#220 - AWS & Cloud File System Diversity

This week, Chris and Martin review the announcements coming out of AWS Reinvent, specifically those covering file systems. AWS announced FSx for OpenZFS and recently added FSx for NetApp ONTAP to the existing offerings. With FSx for Windows Server and FSx for Lustre (plus EFS), AWS now has five different file system solutions. Why has AWS decided to partner or use existing technology for file, compared to building out bespoke object and block storage solutions? The team dig into the details, looking at how these solutions differ and why each might be practical for different use cases. Oh also, we accidentally pre-announce FSx for VAST – which we made up on the spot!

• 00:00:00 – Intros
• 00:01:00 – Oh! Micron!
• 00:02:20 – Finally talking about file systems!
• 00:02:45 – AWS now has five file system offerings
• 00:03:20 – Quick diversions to APIs and Werner’s keynote
• 00:04:30 – NetApp announced FSx for NetApp ONTAP
• 00:04:45 – Also announced – FSx for OpenZFS
• 00:05:30 – EFS was initially quite a lightweight implementation
• 00:06:45 – FSx for Windows Server brought in SMB support
• 00:08:20 – AWS DataSync charges for data movement between solutions
• 00:10:00 – FSx for ONTAP offers deep feature support
• 00:12:00 – ONTAP also runs on Azure and GCP
• 00:13:17 – Will customers move data between clouds?
• 00:15:00 – Will users run applications on multiple cloud providers?
• 00:18:30 – Is there any benefit moving file data around clouds to save costs?
• 00:19:35 – What other cloud file services are there?
• 00:20:15 – Is Google FileStore High-Scale based on Elastifile?
• 00:21:30 – What other non-native file systems are available?
• 00:23:00 – Native file systems can extend quickly with integrated features
• 00:24:30 – What route should potential customers take?
• 00:28:40 – What’s the future of file in cloud looking like?
• 00:31:30 – Could Outposts reintroduce vendor hardware-based solutions like ONTAP?
• 00:33:40 – Could we see more workflow introduced?
• 00:35:00 – This is not a NetApp-fest but the offering of ONTAP is compelling
• 00:35:45 – What roadblocks are there to file system evolution?
• 00:38:00 – Did we just pre-announce FSx for VAST?
• 00:39:30 – Wrap Up

• #212 – File Not Found
• #209 – Discovering Unified Fast File and Object with Pure Storage
• #152 – Global File System Concepts
• #150 – Myriad File Systems
• #92 – Introduction to Elastifile with Jerome McFarland
• Does WekaIO Have the Fastest File System on the Planet?
• Azure NetApp Files goes GA
• Elastifile Cloud File Service Now Available on Google Cloud

Copyright (c) 2016-2021 Storage Unpacked. No reproduction or re-use without permission. Podcast episode #ook4.