SNIA Emerald V3.0 Training - Jan and Feb 2018

The SNIA Green TWG (Technical Work Group) and Green Storage Initiative (GSI) will deliver 7 webinar-based training sessions January 18^th through February 7th. Each session is 4 hours. Topics covered include:

Primer on enterprise storage
SNIA Emerald™ V3.0 Power Efficiency Measurement Specification and supporting test tools
Updated EPA EnergyStar Data Center Storage program that adds file storage product testing
SNIA Emerald Programs
USA EPA EnergyStar Program
Supplementary sessions by testing services and certifying body services

More details can be found at the SNIA Emerald site.

A highlight of the changes in the SNIA Emerald Specification V3.0 include:

Addition of a test methodology for file access storage devices based on the SPEC® SFS2014 benchmark, substantially expanding the range of testable storage devices
Corrections and improved organization and clarity to the V2.1.1 Specification based on usage experience
Retention of the major elements of the V2.1.1 Specification, including the storage taxonomy and the block IO test methodology.

Overall, these changes expand the scope of storage systems that may be tested and improve the usability of the Specification.

To register for this training series, send an email to emerald-training@snia.org by December 15^th with your name, title, email address, and company name. There is no fee to attend the training. A detailed agenda will be sent in advance of the webinar.

SNIA Increases Functionality of SMI-S Conformance Test

SNIA announced a new version of the Conformance Testing Program (CTP) for the Storage Management Initiative Specification (SMI–S), making the selection of standards–based storage solutions more straightforward for end users.

"The newest version of the CTP test further helps end users align their specific requirements with vendors' capabilities by helping them determine whether a product allows for configuration management via SMI-S,” said James Rigger. “Both clients and end users will be especially interested in the enhanced security features. When it comes to communications that go directly to your storage devices, SNIA is your first line of protection."

The new CTP for SMI-S features:

Expanded functionality tests for thin provisioning and replication services
An enhanced security test to determine whether or not an implementation supports renegotiation, eliminating a “man in the middle” scenario
Auto discovery capabilities to reduce test set up time and effort

Is your company interested in having SMI-S enabled products tested? Watch this short video for an introduction to CTP or learn more at http://www.snia.org/ctp/.

It’s Coming – Prepare for SMI-S Version 1.8

If you’re currently one of the many storage providers that incorporates SNIA’s Storage Management Initiative Specification (SMI-S) into your storage products, you’ll want to start planning to update your implementation to version 1.8. With plans to send it to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for accreditation, this version promises to be an important update.

SMI-S v1.8 will contain new storage management functionality and further standardize and streamline storage management functions and features into a common set of tools that address the day-to-day tasks of the IT environment.

Need help? Initial SMI-Lab plugfests during 2018 will focus on how to upgrade and implement SMI-S v1.8 and how to test for conformance via SNIA’s Conformance Testing Program. Please contact Patrick Strick or James Rigger with questions.

To learn more about the companies who have passed the SMI-S Conformance tests, visit: SMI-S Conforming Provider Companies. Be sure to also watch for further SMI-S v1.8 updates by visiting http://www.snia.org/smis.

2018 Board of Directors and Technical Council Members Announced

SNIA recently announced its 2018 Board of Directors and Technical Council. As a globally recognized and trusted authority, SNIA’s mission is to lead the storage industry in developing and promoting vendor-neutral architectures, standards and educational services that facilitate the efficient management, movement and security of information.

"At this time of profound change in the storage industry, SNIA is focused on the hottest data storage trends, delivering standards, technology enablement, and educational materials that help IT to derive the maximum benefit from the new infrastructures and technologies,” said David Dale, SNIA Chairman.

“We are excited to see the major solid state vendors and innovators joining the SNIA Board,” said Michael Oros, SNIA Executive Director. “With Micron Technology and Toshiba representatives elected and Samsung Group appointment to the Board earlier in 2017, we have key industry leaders working together on the next set of challenges in solid state storage and persistent memory."

Click here for the press release and a full listing of 2018 Board and Technical Council members.

Your Action Needed: Nominate Your SNIA Colleague for Recognition

Every year, SNIA recognizes outstanding contributions by members and SNIA groups. These awards are based on nominations from SNIA members, so your participation is vital. The nomination process takes only seconds. Please participate and acknowledge our valuable volunteers for their efforts. The deadline is December 15^th. Complete the nomination form here.

Attend the SNIA Annual Members’ Symposium

Don't miss the SNIA Annual Members' Symposium, January 22nd-25th in San Jose, CA, where you and your colleagues can join together for networking, working group meetings, informative keynote sessions, and other unique programs designed for SNIA members. There is no cost to attend. Learn more and register here.

Upcoming Webcasts

2017 European Storage Research and Trends
December 11, 2017
Mark Peters, Enterprise Strategy Group
Alex McDonald, SNIA Europe

ESG, in cooperation with SNIA Europe, will present the key findings from the 2017 European Storage Research Report. The content will focus on key areas of technology spending and forecasts, as well as highlighting customer reaction to the adoption of new storage technologies.

Multi-Cloud Storage: Addressing the Need for Portability and Interoperability
December 12, 2017
John Webster, Evaluator Group
Mark Carlson, Toshiba
Alex McDonald, NetApp

In a recent survey of enterprise hybrid cloud users, the Evaluator Group saw that nearly 60% of respondents indicated that lack of interoperability is a significant technology-related issue that they must overcome in order to move forward. In fact, lack of interoperability was chosen above public cloud security and network security as significant inhibitors. This webcast looks at enterprise hybrid cloud objectives and barriers with a focus on cloud interoperability within the storage domain and SNIA’s Cloud Storage Initiative to promote interoperability and portability of data stored in the cloud.

GDPR & The Role of the DPO (Data Protection Officer)
December 13, 2017
Thomas Rivera, SNIA Board Member
Katie Dix Elsner, Hitachi
Eric Hibbard, Chair, INCITS Cyber Security CS1

This webcast will provide a short tutorial-style briefing of the EU-General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), and then delve into the roles and responsibilities of the Data Protection Officer (DPO). After the short briefing, a panel discussion with Q&A will take place.

NVDIMM – Persistent Memory Applications are Here - 2018 Edition
January 9, 2018
Jeff Chang, Co-Chair, SNIA NVDIMM Special interest Group

Join the SNIA NVDIMM Special Interest Group as we provide a 2018 view of the NVDIMM ecosystem and learn why Persistent Memory is here! Check out which Persistent Memory applications are now available via JEDEC standard NVDIMMs. We'll even highlight some of the "knobs" to turn to optimize use of NVDIMM in your applications to ease the way to simple, plug-n-play adoption.

Featured Video

NOVA: The Fastest File System for NVDIMMs by Steven Swanson, UC San Diego

Featured Events

Storage Developer Conference (SDC) EMEA – Speaking Opportunity

SDC EMEA will take place in Tel Aviv on February 27, 2018. SNIA is currently seeking the brightest minds in the industry to speak at the conference. Professional storage developers and architects willing to share their knowledge are invited to submit a presentation proposal for consideration at SDC EMEA. Speakers are requested to share their technical expertise and avoid sales or marketing presentations. Presentations will be chosen based on their technical merit and interest to the SDC audience. The submission deadline is December 13, 2017. Start the online submission process here.

SNIA Persistent Memory Summit – Registration Now Open

Don't miss your chance to attend SNIA's 6th Annual Persistent Memory Summit, co-located with the SNIA Annual Members’ Meeting on January 24, 2018 at the Westin San Jose in San Jose CA. This innovative one-day event brings together industry leaders, solution providers, and users of technology to understand the ecosystem driving system memory and storage into a single, unified “persistent memory” entity.

Many thanks to SNIA member Intel Corporation and the SNIA Solid State Storage Initiative for underwriting the Summit. Gold and Demonstration sponsor opportunities are now available. Complimentary registration is open. Visit www.snia.org/pm-summit to sign up, check out videos of 2017 sessions, and learn about additional sponsorship opportunities.

Find SNIA at these Events

Annual Members’ Symposium – San Jose, CA – January 22-25, 2018
Persistent Memory Summit – San Jose, CA – January 24, 2018
Container World - Container World – Santa Clara, CA February 26-28, 2018
SDC EMEA – Tel Aviv, Israel – February 27, 2018

We value your feedback. Please send any comments or suggestions to the SNIA Matters editor, Diane Marsili.