Which VPLEX component is responsible for metadata storage?

The VPLEX Engine is pivotal for metadata storage as it is the core component of the VPLEX system responsible for managing the distributed data in a Virtual Storage Area Network (VSAN). It handles the coordination between different storage resources and maintains the necessary metadata for data consistency and availability across the entire VPLEX infrastructure. This metadata includes information about the state and configuration of storage devices, virtual volumes, and the overall architecture, allowing for seamless access and management of data across multiple locations.

The VPLEX Manager plays a key role in the administrative tasks such as configuration, monitoring, and managing the deployment of VPLEX resources, but it does not directly store metadata. The VPLEX Gateways serve as the access points for host systems to connect to storage resources but again are not responsible for the storage of metadata. Lastly, the VPLEX Virtual Machine is a conceptual entity associated with the virtualization aspect of the VPLEX architecture and does not have a role in metadata storage. Thus, the VPLEX Engine is the correct choice when identifying the component specifically designated for this function.