Microsoft has released a paper titled:"Maximizing Storage Efficiency in Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Storage Server 2012 R2". The paper which contains 18 pages examines features in Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Storage Server 2012 R2 that can be used to maximize storage efficiency.
Even though the paper has a high-level of marketing speak, it still provides a good overview of the Storage capabilities provided by the Windows platform. It covers Data Deduplication, Storage Spaces, Thin Provisioning and Trim
The paper contains the following sections:
- Executive Summary
- The Need for More Efficient Storage
- Enterprise Class Storage in Windows Server
- All You Need for Highly Efficient Storage is In the Box
- Data Deduplication
- Storage Spaces
- Thin Provisioning and Trim
- Related Features
- Deployment Scenarios
- Conclusion and Additional Resources
- SAN Performance at a Fraction of the Cost