This is a second post in a series about where cloud computing is headed. In addition to regional cloud computing centers, the need for raw cloud storage is growing. A handful of providers are leading the charge in cloud compute Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS):
These two are the undisputed leaders in delivering this new cloud computing utility. The other day Rackspace open sourced their cloud object storage software under the OpenStack:
OpenStack Object Storage aggregates commodity servers to work together in clusters for reliable, redundant, and large-scale storage of static objects. Objects are written to multiple hardware devices in the datacenter, with the OpenStack software responsible for ensuring data replication and integrity across the cluster. Storage clusters can scale horizontally by adding new nodes, which are automatically configured. Should a node fail, OpenStack works to replicate its content from other active nodes. Because OpenStack uses software logic to ensure data replication and distribution across different devices, inexpensive commodity hard drives and servers can be used in lieu of more expensive equipment. With this new open source cloud storage software, the opportunity for other players to step into the space grows. Not just a standard is being set, but a baseline for delivery cloud storage as a utility. I see immediate opportunities for:
- Local and Regional Storage Centers
- Industry Niche Storage Centers
- Municipal and Government Storage Centers
