Post on 01-Dec-2014
description
THE FUNDAMENTALS OF OBJECTS AND OBJECT STORAGE PART 1 OF 3 JEFF LUNDBERG, SENIOR PRODUCT
MARKETING MANAGER
JULY 11, 2012
WEBTECH EDUCATIONAL SERIES
The Fundamentals of Objects and Object Storage
In part 1of 3, objects and object storage are defined, their key attributes
are identified, and the most common use cases for object storage are
described. Join Jeff Lundberg, senior product marketing manager at
Hitachi Data Systems, to learn the fundamentals of object storage and
get answers to your questions.
Attend this WebTech to learn
• What makes an object
• The difference between block, file and object storage
• Key attributes and uses of object store solutions
AGENDA
What is object storage?
What is an object?
What is metadata?
The value of metadata
A bridge to big data
WHAT IS OBJECT STORAGE?
Just like we move photos
from devices to a PC…
‒ Simplify management and use
‒ Organize, protect and share photos
IT uses object stores for
similar reasons
‒ Consolidate and organize
‒ Protect and preserve
‒ Manage and search
AGGREGATE, MANAGE, PROTECT AND USE CONTENT
COMPARISON TO BLOCK STORAGE
Bucket of bits
No meaning attached
‒ One bit string no different from the next
‒ No data intelligence in storage
Operations are against gross
collections of bits, without
knowledge of what the bits
represent to the customer
COMPARISON TO BLOCK STORAGE
Objects take form
‒ Not just a string of bits
From storage subsystem to
software system – called
an object store
Object store itself has
knowledge about data
Now able to perform
complex functions against
the data
Custom Metadata
System Metadata
WHAT IS AN OBJECT?
System Metadata Filename: NZ219983.JPG
Created: January 4, 2012
Last modified: March 23, 2012
Custom Metadata Subject: Castle Point Lighthouse
Place Taken: New Zealand
Category: Travel
Allow sharing: Yes
File
File + Metadata = Object
File Class = Image
WHAT IS METADATA?
Describes the object
‒ Helps you to find the right one
‒ Tells you what it is
‒ The specifications
‒ Used where and when
‒ Access permissions
Any and all objects
‒ Different attributes per object
‒ Add attributes later
WHY IS METADATA IMPORTANT?
Imagine a grocery store with no labels on any of the cans
THINK OF METADATA LIKE THE LABEL ON A CAN
End-user self-service
Automation
Regulatory compliance
Marketing
Disposition
Procedures
Branding
OVER TIME, METADATA CAN BE MORE VALUABLE THAN THE DATA ITSELF
THE POWER OF METADATA
What if data could
describe itself?
Think of how that
could
‒ Simplify management
‒ Facilitate protection
‒ Serve as automation
‒ Reduce costs
‒ Mitigate risk
That’s the power of
an object
Hi there, I am a
PowerPoint file.
I was created by John Doe on January 1, 2011
Only the finance department can look at me
I have not been accessed for 6 months
Save your money, I don’t need to be replicated
I contain information about a merger, so you
should retain me for 10 years in case you get
investigated
Delete me on January 1, 2021 to free up some
storage space and reduce legal exposure
METADATA IN ACTION
<claim id=1203 date=20110925>
<policy id=101>
<party id=1 type=car plate=509445>
<claim id=1203 date=20110925>
<policy id=101>
<estimate id=2344 estimator=124 date=20110930>
<claim id=1203 date=20110930>
<policy id=101>
<invoice id=72273881 vendor=2833>
<policy id=101>
<object type=car
plate=454756>
<customer id=2355>
<tow plate=454756>
MINING METADATA
Identify sets of related objects based on system and
custom metadata
Understand the object store – gather object or content
metrics on sets of objects based on metadata
‒ Content discovery
‒ Return all files owned by "Bob Smith" created after "3/15/2011" with unexpired retention
‒ Return objects with a specific retention class defined
‒ Return objects under retention hold, for litigation purposes
‒ Intelligent directory services
‒ Return all files with the extension "mp3 wav wma" in order to synthesize a "Music" folder
‒ Metrics gathering
‒ What is the size distribution of files in the system?
‒ What percentage of my files are Word documents?
‒ Which owners have generated the most content?
METADATA AS A BRIDGE TO BIG DATA
The first step on the path to big data
Get the data in one place
Mine the metadata
Search the content
Gather metrics
Look for trends
Find relationships among objects
SUMMARY AND NEXT STEPS
Learn more about object storage
‒ Attend parts 2 and 3 of this series
Talk to your application vendors
‒ RESTful HTTP support
‒ What kinds of metadata are supported?
Try it for yourself
‒ Should be easy to deploy, integrate and manage
Determine the right metadata to capture
‒ From machines, applications, users
Start soon to save more and leapfrog competitors
RESOURCES
Object storage
‒ http://www.hds.com/products/file-and-content/content-platform/?WT.ac=us_mg_pro_hcp
Object storage white paper
‒ http://www.hds.com/assets/pdf/distributed-object-store-principles-of-operation.pdf
Object storage overview
‒ http://www.hds.com/assets/pdf/hitachi-solution-profile-object-based-storage.pdf
Object storage in action
‒ http://www.techvalidate.com/product-research/hds-content-archive-platform
QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION
UPCOMING WEBTECHS
July: Object Storage Series
Part 2: The Value of Object Storage for IT, July 18, 9 a.m. PT, 12
p.m. ET
Part 3: How to Use and Develop Applications Designed for Object
Storage, July 24, 9 a.m. PT, 12 p.m. ET
August
Storage Analytics, August 8, 9 a.m. PT, 12 p.m. ET
Check www.hds.com/webtech for
Links to the recording, the presentation and Q&A (available next week)
Schedule and registration for upcoming WebTech sessions
THANK YOU