SNW F5 Meeting Update
F5 provides a global file system infrastructure that can allow various NAS devices to be represented as a single file system. While the concept has been around for a while and we have seen several companies come and go, the time is now for global file systems. The problem, unstructured data growth, has become severe enough that most data centers have to do something about it, they can't just keep buying more NAS heads.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Beyond just the data growth problem, there has also been growth in the types of tiers that are available to storage managers, all with their unique characteristics. Since those tiers range from high speed SSD, to traditional mechanical drives, to MAID or archive storage and now cloud based storage, figuring out when and how to move data at just the right time to just the right tier is something that storage managers are struggling with.
F5 provides the ability to move data to all those tiers, automatically, by user defined policies. The focus at the show was on that last tier, cloud storage. Their goal is to be the local cloud appliance, replacing all the appliances that cloud providers require their customers to purchase. Standardizing on a standard appliance that is not from your cloud provider provides two distinct abilities that are worth serious consideration.
First, a separate cloud appliance provides the ability to "dual target" your cloud storage, essentially sending cloud based archive data to two cloud destinations simultaneously. It also gives you the ability to automate a "leave" in case you decide to switch cloud providers or you decide to bring the technology in-house.
George Crump, Senior Analyst
SNW Briefing
