Scalable Windows-Based NAS Using Melio File System

Scalable Windows-based NAS using Melio File System
Sanbolic Application Note
Summary
Melio File System enables NAS servers using Windows Storage Server 2003 to share data
Melio FS greatly simplifies the management of existing NAS installations using multiple
on a storage array, enabling users to easily scale connectivity and the performance of
Windows based appliances and a shared storage array. It also provides performance
storage systems accessed via CIFS or NFS file protocol. Multiple servers can be
scalability and reliability that enables clusters cost effective Intel based NAS heads to be used
connected into common storage and access and share data in a single storage pool,
in large or performance intensive installations that may still be using proprietary SMP
eliminating the need of data replication between different NAS systems. Provisioning and
server-based NAS solutions. In applications such as video, seismic analysis or imaging, in
manageability of the NAS storage are greatly simplified, and performance bottlenecks and
which some servers may require better performance than is typically available on TCP-based
single points of failure are removed. This also enables Windows based servers to be used
NAS file service, Melio FS also provides capability to share data on common storage with
in applications requiring performance and reliability typically requiring larger, proprietary
Fibre Channel, iSCSI or SCSI connected servers accessing block data. Melio FS is simple to
NAS systems.
install, and the storage management process is intuitive to users familiar with Windows disk
administration tools.
Background
NAS solutions built using the Windows Storage Server 2003 on standard Intel platforms
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provide a very cost effective solution to file serving. Servers built on this platform can
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export file services using CIFS, NFS, and other protocols, which provides a convenient
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platform to consolidate files, and enable file sharing across clients running Windows, Unix,
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or Linux operating systems. Within each NAS appliance a single file system controls the
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storage and manages file locking, so file sharing by clients accessing storage on that
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appliance using CIFS/NFS is enabled without conflict. Many installations are now choosing
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to connect the NAS servers to fibre channel storage, enabling consolidation of storage
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onto centralized, high reliability storage arrays.
NAS servers built on standard Intel platforms have finite throughput capability, which is
typically adequate for small installations or remote offices. As throughput requirements
increase, users can add additional NAS servers. Each additional server will have to be
allocated its own physical or logical volume, and will maintain a separate file system.
Although NAS heads can be clustered for active-passive fail over, they typically do not
Sanbolic Inc., Kayo and Melio FS are registered trademarks of Sanbolic Inc. All other company and
share simultaneous access to the storage. Frequently accessed data must be replicated
product names contained herein are trademarks of the respective holders.
across servers, each file system must be maintained separately, and files may need to be
manually migrated when adding new servers to balance utilization across servers.This scalability challenge has frequently led to Windows-based NAS solutions being
No metadata server or metadata transfers are necessary, eliminating a potential single point of
used in small applications or remote offices, while larger SMPserver-based solutions
failure. The metadata used is designed so it is decentralized allowing high independence
are used in the central office or large environments. However, the cost effectiveness of
of servers accessing the same volume.
standard Intel platforms for NAS relative to larger proprietary files has created strong
interest in improving the scalability of the Windows/Intel-based NAS solutions.
Melio FS is des... [download for more]