Hybrid cloud storage

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Hybrid cloud storage, in data storage, is a term for a storage infrastructure that uses a combination of on-premises storage resources with a public cloud storage provider. The on-premises storage is usually managed by the organization, while the public cloud storage provider is responsible for the management and security of the data stored in the cloud. [1] [2]

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Hybrid cloud architecture Cloud computing types.svg
Hybrid cloud architecture

Hybrid cloud storage can be used to supplement an organization's internal storage resources, or it can be used as the primary storage infrastructure. In either case, hybrid cloud storage can provide organizations with greater flexibility and scalability than traditional on-premises storage infrastructure. [1] [2]

There are several benefits to using hybrid cloud storage, including the ability to cache frequently used data on-site for quick access, while inactive cold data is stored off-site in the cloud. This can save space, reduce storage costs and improve performance. Additionally, hybrid cloud storage can provide organizations with greater redundancy and fault tolerance, as data is stored in both on-premises and cloud storage infrastructure. [1]

There are a few drawbacks to hybrid cloud storage as well, including the need to manage two separate storage infrastructures, and the potential for increased costs. Additionally, data stored in the cloud is subject to the security and privacy policies of the cloud storage provider. [1] One challenge in transitioning from traditional storage systems to hybrid cloud storage is that the infinite capacity of the cloud, may lead to accumulation of wasted resources and to uncontrolled spending, if usage is not monitored carefully. [3]

Use cases

Use cases for Hybrid cloud storage include: [3] [4]

Cloud storage gateways

A cloud storage gateway, also known as an edge filer, is a hybrid cloud storage device that connects a local network to one or more cloud storage service, typically an object storage service such as Amazon S3. It provides a cache for frequently accessed data, providing high speed local access to frequently accessed data in the cloud storage service. Cloud storage gateways provide also additional benefits, such as accessing cloud object storage through traditional file serving protocols, as well as continued access to cached data during connectivity outages. [5]

A cloud storage gateway usually consists of a physical or virtual appliance that is deployed on-premises, at the edge of the network. It presents a file system or object storage interface to the local network, which the users can access in the same way they would access any other file system or object storage. The edge filer transparently transfers the data to and from the cloud storage service, providing local access to the data while it is cached on the edge filer. [5]

There are many use cases for a cloud storage gateway, such as providing a high-speed cache for frequently accessed data, providing continued access to data during connectivity outages, and reducing bandwidth costs by reducing the need to communicate over wide area networks.

Global file systems

A global file system is a distributed file system that can be accessed from multiple locations, typically across a wide-area network, and provides concurrent access to a global namespace from all locations. In order for a file system to be considered global, it must allow for files to be created, modified, and deleted from any location. This access is typically provided by a cloud storage gateway at each edge location, which provides access using the NFS or SMB network file sharing protocols. [6]

There are a number of benefits to using a global file system. First, global file systems can improve the availability of data by allowing multiple copies to be stored in different locations, as well as allowing for rapid restoration of lost data from a remote location. This can be helpful in the event of a disaster, such as a power outage or a natural disaster. Second, global file systems can improve performance by allowing data to be cached closer to the users who are accessing it. This can be especially beneficial in cases where data is accessed by users in different parts of the world. Finally, in contrast to traditional Network attached storage, global file systems can improve the ability of users to collaborate across multiple sites, in a manner similar to Enterprise file synchronization and sharing. [6]

While most enterprise network attached storage devices support some forms of cloud extension, a Global File System utilizes a fundamentally different architecture. In a global filesystem, cloud storage – typically object storage – serves as the core storage element, while caching devices are utilized on-premises to provide data access. These devices can be physical but are increasingly available as virtual solutions that can be deployed in a hypervisor. The use of caching devices reduces the amount of required on-premises storage capacity, and the associated capital expense. [7] Global file systems make it easier to manage access to files across dispersed geographic areas. Utilizing the cloud as a central storage location enables users to access the same data regardless of their location. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cache (computing)</span> Additional storage that enables faster access to main storage

In computing, a cache is a hardware or software component that stores data so that future requests for that data can be served faster; the data stored in a cache might be the result of an earlier computation or a copy of data stored elsewhere. A cache hit occurs when the requested data can be found in a cache, while a cache miss occurs when it cannot. Cache hits are served by reading data from the cache, which is faster than recomputing a result or reading from a slower data store; thus, the more requests that can be served from the cache, the faster the system performs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Network-attached storage</span> Computer data storage server

Network-attached storage (NAS) is a file-level computer data storage server connected to a computer network providing data access to a heterogeneous group of clients. The term "NAS" can refer to both the technology and systems involved, or a specialized device built for such functionality.

NetApp, Inc. is an intelligent data infrastructure company that provides unified data storage, integrated data services, and cloud operations (CloudOps) solutions to enterprise customers. The company is based in San Jose, California. It has ranked in the Fortune 500 from 2012 to 2021. Founded in 1992 with an initial public offering in 1995, NetApp offers cloud data services for management of applications and data both online and physically.

Enterprise content management (ECM) extends the concept of content management by adding a timeline for each content item and, possibly, enforcing processes for its creation, approval, and distribution. Systems using ECM generally provide a secure repository for managed items, analog or digital. They also include one methods for importing content to bring manage new items, and several presentation methods to make items available for use. Although ECM content may be protected by digital rights management (DRM), it is not required. ECM is distinguished from general content management by its cognizance of the processes and procedures of the enterprise for which it is created.

A remote, online, or managed backup service, sometimes marketed as cloud backup or backup-as-a-service, is a service that provides users with a system for the backup, storage, and recovery of computer files. Online backup providers are companies that provide this type of service to end users. Such backup services are considered a form of cloud computing.

In computer science, storage virtualization is "the process of presenting a logical view of the physical storage resources to" a host computer system, "treating all storage media in the enterprise as a single pool of storage."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edge computing</span> Distributed computing paradigm

Edge computing is a distributed computing model that brings computation and data storage closer to the sources of data, so that a user of a cloud application is likely to be physically closer to a server than if all servers were in one place. This is meant to make applications faster. More broadly, it refers to any design that pushes computation physically closer to a user, so as to reduce the latency compared to when an application runs on a single data centre. In the extreme case, this may simply refer to client-side computing.

Cloud storage is a model of computer data storage in which data, said to be on "the cloud", is stored remotely in logical pools and is accessible to users over a network, typically the Internet. The physical storage spans multiple servers, and the physical environment is typically owned and managed by a cloud computing provider. These cloud storage providers are responsible for keeping the data available and accessible, and the physical environment secured, protected, and running. People and organizations buy or lease storage capacity from the providers to store user, organization, or application data.

Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) is a cloud computing service model by means of which computing resources are supplied by a cloud services provider. The IaaS vendor provides the storage, network, servers, and virtualization. This service enables users to free themselves from maintaining an on-premises data center. The IaaS provider is hosting these resources in either the public cloud, the private cloud, or the hybrid cloud.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cloud computing</span> Form of shared Internet-based computing

Cloud computing is the on-demand availability of computer system resources, especially data storage and computing power, without direct active management by the user. Large clouds often have functions distributed over multiple locations, each of which is a data center. Cloud computing relies on sharing of resources to achieve coherence and typically uses a pay-as-you-go model, which can help in reducing capital expenses but may also lead to unexpected operating expenses for users.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Microsoft Azure</span> Cloud computing platform by Microsoft

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In computer storage, a global file system is a distributed file system that can be accessed from multiple locations, typically across a wide-area network, and provides concurrent access to a global namespace from all locations. In order for a file system to be considered global, it must allow for files to be created, modified, and deleted from any location. This access is typically provided by a cloud storage gateway at each edge location, which provides access using the NFS or SMB network file sharing protocols.

A cloud storage gateway is a hybrid cloud storage device, implemented in hardware or software, which resides at the customer premises and translates cloud storage APIs such as SOAP or REST to block-based storage protocols such as iSCSI or Fibre Channel or file-based interfaces such as NFS or SMB.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">HP Cloud</span> Set of cloud computing services

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Panzura is a privately owned American software company based in San Jose, California, that provides hybrid-cloud data management software and services for the enterprise software market. Its software helps users access, manage, analyze, and store unstructured data using techniques in distributed data consolidation, artificial intelligence, and network load balancing.

A personal cloud is a collection of digital content and services which are accessible from any device. The personal cloud is not a tangible entity. It is a place which gives users the ability to store, synchronize, stream and share content on a relative core, moving from one platform, screen and location to another. Created on connected services and applications, it reflects and sets consumers’ expectations for how next-generation computing services will work.

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Nasuni is a privately-held hybrid cloud storage company with headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oracle Cloud</span> Cloud computing service

Oracle Cloud is a cloud computing service offered by Oracle Corporation providing servers, storage, network, applications and services through a global network of Oracle Corporation managed data centers. The company allows these services to be provisioned on demand over the Internet.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Jones, Margaret (July 2019). "Hybrid Cloud Storage". SearchStorage.
  2. 1 2 Maplesden, Paul (September 23, 2021). "What is hybrid cloud storage?". ItPro Portal. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  3. 1 2 Brand, Aron (June 26, 2022). "Hybrid Cloud Storage: The Complete Guide". Medium.com.
  4. ↑ Palmer, Julia (May 3, 2021). "Market Guide for Hybrid Cloud Storage". Gartner.
  5. 1 2 Barrett, Mike (July 2014). "Definition: cloud storage gateway". SearchStorage.
  6. 1 2 Pritchard, Stephen (23 June 2022). "Global file systems: Hybrid cloud and follow-the-sun access". Computer Weekly. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  7. 1 2 Lewis, Mitch (September 13, 2022). "Technical Insight: File Storage Selection – NAS vs Global File Systems". Evaluator Group.
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