As big data gets even bigger, enterprise-class companies are discovering their need for a cloud storage option that is powerful, agile and affordable. Although these qualities are possible with traditional cloud storage, they can’t be guaranteed 100 percent of the time.
This is largely because traditional cloud storage isn’t persistent, but ephemeral. In a nutshell, this means when a cloud server goes down, so does your data. Additionally, traditional cloud storage isn’t versatile enough for a large company needing to manage big data in the cloud. Traditional cloud storage also doesn’t offer an affordable way to implement high-performance storage systems.
With the demands arising from large-enterprise corporations for solutions to big data storage problems, it’s clear that the future of enterprise cloud storage will consist of solutions that are affordable, high-performance, versatile and scalable.
Enter Cloud Block Storage
It’s no secret that the nature of cloud computing is changing rapidly. The complexities of today’s current enterprise-level data require a constant, always-on approach to delivering information and business-specific applications to their employees and customers. This is where cloud block storage comes into play. Unlike traditional cloud storage, cloud block storage can operate independently of an active cloud server. This helps ensure the highest level of uptime without breaking the bank on complicated and expensive disaster-recovery tools.
Beyond its optimized-for-failure design, cloud block storage is also a versatile choice for a large organization. In basic terms, you can easily integrate hard disk, solid-state disk (SSD) or hybrid devices with your cloud storage system.
Marrying the Cloud with SSD
The SSD-powered cloud storage movement is making waves, and open-source cloud computing companies have been taking notice. Rackspace, for instance, recently unveiled their OpenStack-powered cloud block storage solution, built from the ground up with the current fluctuations in the SSD storage market. In recent years, SSD devices have gone down significantly in price, which has allowed businesses of all sizes to integrate SSD storage with their already-existing cloud infrastructures. This integration offers a long-awaited solution to a significant problem of cloud storage infrastructure management.
Rackspace’s cloud block storage also leverages the flexibility requirements of today’s enterprise-level companies. Unlike their competitors, Rackspace’s solution allows companies to use either a traditional disk approach at around $0.15 per GB or SSD-powered storage for around $0.70 per GB. Either way, it allows for a high-performance, always-on cloud storage solution at an affordable price.
The Future of the Enterprise Cloud Storage Market
Rackspace is not alone in the SSD-to-cloud integration trend. Many like-minded vendors see the value of high-performance cloud storage and how it will help other cloud service providers deliver a better, more stable and more secure product to their customers. SSD storage is fast, scalable, easy to implement and it’s getting cheaper all the time. As more storage companies position themselves to provide high-performance cloud storage space, they’ll become increasingly valuable to enterprise organizations looking to the cloud to help them solve efficiency problems in this new era of big data.
