VMworld Briefing Note - Gluster
The Gluster Storage Platform is open source software that runs on DAS or SAN-attached commodity hardware to create a clustered, file-based storage solution. Gluster has no central metadata node, instead uses a hashing algorithm and token system that enables each storage node to resolve mapping to any file, eliminating the need to poll every node. This architecture can be optimized for capacity or performance profiles and it scales into the petabytes. In sports there’s a saying “you can’t teach speed”. Similarly, “you can’t hide high product costs”, says Gluster’s VP of Marketing, Jack O’Brien, referring to the price points proprietary storage systems are forced to charge. Gluster’s open source, software-only format and support licensing by the node, not capacity, allows configurations to maintain economical price points as they grow.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Gluster has just released VMStor, a new virtualization module which provides scalable NAS storage for VMware environments. The user interface is integrated into vSphere providing seamless management for VM admins. It also does VM-level snapshots within the Gluster storage server, freeing up the ESX host CPU. VMStor enables one-button snapshot backups of VM images locally or to the cloud.
VAR Channel Appeal
Gluster is making a strong push to engage storage VARS and has a strong product for the channel. Given the growth in unstructured data and the appeal of NAS solutions, there won’t be a shortage of interest by end users. In the server virtualization space, especially by the mid-market users Gluster is focused on, NAS is emerging as the platform of choice. Gluster provides a flexible solution that VARs can apply to a wide range of use cases, an important characteristic to be successful on a crowded VAR line card. Also, Gluster’s software format involves integration, drags hardware and allows VARs to build a solution, not just sell a box. Gluster currently has over 300 deployments worldwide.
Eric Slack, Senior Analyst
VMworld Briefing Note
Storage Switzerland is at VMworld in force again this year and as in years past we will be doing our best to bring you continuous updates from the event. These reports are quick summaries of our meetings at the show; look for more detailed analysis on our blogs on Network Computing.
