SoftLayer intros global cloud storage option for big data
SoftLayer, a provider of automated hosting services for applications, is going global on its next venture.
Based on OpenStack, SoftLayer Object Storage is designed to serve as a cloud-based portal that enables users to store, manage and retrieve large amounts of data anywhere, anytime.
Examples of the types of files that SoftLayer encourages to be stored with this service include large unstructured data sets, such as virtual machine images, photos, e-mail, invoices and financial records.
Sounds simple and straightforward enough. What is supposed to be different with SoftLayer's global storage solution is that it is touted to offer "rich metadata features that enable in automating the way unstructured data gets accessed by allowing users to apply policies based on metadata values."
In other words, its supposed to be a more streamlined way (yet with more features) to improve large data management in the cloud.
Some of those extra features include free bandwidth over the private network and inbound over the public network, secure and redundant storage (i.e. data written multiple times over per-cluster), and mobile access thanks to optimized apps for iOS, Android and Windows Phone.
For reference, these capabilities are based out of clusters located in Singapore, Dallas, and Amsterdam, all connected via a private network with encrypted data replication and transfers.
SoftLayer's Object Storage is available now, starting at 12 cents per gigabyte for storage only.
Correction: The post has been updated to identify the product as simply the SoftLayer Object Storage solution. A previous version of this article listed "SoftLayer Global Object Storage."
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