Definition
Thin provisioning is a storage management method that allocates disk space on demand among multiple users. This means that space is only allocated as data is written instead of reserving the full storage up front.
It helps to optimize storage usage by enabling multiple users or systems to share storage resources while minimizing unused capacity.
Thin Provisioning Applications
- Virtual servers: Thin provisioning allocates only the required storage to each server in a virtual environment, minimizing excess storage usage.
- Cloud computing: Cloud services use thin provisioning to efficiently apportion storage for multiple clients, maximizing space while minimizing costs.