Storage array vendors should seize cloud storage gateway market Opportunities

Storage array vendors have a problem when the storage array vendor's customers are storing data on the cloud. They have sold their products to these customers, but cloud service providers are usually smarter buyers, and they may be more inclined to come from cheaper and specifically cloud-based products from other vendors. So what does a storage array vendor do?

Their value is not in the disk drive racks but in the software in the storage controller. Customers who use cloud storage may not want storage arrays, but they may want a cloud storage gateway. That device, or software running in a virtual machine, might look like a SAN (storage LAN) array or NAS (network attached storage) device that accesses a server application. In other words, it contains many code stacks from the storage array controller.

For storage array vendors, this represents some possibility. Why not decouple the storage array controller from the storage array and use the controller as the basis for the cloud storage gateway? Other parts of the cloud storage service are not as profound as rocket science. Other technologies simply conserve the amount of data uploaded and downloaded by Remote Storage resources and protect security during transmission.

These technologies include block-level data deduplication and data compression. Most storage array vendors already have these technologies or can access them. For example, they can seek permabit albrieo deduplication, and exar compression hardware. Encryption hardware or software is already available. Then we want more specialized technology, WAN (WAN) optimization.

Storage array vendors can seek authorization for these technologies or acquire a WAN optimization company (such as Silver Peak and Ipanema). Storage array vendors can also develop their own technology, although this takes time.

So are traditional vendors too late to join the cloud storage camp? Ambitious WAN optimization company riverbed and several initial companies are already developing cloud storage gateways.

Riverbed has whitewater equipment, the equipment since the launch of the market has been hot. Several initial companies, such as Bridgestor, Cirtas, Storsimple and Nasuni, have also entered the cloud storage Gateway area.

If the storage array vendors fail to quickly launch the cloud storage gateway, they are likely to be out. Here I envision a conversation between an IBM receptionist and a customer:

The storm is coming.

IBM receptionist: "I know you consider migrating more internal unstructured data to the cloud." Are you interested in using a better and more efficient way to access data in the cloud? ”

Customer: "Yes, I am interested." We have always wanted to improve our operating efficiency. ”

IBM Receptionist: Our CSVC (Cloud San Volume controller) is accessing your cloud storage as if it were accessing your data center's storage Area Network (SAN). This means that your current application storage access methods, policies, processes, and security considerations do not require any change at all. In fact, if the data is encrypted, we are more secure in this way. ”

Customer: I see. Let me show you the riverbed whitewater devices we use in small data centers. Csvc can do, whitewater can do, and whitewater can do more. ”

Sadly, the receptionists of these storage array vendors (whether IBM, EMC, NetApp, or Dell/compellent) then realized that their company was too late to take this opportunity.

(Responsible editor: admin)