The new paradigm for employee computing is mobility; the right data at the right time in the right place. Users have made this clear with a willingness to set up their own cloud-based file sharing services, even at work. Companies are responding to this new paradigm by implementing Enterprise File Sync and Share (EFSS) solutions as well. One of these, Hitachi Content Platform (HCP) Anywhere from Hitachi Data Systems, can deliver the features that end users demand while supporting the flexibility, security and operational simplicity that IT organizations need. Hitachi Data Systems recently announced some upgrades to the underlying HCP storage system and the HCP S10, a new object storage node for creating a low-cost, capacity tier for HCP.
HCP Anywhere
HDS’s HCP Anywhere is an EFSS solution that’s actually used internally, by 5500 HDS employees. But the thing that makes HCP Anywhere different is that it’s built on top of Hitachi Content Platform. IT needs to have flexibility with where they store that data; in the data center, in the cloud or both, and how they move data between these different platforms and locations. HCP provides a single integrated storage solution that extends data storage, management and control from any number of local, data center storage resources to public and private clouds as well. HCP Anywhere now supports mobile access to data on local NAS resources, not just in the cloud.
Hitachi Content Platform 7.1
HCP is an object-based storage solution that provides the flexibility IT needs to support the new paradigm of enterprise mobility. Besides the users’ “any file, any device, anywhere” mandate, mobility also refers to enabling placement of and access to the greatest breadth of data. Beyond providing support for a new low-cost, object-based storage tier, HCP 7.1 allows companies to leverage the power of open source environments with OpenStack Swift compatibility. HCP can now seamlessly integrate with other OpenStack projects including the Nova compute, Keystone authentication, Horizon user interface and Glance VM image management services.
HCP S10 Object Storage Node
The HCP S10 is a new storage node, a 4U disk tray with 60 hard disk drives, dual servers, four x 10GbE data connections and a 1GigE connection for control. With 224TB of raw capacity the S10 gives HCP the capability for incremental growth, up to 17.9 PB (80 nodes). This is the first in Hitachi’s “S” family of storage that will see larger capacity nodes in the future. It supports the S3 (Simple Storage Service) protocol and erasure coding, making it ideal for large capacity data sets that must be kept on-site, instead of in the cloud.
Hitachi Data Ingestor
HDI is a cloud gateway or ‘on ramp’ that enables a company to offer file services to remote offices or cloud storage users. HDI acts as a local cache, providing users and applications with an ‘elastic’ cloud tier that seamlessly keeps the most active data on local storage. New upgrades for HDI now eliminate the need for VPN connections between HDI and HCP.
StorageSwiss Take
File sync and share is becoming a fact of life for corporate IT. Employees have made it clear they want their data available, whenever and wherever they choose, and they’ll use consumer cloud solutions if they have to. HDS HCP Anywhere gives them an enterprise-class FS&S solution from an enterprise-class supplier that’s an extension of their existing infrastructure, not a bolt-on product that was designed for consumers.
With HCP Anywhere and the new S10 storage node, IT has maximum flexibility in how they deploy this EFSS solution. They can run it on existing local storage, on scale-out object storage or in the cloud, and easily keep data on the most appropriate storage platform.
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Eric is an Analyst with Storage Switzerland and has over 25 years experience in high-technology industries. He’s held technical, management and marketing positions in the computer storage, instrumentation, digital imaging and test equipment fields. He has spent the past 15 years in the data storage field, with storage hardware manufacturers and as a national storage integrator, designing and implementing open systems storage solutions for companies in the Western United States. Eric earned degrees in electrical/computer engineering from the University of Colorado and marketing from California State University, Humboldt. He and his wife live in Colorado and have twins in college.
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