GPFS Project

Project Concluded:   TBD

DB Reference:   dc_stor_gpfs

Last Updated:   April 04, 2023

structure of NAS

Introduction

At present, Windows servers are utilized for the majority of storage nodes due to their ability to easily integrate with AD authentication. However, using Windows servers in the long run can be problematic as they may not always provide reliable service. For example, a file may occasionally fail to delete, and the only solution would be to reboot the entire server. This is unacceptable especially for a storage server, which could have hundreds of active connections to different services. Hence, I am currently searching for an enterprise-level storage solution that can replace Windows without requiring any additional hardware.

It is worth mentioning that solutions from OEMs such as DELL PowerVault or HPE StorEver exist. However, these systems can be costly as they require additional hardware and have limited extendability as they only recognize disks from their own brand, which are several times more expensive. In contrast, IBM's GPFS is an enterprise-grade storage system that is available for free. While I cannot say for certain whether it will be the best solution, it is definitely worth considering and giving a try.