Data growth is increasing rapidly in the course of digitization. New options for analysis build on the data volumes and make the mass collection of unstructured data attractive. Applications from the context of IoT also generate data on a large scale.
The enormous increase in data volumes raises the question of a suitable storage strategy. Companies are faced with the problem of how to store and manage the large volumes of unstructured data in the best possible way. This data is for the most part inactive. Therefore, they are misplaced on high-performance storage, as they occupy unnecessarily expensive storage capacities there. If this data is stored on primary storage systems, the storage space allocated for active, "hot" data is quickly used up. As a result, costs and time for backup increase unnecessarily.
Companies therefore need a solution for managing unstructured and inactive data. A reorientation in data storage may be necessary.
Cloud and object storage for unstructured data
Cloud and object storage are of particular interest here. They are characterized by great flexibility and scalability and are particularly suitable for unstructured data. Cloud storage is available flexibly and according to requirements. Billing is usually based on the capacity used and on usage. Maintenance work by your own IT personnel is not necessary.
Object storage on on-premises storage media is also a cost-effective solution for companies to store inactive, unstructured data.
Whether to choose an on-premises solution or an off-premises solution depends on various factors. Storing unstructured data in the public cloud is generally less expensive. Cloud storage is therefore particularly suitable for large volumes of inactive data that does not need to be accessed regularly.
However, if applications are to access the stored data more frequently, it is again advisable to manage it in local object storage.
Very different, individual and hybrid models are conceivable here. For example, if companies use several target storage locations, they can increase data security through a technological and geographical break. A multi-cloud approach, with which data is stored with several different cloud providers, reduces dependence on a single provider.
Cloud and Object Store Integration
To integrate the storage media and technologies used into the existing infrastructure, a reliable software solution for storage and data management is required. Particularly when it comes to archiving large amounts of unstructured data on cloud or object storage, it is important that the software automatically stores the data without disrupting operations. At the same time, access to the archived data must continue to be possible without problems.
The software must also be manufacturer-independent and support standardized interfaces. This enables companies to implement a hybrid storage infrastructure and benefit from the advantages of different storage technologies.
Rule-based file tiering and archiving in cloud and object storage
PoINT Storage Manager offers a solution for the integration of cloud and object storage into your existing infrastructure. The software performs a rule-based file archiving where primary storage data is moved to cloud or object stores. User access to all data remains transparent through the familiar user interface.
PoINT Storage Manager allows you to remain flexible with regard to a hybrid storage infrastructure optimized for your purposes: PoINT software supports a wide range of storage technologies independent of manufacturers. You benefit from the advantages of the storage media used on the respective storage level - be it performance or scalability.
Thus, within the scope of PoINT Storage Manager's hybrid multi-tiered storage architecture also cloud and object storage can be used without any problems - in combination with NAS, tape and optical systems.
Integration of Cloud and Object Storage with PoINT Storage Manager
In PoINT Storage Manager the cloud and object storage is integrated via connectors. The list of certified cloud and object storage products and services includes
- Amazon Web Services
- Caringo Swarm
- Cloudian HyperStore
- EMC ECS
- Hitachi Content Platform (HCP)
- IBM COS
- Microsoft Azure
- NetApp StorageGRID Webscale
- ObjectMatrix MatrixStore
- Quantum ActiveScale
- Scaleway Object Storage
- Scality Ring
- RSTOR Space
- SUSE Enterprise Storage
- Wasabi Cloud Object Storage
PoINT Storage Manager uses a standard file system to integrate the different storage systems into a hybrid storage infrastructure. Thus, the software allows maximum flexibility in implementing a storage architecture optimized for your purposes.
Secure Archiving of Data Volumes in the Petabyte Range
In the area of big data applications and analytics, data volumes often accumulate in the petabyte range. Our software PoINT Archival Gateway writes these data on tape with high performance and via a standardized S3 interface. PoINT Archival Gateway manages the integration of tape libraries as object storage, thus combining the advantages of object storage systems with the security and cost efficiency of tape as storage medium.
![[Translate to en:] Das Datenblatt handelt vom PoINT Storage Manager mit Connectoren für Cloud und Objekt Storage Integration.](/fileadmin//user_upload/datenblaetter/datenblatt-psm-connector-for-cloud-object-storage.jpg "PSM-EE-Connector-Cloud-Object")
