StorONE is offering updated storage tiering with AI-powered TierONE software and improved data protection with SnapONE.
The company claims customers don’t need all-flash array (AFA) systems to get fast performance, saying its new software release offers “superior performance and cost savings by automatically tiering data based on access frequency.”
The company announced faster auto-tiering and vSNAP features in its v3.8 S1 software release last June. Now it has improved both features with a v3.9 release, adding quicker NAS performance, automated storage unit provisioning, a modernized GUI, and scheduled, customized PDF reports on S1’s operations.
CEO Gal Naor stated: “StorONE is delivering, for the first time, a solution for storing cold data that meets three seemingly contradictory requirements: extremely high-performance writes, long-term data storage at a low cost, and immediate availability of the data for customer use.”
S1 provides performant and affordable block, file, and object storage from a single array formed from clustered all-flash and hybrid flash+disk nodes. TierONE dynamically optimizes data placement across SSD and disk drive tiers, providing real-time insights and recommendations, “cuts storage costs by over 50 percent for inactive data without compromising performance, manages data movement between tiers in the background, and allows users to configure flash usage for active data held in the flash tier.” The exact way it does this has not been revealed.
The S1 software already converts application random writes into sequential writes when moved to lower and slower tiers like HDD. They are written to disk faster than random writes, with write speeds up to 18 GBps. Writes to SSDs are managed in such a way as to reduce subsequent garbage collection activities that cause additional writes, slowing down the SSD.
Naor says: “Until now, customers had no alternative and were forced to pay 2-3 times more for AFA systems or endure very long recovery times from off-line media.” S1 can provide recovery from disk media.
SnapONE “revolutionizes data protection snapshots with file-level tracking and restoring individual files, streamlined restores for intuitive recovery and snapshot summaries.” This provides better recovery from ransomware attacks.
v3.9 automates full data services provisioning, such as NAS, block, or object volumes, achieving simplified management. With this automation, “application managers can handle volume creation without technical expertise.”
StorONE says a redesigned, user-friendly interface enhances workflows and usability based on customer feedback. Detailed and custom S1 operations reports can be configured and sent automatically, saving admin time.
This software release should improve S1 operations for StorONE’s customers and give its resellers fresh ammunition when selling against AFA competition from suppliers such as Dell, HPE, Hitachi Vantara, Huawei, IBM, Lenovo, NetApp, and Pure Storage. You don’t need to spend big money on all-flash systems when StorONE’s software finesse can tweak extra performance from hybrid flash+disk systems. And if you do need all-flash systems, StorONE says it can make them go faster as well.
Marc Staimer, CEO of Dragon Consulting, offered his thoughts on the release: “StorONE’s auto-tiering solution delivers Tier-1 performance with Tier-2 costs. By dynamically reallocating resources, the platform allows businesses to maximize efficiency and reliability, offering exceptional value in the storage market.”
