Wasabi Object-Based Storage Technology Supporting SSDs

Wasabi Systems has developed an OSD t10 compliant Object Based Storage platform in support of next generation data storage applications. This standards-based solution allows for data stored in files to be combined with descriptive ‘Tags’ or other information about the data (metadata) as one complete entity that can be managed over its entire life cycle.

Wasabi’s new technology affords freedom from the boundaries of all current file system-based approaches since it breaks from the limitations of sectors, blocks and inodes. This makes it particularly suitable as the basis for next generation SSD based storage.

Since objects can be self-describing due to their integral metadata, intelligent storage systems can be built that are capable of self-management and provide new application specific functionality at the storage array level. This capability enables a broad array of new features related to life cycle management of data, particularly in compliance, Web2.0 and archival requirements.

"We applaud the announcement of OSD t10 compatible Object Based Storage from Wasabi," said Benjamin Woo, VP of Storage Research at IDC. "We have closely followed Wasabi’s efforts over the last several months and we believe that their approach can facilitate the inevitable transition to objects that needs to occur in order to provide value from the data we store today."

Wasabi was privately showing its new technology on a prototype OSD Controller in its whisper suite at SNW this week. The prototype demo is a 1U platform containing 4 SSDs; it has two 1GbE management ports and a 10GbE data port. For demonstration purposes Wasabi is showing a Linux client running in a virtual machine on a MAC computer connected to the target and transferring files such as pictures and documents over iSCSI to the OSD target and converting the files to objects.

"With any new technology, whether it be Fibre Channel, iSCSI, SSDs or Objects, there is a disruptive effect in the market and a requirement for broad eco-system participation in moving to more advanced technology," said Frank Logan, Wasabi’s President and CEO. "Object-based storage is one of those breakthrough technologies that ushers in a sea change to the market. It’s likely the biggest change since the SCSI interface was ratified in 1986. We believe our approach is unique in being first with a standards compliant solution completely free of the limitations of legacy file systems yet compatible with today’s infrastructure and block drives."

Solid-state drives bring new benefits to the storage market. Since they are not bound by the block architecture of the past, new methods of data layout that take advantage of the performance characteristics while managing the wear properties efficiently are needed. Wasabi’s Object Based technology is key to this because it allows for better media dependent tuning.

Specific features include:

• 2^64 user objects in each of 2^64 partitions (2^128 objects total) means that each user can be connected to billions of personal objects (photos, movies, notes, etc.) and still not come close to tapping limits
• 2^32 attribute pages per object, each of which can accommodate 2^32 attributes (for a total of 2^64 attributes per object); each attribute value can be up to 64k in size
• Tested scalability to over 10 billion objects on a single 20TB node facilitates data migration and intelligent management