Feature: SSD Cache / Free Edition

xer21 · Thu Nov 08, 2012 6:40 pm

What are the chances of getting an option in the free version of the SAN target software that will allow me to instead of using RAM as cache use an SSD drive?

I'm using ESXi iSCSI to my research storage server with two linked gigabit connections and my write speed is super slow, I would like to increase this by Starwind writing and reading from a cache on an SSD drive (even if the ssd isn't as large as my ibv files) then asynchronously write that data back to my sata raid 5 array. I would actually recommend not forcing it as a "SSD" feature but maybe allow the user to allocate and save a ibv.cache file on any hard drive on the system. So that way I can setup raid1 SSD caches or setup a raid0 10k rpm raptor cache to my liking.

If this will be added, when will it be available? I sure would like to check it out.

Thu Nov 08, 2012 8:28 pm

First beta with properly implemented flash caching (we more rely on PCIe attached flash rather then on consumer grade SATA SSDs, but they will also work) is expected to be ready till the end of this year. Free version will get both RAM and flash as a cache tiers just like commercial version will. Stay tuned

P.S. For your case (one node is MUCH slower compared to other ones) you may consider asymmetric I/O model we have as an option.

xer21 · Thu Nov 08, 2012 10:55 pm

It's in the beta now? Or the beta will be available at the end of the year? I'm glad it will work on consumer grade SATA's, as I'm just in a lonnnngggg testing phase of how best to setup the hardware behind applications.

What type of implementation are you doing for the caching? Some of those SSD Caching drives with the software hide the SSD and its used for deadicated caching of another drive, but Maybe I want to use my SSD for multipurpose uses. Got any more specifics?

Thanks!

Thu Nov 08, 2012 11:15 pm

It's not in the current beta.

We'll do LRU and ARC style caching things.

Not much yet. Flash caching is expected to be quite different from current RAM caching to say at least.

xer21 wrote:It's in the beta now? Or the beta will be available at the end of the year? I'm glad it will work on consumer grade SATA's, as I'm just in a lonnnngggg testing phase of how best to setup the hardware behind applications.

What type of implementation are you doing for the caching? Some of those SSD Caching drives with the software hide the SSD and its used for deadicated caching of another drive, but Maybe I want to use my SSD for multipurpose uses. Got any more specifics?

Thanks!

xer21 · Tue Nov 13, 2012 1:07 am

I finally got around to looking up LRU and ARC... so one thing that wasn't clear, is this block level? Or file level? Hopefully block level because with esxi it just makes one massive file anyway

Tue Nov 13, 2012 10:18 am

Yes, our cache will always work on the block level.

eliripoll · Sat Dec 08, 2012 8:34 pm

Hello I know this is late to the Post but i just wanted to comment. I also feel that once the option to use SSD drive or any specified disk (like a raid controller with SSD's) will help immensely. I already think startwind's products are great already ,both purchase and free version. but the one thing that has was huge benefit to the Nexenta crowd was the ability to place the write log file on a ssd drive. once you guys finish the development to add this feature your products will rock (not to take anything away from the nexenta i like there product too). but there is something about how starwind combines HIgh quality SAN solution and windows that opens the door for SMB and Enterprise market to really get creative in solutions. you get all the great feature of SAN with the hardware compatibility support of windows. keep up the good work.
I will be waiting eagerly for the SSD caching feature.

@Anton - i cant explain it but every time i read your post for some reason i end up staring at signature .gif far longer than i should IDK why, lol

Sat Dec 08, 2012 9:23 pm

At the end of December we'll release a new version of StarWind powered by a special design to fight random writes (no more random writes with StarWind) and flash caching to figth random reads (no more random reads... OK, they should be in cache to be reported missing). Add here deduplication with a 4KB block being native to most of the modern hard disk drivers and async replication and I think we have a new superhero

At least on paper... So please stay tuned as we should be FAR AHEAD of referenced vendors who basically build their appliances around open-source ZFS (great thing, but...) nobody really extends and maintains any more (including Oracle replacing it with BtrFS and Solaris with Linux). DEC was a great company, OpenVMS was a great operating system, Files-11 was a great file system (it's a pity NTFS being inspired by it had lost distributed thing) and Alpha was a great CPU. The same about Sun Microsystems, Solaris, ZFS and SPARC. It's a pity epic warriors are gone and some... hm... "companies" are building their solutions basically on a ruins of ancient empires.

eliripoll wrote:Hello I know this is late to the Post but i just wanted to comment. I also feel that once the option to use SSD drive or any specified disk (like a raid controller with SSD's) will help immensely. I already think startwind's products are great already ,both purchase and free version. but the one thing that has was huge benefit to the Nexenta crowd was the ability to place the write log file on a ssd drive. once you guys finish the development to add this feature your products will rock (not to take anything away from the nexenta i like there product too). but there is something about how starwind combines HIgh quality SAN solution and windows that opens the door for SMB and Enterprise market to really get creative in solutions. you get all the great feature of SAN with the hardware compatibility support of windows. keep up the good work.
I will be waiting eagerly for the SSD caching feature.

@Anton - i cant explain it but every time i read your post for some reason i end up staring at signature .gif far longer than i should IDK why, lol

awedio · Tue Dec 11, 2012 3:54 pm

What will this new version be called? ZFK killa?

Since the end of December is almost here, is the "ZFS killa" ready for testing?

Tue Dec 11, 2012 9:08 pm

I'm not getting your irony so... It's supposed to be called LSFS. Yes, we're planning to have a beta with this one included on December 25.

awedio wrote:What will this new version be called? ZFK killa?

Since the end of December is almost here, is the "ZFS killa" ready for testing?

awedio · Mon Dec 24, 2012 2:15 pm

anton (staff) wrote:I'm not getting your irony so... It's supposed to be called LSFS. Yes, we're planning to have a beta with this one included on December 25.

awedio wrote:What will this new version be called? ZFK killa?

Since the end of December is almost here, is the "ZFS killa" ready for testing?

btw, that was a compliment!

Is LSFS beta still on for a Xmas day release?

Mon Dec 24, 2012 3:27 pm

I see

We're a bit late because of a big OEM release but it's not a big delay. Sorry for this!

awedio wrote:
anton (staff) wrote:I'm not getting your irony so... It's supposed to be called LSFS. Yes, we're planning to have a beta with this one included on December 25.

awedio wrote:What will this new version be called? ZFK killa?

Since the end of December is almost here, is the "ZFS killa" ready for testing?
btw, that was a compliment!

Is LSFS beta still on for a Xmas day release?

awedio · Mon Dec 24, 2012 3:43 pm

hmm, OEM....can we ask who?

When is the new release date for the beta?

Where can I read more info about LSFS?

Mon Dec 24, 2012 4:04 pm

It's under NDA. Wait for an official PR it should be in January as well.

Mid-January.

Closer to beta we'll release some public documents. For now please drop me a message and I'll give you a set of documents for internal use.

awedio wrote:hmm, OEM....can we ask who?

When is the new release date for the beta?

Where can I read more info about LSFS?