INFRA
INFRA
INFRA
Dell EMC officially joins OpenSDS Project for software-defined storage standards
Three months after an insider revealed that Dell EMC is preparing to join The Linux Foundation’s software-defined storage initiative, the move is now official.
The data center giant today took its place on the OpenSDS Project’s roster of backers alongside fellow array makers Fujitsu Ltd., Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. and Hitachi Data Systems. The three suppliers launched the initiative in October with the goal of creating a common industry standard for managing storage systems. As part of this effort, the group aims to create a universal controller that can automate low-level tasks such as provisioning capacity.
The storage ecosystem stands to benefit in several ways. Most significantly, having a common management layer would save array makers the trouble of building their own controllers and free up more resources for developing value-added features. OpenSDS thus hopes to produce a better selection of products for chief information officers.
From a more technical standpoint, focusing the entire industry’s efforts on a single controller could speed up the adoption of new storage innovations at the management layer. Third-party developers stand to benefit too, since a universal orchestration framework would remove the need to separately certify their software for different suppliers’ equipment.
Dell EMC’s decision to back the OpenSDS represents a major step toward realizing that vision. Because of the company’s dominant position in the storage market, its participation will likely encourage smaller suppliers to join the project as well. And the more firms make their systems compatible with the standard, the closer it will get to becoming a universal industry standard.
An initial prototype of the OpenSDS controller is expected to arrive in second quarter of 2017, while a beta version is set to follow suit shortly thereafter. To aid the effort, Dell EMC is contributing a software development kit for its CoprHD software-defined storage platform that will allow third party suppliers to integrate it with their systems.
Image via Pixabay
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