MatrixStore Concepts: Clustered Storage (video & text)

The first in a series of very short videos explaining the concepts behind MatrixStore. In this video the concept of clustered storage is tackled. I have used Mac Minis in the video as they are easier to move around my kitchen table than “The MatrixStore” nodes

Get the YouTube version here (had to choose some random music for this .. apologies in advance):

General Clustered Storage Info

SNIA maintain a dictionary of storage related terms. They define a cluster as:

Cluster

“[Computer System] A collection of computers that are interconnected (typically at high speeds) for the purpose of improving reliability, availability, serviceability, load balancing and/or performance.

Often, clustered computers have access to a common pool of storage, and run special software to coordinate the component computers’ activities.”

There is no SNIA definition of “clustered storage”. So here’s one from Jon:

Clustered Storage

“[Computer System] A collection of computers that are interconnected (typically within a LAN) for the purpose of providing a data storage facility (primarily for clients) with the following attributes: reliability, high availability, serviceablity, load balancing and scalablity.

Often, component computers within a clustered storage product pool their individual storage resources to present a single storage location/namespace, and run special software to coordinate the component computers’ activities.”

Clustered storage doesn’t have to be based on commodity hardware or interconnects (think HP RISS, BlueArc, etc. which use specifically built hardware), but it often is. This is to take advantage of commodity hardware pricing whilst relying on the software to create hardware redundancies and to pool resources to allow the solution to meet (and often exceed) previously seen enterprise support levels. 

Clustered storage nearly always provides a single namespace for the pool of storage it provides.

Clustered Storage: Why?

• Lowers costs by allowing commodity components to be used
• Increases scale-up ability (expanding the size of the available storage)
• Increases scale-out ability (removal of out-of-date components without having to replace the whole system) 
• Provides high-availability and hardware redundancy via software 
• Can provide high-level data storage services (encryption, search, data immutability etc)