Thick Provisioning Storage is a provisioning mode where virtual-volume capacity is physically reserved at creation time, fully or according to implementation.
Simple definition
Thick Provisioning Storage is a provisioning mode where virtual-volume capacity is physically reserved at creation time, fully or according to implementation. It belongs to the Storage vocabulary and is useful when reading architecture diagrams, product documentation, logs, or administration procedures.
What is it used for?
Its main purpose is to guarantee dedicated capacity and reduce overcommit risk associated with thin provisioning. The practical value depends on the surrounding architecture, security model, and operational requirements.
How does it work?
The system reserves space for the volume in the pool/datastore even if the guest system has not yet written all that data.
Key points
- Scope: A provisioning mode where virtual-volume capacity is physically reserved at creation time, fully or according to implementation.
- Operational goal: Guarantee dedicated capacity and reduce overcommit risk associated with thin provisioning.
- Implementation: The system reserves space for the volume in the pool/datastore even if the guest system has not yet written all that data.
Points to watch
Document topology and dependencies before changes; a pool, tiering, or multipath mistake can cause access loss or severe degradation.
In short
Thick Provisioning Storage = a provisioning mode where virtual-volume capacity is physically reserved at creation time, fully or according to implementation. Use it when you need to guarantee dedicated capacity and reduce overcommit risk associated with thin provisioning.