SNIA Cloud Mid-2010 Activities Update Webinar

Thursday July 22nd from 7:30am - 8:30am PDT

Attend this webinar to learn about the exciting new Cloud Backup and Restore (Cloud BUR) Special Interest Group. Hear about summer and fall 2010 cloud education and collaboration activities for end users, the channel, and vendors at the SNIA Symposium, SNIA Storage Developers Conference and CloudBurst, SNW Dallas, and SNW Europe.

CDMI Reference Implementation Working Draft Available

The first working draft release of the Reference Implementation of CDMI is now available for download. The software is available as source code writtten in the Java language under the open source BSD license. This version implements some basic CDMI functionality, allowing for client developers to get started on their CDMI based applications.

This working draft CDMI Reference Implementation is being released so that developers can get started with integrating CDMI into their products and applications. As the SNIA Cloud Storage Technical Working Group (TWG) continues to create additional functionality, subsequent releases of the CDMI Reference Implementation will be made available.

To provide feedback, please use the SNIA Feedback Portal.

For more information on the CDMI Reference Implementation and specifications, please join the SNIA Cloud Google Group where the experts are available to answer questions about this release.

Download the software now.

Industry's First Cloud Standard

The Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) announced at SNW Spring 2010 , the formal approval of the Cloud Data Management Interface (CDMI) as a SNIA Architecture standard. This milestone marks the first industry-developed open standard;for cloud computing and will allow for interoperable cloud storage implementations from cloud service providers and storage vendors.

The standard is applicable to public, private and hybrid storage clouds and is expected to be implemented by service providers and cloud infrastructure vendors for all cloud deployment models. More than just a data path to the cloud, the CDMI also includes the ability to manage service levels that data receives when it is stored in the cloud. The CDMI also includes a common interoperable data exchange format for securely moving data and its associated data requirements from cloud to cloud. The new standard, produced in record time for an open standard, was created by the SNIA Cloud Storage Technical Work Group (TWG) which consists of more than 180 members from more than 60 different organizations around the world. The Cloud Storage TWG, which was started at Storage Networking World Spring 2010, has completed the specification in less than 12 months.

The CDMI specification is available online , or can be downloaded in .pdf format.

Cloud Storage Multi-Tenancy Whitepaper

This paper defines a set of requirements for storage in “multi-tenant” cloud environments in four key areas of concern for cloud adopters: security; quality of service; data protection and availability; and manageability. Where appropriate, these requirements are defined in terms of the Cloud Data Management Interface (CDMI).

Download the whitepaper now (.pdf)

New SNIA Cloud Blog: sniacloud.com

The members of the Cloud Storage Initiative have created a blog site at sniacloud.com with periodic posts on the activities of CSI and the Cloud Storage TWG. Please follow along or subscribe.

Private Cloud Whitepaper Available

The SNIA Cloud Storage Initiative has released a new whitepaper on Private and Hybrid storage clouds.

Many organizations, driven by the opportunities for significant cost-savings, are considering cloud computing and cloud storage solutions, which take advantage of Web-based technologies to allow scalable, virtualized IT resources to be provided as a service over the network. Not a new technology in itself, cloud computing is a new business model wrapped around existing technologies, such as server virtualization, to make the use of information technology resources more efficient.

Download the whitepaper now (.pdf)

Latest Cloud Storage Standard Released for Public Review

The SNIA Cloud Storage Technical Work Group has completed the second public draft of the new cloud storage standard: Cloud Data Management Interface (CDMI), Version 0.9 is avalable for review and feedback from:

http://www.snia.org/tech_activities/publicreview

The Cloud Data Management Interface defines the functional interface that applications will use to create, retrieve, update and delete data elements from the Cloud. As part of this interface the client will be able to discover the capabilities of the cloud storage offering and use this interface to manage containers and the data that is placed in them. In addition, metadata can be set on containers and their contained data elements through this interface.

This interface is also used by administrative and management applications to manage containers, accounts, security access and monitoring/billing information, even for storage that is accessible by other protocols. The capabilities of the underlying storage and data services are exposed so that clients can understand the offering.

Please submit feedback and suggested changes to the document via the SNIA feedback portal: http://www.snia.org/tech_activities/feedback

Kick OFF OF 2010 Cloud Storage

What: Presentation on Cloud programs for the upcoming year.
Slides Webex Replay: Stream Download

Agenda:
Welcome and Introduction – Vincent Franceschini
Cloud Storage TWG Progress and Roadmap - Mark Carlson
Cloud Storage Marketing Plans – Marty Foltyn
Cloud Storage Whitepapers – Kellye Crane
http://www.snia.org/cloud – (How to get involved) – Val Bercovici
CSI opportunities – Education, Industry Alliances – Vincent Franceschini
How to Join CSI – Jay Savell
Q&A + Wrap-up – Vincent Franceschini and CSI team

Get the whitepaper on Managing Data Storage in the Public Cloud

The Storage Networking Industry Association has published a whitepaper on Managing Data in the Public Cloud.

Public cloud storage can be utilized in many different ways. For example: local data (such as on a laptop) can be backed up to public cloud storage; a virtual disk can be “synched” to the cloud and distributed to other computers; and the cloud can be used as an archive to retain (under policy) data for regulatory or other purposes.

When evaluating cloud implementations, there are three types to be considered: public, private, and hybrid models (many users implement a combination of these). While the Storage Networking Industry Association™ (SNIA) is addressing all three types, this paper discusses public cloud storage solutions and the emerging methods available to best manage these environments.

Download the whitepaper now (.pdf)

Get the whitepaper on Cloud Storage for Cloud Computing

The Storage Networking Industry Association in conjunction with the Open Grid Forum have recently published a whitepaper on Cloud Storage for Cloud Computing. The Cloud has become a new vehicle for delivering resources such as computing and storage to customers on demand.

Rather than being a new technology in itself, the cloud is a new business model wrapped around new technologies such as server virtualization that take advantage of economies of scale and multi-tenancy to reduce the cost of using information technology resources.

This paper discusses the business drivers in the Cloud delivery mechanism and business model, what the requirements are in this space, and how standard interfaces, coordinated between different organizations can meet the emerging needs for interoperability and portability of data between clouds.

To learn more about SNIA's Cloud Data Management Interface (CDMI) standard, and how it works with Cloud Computing standards such as the OGF Open Cloud Computing Interface (OCCI) please download the new whitepaper from one of the following locations:

SNIA Site
OGF Site

The SNIA Cloud Storage TWG two important documents for public review and feedback. Please discuss these documents on the SNIA Cloud Google Group, however, if you have concrete contributions, we request you use the SNIA Feedback Portal unless you are already participating in the TWG.

Cloud Storage Reference Model v0.3 Trial-Use Draft

This paper sets out a model of cloud storage elements that describes a logical view of their functions and capabilities using a descriptive taxonomy. The purpose of this model is to form a basis upon which industry efforts can be organized, needed standards identified and vendor products can be described by vendor independent terminology. In addition, this model is used to describe standard interfaces for cloud storage.