What is the difference between an optimization and a baseline for capacity planning?

• A. Baseline is current usage; optimization uses dedup/compression and reclaims capacity.
• B. Baseline uses dedup; optimization avoids it.
• C. Optimization is the current usage; baseline is future planning.
• D. Baseline is theoretical; optimization ignores dedup.

Answer: (A)

Baseline is the current capacity usage—the amount of storage already consumed today under existing data and policies. It serves as the reference point for capacity planning. Optimization, on the other hand, focuses on reducing that footprint by applying data-reduction techniques like deduplication and compression and by reclaiming unused space. These steps lower the real amount of physical capacity needed for the same data, moving from the current usage toward a more efficient state. The other options mix up these ideas: baseline isn’t future planning, and optimization doesn’t avoid deduplication or ignore it—it uses it to reclaim capacity.