CAStor file system gateway brings third-generation content-addressed storage to ISVs and SIs without needing new code or a lot of integration.Content-addressed storage provider Caringo Nov. 16 introduced the beta version of a new file system gateway that it claims gives systems integrators and ISVs a simpler way to deploy high-end CAS architectures for business applications.
Content-addressable storage, also referred to as associative storage or abbreviated CAS, is a mechanism for storing information that can be retrieved based on its content, not its storage location.
It is typically used for high-speed storage and retrieval of static content, such as documents stored for compliance with government regulations.
CAS has become a hot option for companies revamping their data storage centers due to new federal e-discovery rules that will begin to be enforced Dec. 1.
The CAStor File System Gateway provides CAS functionality through standard file interfaces at a lower cost that was not possible in the past, a company spokesperson told eWEEK.
The new gateway provides a quick way to begin implementing CAStor and requires no code, no changes to existing applications and no complex integration, the spokesperson said.
CAStor FSG runs on a server of a standard x86-based commodity hardware platform and connects to the CAStor Cluster via standard Gigabit Ethernet.
CAStor FSG is fully multi-threaded and uses connection pooling to maximize throughput to and from the CAStor Cluster.
Additional CAStor FSG nodes can easily be added to provide more access points into CAStor, allowing "massive" parallel scalability, the spokesperson said.
"The benefits of CAS are best realized in vertical areas where there are industry-specific business applications generating the bulk of the content," said CEO Mark Goros of Caringo, based in Austin, Texas.
Goros said this includes applications such as medical imaging, security camera footage, newspaper archives, voice and e-mail messages and check image storage.
"Yet many existing applications require legacy file systems using local disks, NAS or SAN," Goros added.
Click here for advice on how to implement content-addressed storage.
CAStor FSG enables admins to set policies, permissions and constraints for fixed content to meet internal goals and/or to assure regulatory compliance.
Once these policies are configured, CAStor transparently monitors data and enforces these policies, ensuring the correct number of replicas for a particular file, verifying file life-cycle information and managing secure deletion.
A multi-threaded, client-pooling architecture provides high throughput and scalability, Goros said.
Additional features of CAStor FSG, according to Goros, include:
A standard MySQL database already configured and ready to use
Full support for Oracle databases
High availability for databases and other critical apps through easy mirroring
Easy database querying to discover information such as the file name, the UUID mapped to the file, last access, last modification, permissions, file size and type, and the user ID
Standalone operation or integration with existing user directories using standard authentication methods such as Active Directory/Kerberos
Straightforward administration and reporting capabilities
CAStor FSG is available now as a free beta version. Go here for more information. Final distribution is likely to be spring 2007.
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