The News: StorPool recently released the latest version of its software-defined storage platform. The new version 21 release adds several new enhancements to the StorPool software, most notably including erasure coding protection. Read the StorPool press release here.
StorPool Adds Erasure Coding and More in Version 21
Analyst Take: With its latest release, version 21, StorPool continues to update and improve its software-defined storage platform. Notable updates included in v21 include the following:
- New erasure code implementation
- Improved iSCSI scalability
- CloudStack Plug-In improvements
- OpenNebulu Add-On improvements
- OpenStack Cinder Driver improvements
- Proxmox Virtual Environment integration
- Enhanced hardware and software compatibility
- Improved business continuity with VolumeCare Disaster Recovery
The v21 update contains several improvements and enhancements to existing functionalities. Certainly, these all work to improve the platform, but the real standout in v21 is the addition of a new erasure coding capability.
Prior to this announcement, Storage Pool lacked erasure coding capabilities and instead offered protection via replication only. Version 21 adds a Reed-Solomon erasure coding scheme that provides cross-node data protection over a minimum of five nodes. The implementation uses an N+2 scheme capable of protecting data against up to two node failures. StorPool is additionally maintaining its previous replication support with the option to enable either data protection method.
StorPool additionally claims that its erasure coding functionality offers data protection with “virtually no impact on read/write performance.” StorPool utilizes a delayed batch-encoding technique to reduce overhead and minimize any performance impact. This technique writes three copies of data which are later encoded in bulk.
The addition of erasure coding is a notable one for StorPool. The StorPool Storage software-defined storage platform is highly scalable while providing high performance and flexible deployment―however, erasure coding has been a key piece missing until now. Erasure coding protection is often considered a requirement for storage systems and StorPool’s lack of support may have previously hurt its viability for some customers. The addition of erasure coding in StorPool v21 is a significant addition and may increase the overall competitiveness of the product.
Disclosure: The Futurum Group is a research and advisory firm that engages or has engaged in research, analysis, and advisory services with many technology companies, including those mentioned in this article. The author does not hold any equity positions with any company mentioned in this article.
Analysis and opinions expressed herein are specific to the analyst individually and data and other information that might have been provided for validation, not those of The Futurum Group as a whole.
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Author Information
Mitch comes to The Futurum Group through the acquisition of the Evaluator Group and is focused on the fast-paced and rapidly evolving areas of cloud computing and data storage. Mitch joined Evaluator Group in 2019 as a Research Associate covering numerous storage technologies and emerging IT trends.
With a passion for all things tech, Mitch brings deep technical knowledge and insight to The Futurum Group’s research by highlighting the latest in data center and information management solutions. Mitch’s coverage has spanned topics including primary and secondary storage, private and public clouds, networking fabrics, and more. With ever changing data technologies and rapidly emerging trends in today’s digital world, Mitch provides valuable insights into the IT landscape for enterprises, IT professionals, and technology enthusiasts alike.
