#151 – Introduction to StorageOS V2.0 (Sponsored)

#151 – Introduction to StorageOS V2.0 (Sponsored)

Chris EvansCloud, Containers, Software-Defined Storage, Sponsored

In this episode, Martin and Chris are joined in conversation by Alex Chircop, CEO at StorageOS. The company has announced StorageOS V2.0, a significant evolution in their storage platform, built for containers using containers. As this episode explains, the version 2.0 release of StorageOS enhances scalability and resiliency, with a strong focus on features needed for enterprise adoption. Each volume presented to a container now has a “mini-brain” to implement much more distributed application awareness. Availability is increased through the use of Delta Sync, a new technology to ensure data volumes are recovered to a …

#149 – Coronavirus 2.0

#149 – Coronavirus 2.0

Chris EvansGarbage Collection, General

This week, Chris and Martin review their thoughts from the previous discussion on COVID-19 and what we have learned since then. In what is an incredibly fast-moving situation, the way in which we viewed the impacts of the global epidemic were perhaps a little naive. We take another look at how vendors will need to market and sell to their clients and how even virtual events may be impossible to implement with so many staff dispersed to their homes. The ultimate outcome is that for the foreseeable future, our way of working, selling and messaging …

#148 – Unpacking HPE’s Storage Strategy

#148 – Unpacking HPE's Storage Strategy

Chris EvansObject Storage, Software-Defined Storage, Storage Hardware, Storage Unpacked Podcast

As reported by Chris Mellor, HPE recently announced Q1 2020 figures that show storage down 8% and servers down 15%. In light of these numbers, we look at HPE’s storage products, partners and overall strategy in the market. HPE primary products are strong contenders, with XP8 for high-end/mainframe, 3PAR & Primera, Nimble and MSA. Outside of the main platforms, HPE has some data protection hardware and of course, tape. To meet file and object storage needs, HPE partners with the likes of Qumulo, Scality, Weka and others. But finding details on these companies is hard. …

#147 – Introduction to Key Value Stores and Redis

#147 – Introduction to Key Value Stores and Redis

Chris EvansData Management, Databases, Guest Speakers, Storage Unpacked Podcast

This week, Chris and Martin look at Key-Value stores and in particular, Redis, with Kyle Davis, Head of Developer Advocacy at Redis (formerly Redis Labs). Key Value stores are at first glance a lightweight way to store structured data. As it turns out, the implementation of Redis includes significantly more features and functionality as well as multiple complex data types. Redis runs in-memory and is typically used accelerate traditional databases or store state for web-based applications. The ability to store and retrieve data from memory enables fast response times for features like shopping carts or …

#146 – Coronavirus and Impacts on the Technology Industry

#146 – Coronavirus and Impacts on the Technology Industry

Chris EvansEvents, Garbage Collection, General

In this episode we take a look at the impact of COVID-19, commonly known as the Coronavirus. Since the outbreak in China towards the end of 2019, tens of thousands have been infected, thousands of people have died. As the spread of the disease moves outside China, we look at the effect on business, conferences and the positive benefits that may occur with reduced travel. During the podcast we make some specific references. Here’s a link to the report on supply chain impacts. Here’s a link to the article on the reduction in emissions over …

#145 – Anthos Ready Storage for the Enterprise

#145 – Anthos Ready Storage for the Enterprise

Chris EvansCloud, Containers, Garbage Collection

This week Chris and Martin discuss the announcement of Google Cloud partners offering Anthos Ready Storage. Anthos is Google’s on-premises cloud infrastructure running Kubernetes-based containers. Platform users can now deploy locally in their data centre, on local hardware, while using the GCP management plane. What is the benefit of having storage certified for Anthos? The discussion looks initially at why containers need persistent storage, moving on to examine the profile of the first ARS certified storage companies. Is this a move simply to gain more access to enterprise customers? There’s lots questions in this discussion, …

#144 – Introduction to Storage as a Service

#144 – Introduction to Storage as a Service

Chris EvansData Management, Data Protection, Guest Speakers, Storage Unpacked Podcast

This week, Chris and Martin chat to Gary Breder (Director of Cloud and Services Product Marketing) and Diane Clay (Sr Manager of Cloud and Services Product Marketing) from Hitachi Vantara about storage as a service. While we’ve had different consumption models in the past, does StaaS offer anything different? Perhaps the key takeaway from this conversation is the use of service-based offerings as a way to financially engineer more attractive cost structures to businesses. The vendor shoulders the risk with the customer by putting resources on the floor with an expectation of usage at some …

#143 – Storage Adoption Myths & Realities

#143 – Storage Adoption Myths & Realities

Chris EvansData Management, Guest Speakers, Storage Unpacked Podcast

This week, Chris and Martin chat to Paul Stringfellow, CTO at Gardner Systems, about the realities of technology adoption. We hear lots of talk about Kubernetes, HCI, all-flash and even SCM technologies. But are all organisations deploying these technologies from day one? In reality, businesses deploy technology in a timeline that matches a normal distribution curve. As detailed in “Crossing the Chasm” by Geoffrey Moore, there’s a gap between early adopters and the mainstream IT organisations. What causes this inertia? Some of the challenges relate people and process, however there’s also a desire to implement …

#142 – Storage, Automation and DevOps

#142 – Storage, Automation and DevOps

Chris EvansData Management, Garbage Collection, Storage Management

This week, Chris and Martin discuss the automation of storage. In a follow-on from the Dell EMC presentation at Storage Field Day 19, this conversation looks at the challenges of opening storage provisioning and management to the wider developer community. In the past, SRM tools have focused on providing the “record of truth” for storage and well as the interface to provision resources to hosts. Dell EMC tried to create a separate data and management plane with ViPR, but the industry didn’t adopt this approach – potentially because Dell/EMC continued to own the technology. Today, …