive speed | Slower than the native disk drive speed |
Skill requirements | No special storage skills required | Must be skilled in the shared storage option used |
Expandability | Limited to available drive bays of a node | Expandable over multiple nodes or racks when multinode or distributed shared storage is used |
Maintenance complexity | Virtually maintenance free | Storage nodes or clusters require regular monitoring |