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infinite io: Storage Intelligence Directly Into Network With New Controllers

Starts at $60,000.

Infinite io, Inc. announced a generation of controllers that support clustering for enhanced system scale and fault-tolerance.


These controllers put the intelligence to move data freely between traditional storage systems and low-cost clouds directly in the network, eliminating the need for complex overlay file systems and cloud gateways. Data is automatically moved to the most cost-effective and performance-matched location while maintaining a consistent access profile.

infinite io has created something really cool and very differentiated,” said Deni Conner, founding analyst, Storage Strategies-NOW, Inc. “They essentially put a big brain in the network to control the flow of data between storage systems and the cloud. The possibilities for this new network-based technology are near endless.

Radically different – not a storage array, scale-out file system or cloud gateway
The company has taken a different approach to data management. Instead of building another next-generation flash storage array, scale-out file system, or performance-challenged cloud gateway, the team at the company drew upon their experience in data security and network routing to build something unique.

The firm installs in the network like a switch and uses deep packet inspection technology to understand and monitor storage traffic in real time at wire rates. The collected information is used to abstract storage systems and the cloud at the network level, creating a transparent control plane. Clients and servers see a consolidated view of all data that appears just as it did when all data was stored locally on traditional storage, even though the majority of stored data has been migrated to a low-cost cloud. A hybrid cloud environment is created.

The benefits to this different approach are significant: total preservation of existing workflows and storage systems, enhanced performance from existing storage, and IT benefits from an immediate ROI migrating inactive files to a low-cost cloud with no learning curve.

infinite io is doing to the storage industry what ride sharing apps did for transportation. Just like ride sharing apps do not own vehicles, infinite io does not actually store any data. infinite io transparently moves the storage control plane into the network where it belongs, giving IT staff the tools needed to manage today’s explosive data growth on squeezed budgets,” said Mark Cree, CEO, infinite io. “Storage systems do not move data, networks do, and in the age of the world-wide web it’s time to tap into this knowledge base to transform data management.

Faster than an all-flash storage array responding to data about data
Installing in the network like a switch puts the company in a position to remove one of the biggest performance bottlenecks in storage systems. It is very common to have 80% or more of a storage workflow be made up of metadata requests. Metadata is data about data, and storage networking protocols tend to be chatty requesting this information. The company is able to capture metadata requests inflight over the network and respond with a copy of the information directly from memory, in a fraction of the time it takes the fastest all-flash storage arrays to respond. By intercepting these requests before they reach an end-point storage system or cloud, infinite io is able to enhance the performance of data in use whether stored on a storage system or a cloud.

We saw an immediate ROI with infinite io,” said Brett Morrow, senior analyst, systems and storage, AceInfo, National Severe Storms Lab. “After the installation of infinite io, our users experienced a significant improvement in application performance.

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Increased scale and fault-tolerance
These controllers provide expanded connectivity and enhanced fault-tolerance. Multiple controllers can be clustered to form a single logical unit, allowing customers to grow network connections as needed by simply adding controllers. Clusters start with three controllers and twelve 10GbE port pairs. Clustering controllers also provides a level of redundancy that meets or exceeds traditional storage systems and can survive controller, network, and storage system failures.

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These clustered controllers are in beta test and are planned to be released during 2Q17.

Single controller pricing starts at $59,995 and varies by configuration.

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