Earlier on my other blog http://itblog.rogerlund.net , I posted a blog post on Dell DX object based storage, with regards to the hands on labs at Dell Storage Forum 2011.

Here is the video , if you missed it..

Well, I wanted to show what was running the labs, and give you some more information on the architecture on Dell DX object based storage.

As a overview, of what OSD is

“ Object storage device

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An Object-based Storage Device (OSD) is a computer storage device, similar to disk storage but working at a higher level. Instead of providing a block-oriented interface that reads and writes fixed sized blocks of data, an OSD organizes data into flexible-sized data containers, called objects. Each object has both data (an uninterpreted sequence of bytes) and metadata (an extensible set of attributes describing the object). The command interface to the OSD includes commands to create and delete objects, write bytes and read bytes to and from individual objects, and to set and get attributes on objects. The OSD is responsible for managing the storage of objects and their metadata. The OSD implements a security mechanism that provides per-object and per-command access control.

Several research projects have explored object storage and implemented prototype systems with various semantics. The early research spawned a standardization effort that lead to a standard OSD command set for SCSI.”

Here is Dell’s introduction to their product.

“

What is object storage?

Object storage is the intelligent evolution of disk storage – creating, storing and distributing variable-sized data objects, and their associated metadata, rather than simply placing blocks of data on tracks and sectors. Each object has its rich metadata inextricably linked to it, enabling long-term preservation while ensuring data remains safe and accessible over time.

Simple architecture
A flat-address-space design removes file-system complexity and the need to manage LUNs and RAID groups.

Cost-effectiveness
Automated management, SATA and near-line SAS based storage and modular scaling approach offers low total cost of ownership.

Metadata
By incorporating metadata into objects, you can apply preservation, retention and deletion policies, lower management resources, and facilitate enhanced discovery.

Enhanced scalability
An extremely large number of available addresses means a common pool of storage can support literally billions of objects.”

Taken from http://www.dell.com/us/en/enterprise/storage/dell-dx/pd.aspx?refid=dell-dx&cs=555&s=biz

 

Here are some resources form the Dell DX Object based Storage webpage.

“Dell DX Object Storage Spec Sheet

Dell DX Object Storage Platform – Remote Replication Configuration

Dell DX Object Storage Platform – Remote Synchronous Replication Configuration

Dell DX Object Storage Platform – Advanced Storage Node Configuration “

Towards the end of the Dell Storage Forum’s 2011 event, I got some time to look at the rack running the above labs., enjoy! 

I hope you enjoyed this blog post.

Thanks!

Roger L