Main Definition
File analytics refers to the analysis of file system metadata and activity such as file size, age, type, access frequency, and ownership to generate insight into how storage is being used across an organization.
Unlike content-based analysis, file analytics typically doesn’t need to read file contents, making it fast and non-intrusive even at petabyte scale. File analytics is the foundation for nearly every cost- and risk-reduction initiative in storage management: it identifies ROT data, informs tiering decisions, supports chargeback models, and flags unusual access patterns that could indicate security issues. Without file analytics, these decisions are typically made on rough estimates rather than actual usage data, leading to inefficient storage spend and missed reclamation opportunities.
Traditional file analytics tools are often tied to specific storage vendors and limited in the scale they can handle.
Starfish takes a different approach. Its Unstructured Data Catalog collects file analytics across multiple file systems, vendors, and tiers. It works at multi-PB scale to give IT managers a complete picture of their file systems’ health, allowing them to build comprehensive and ongoing storage optimization strategies.
Related links
- File Storage System Design | System Design School
- Starfish Storage Announces New Tools for Managing Data and Storage Costs at Extreme Scale | Starfish Storage
