Project title:An open-model for Software Defined Storage based on a proposed standardized specification
This project will focus on developing an open model for Software Defined Storage (SDS) by defining a standardized specification. SDS like many software defined technologies is still in its infancy and therefore a great many contradictions between vendors and organisations exist. Therefore, first the features of SDS must be clearly defined and rationalized prior to designing an open-model that any organization can adopt. SDS promises the delivery of storage systems that can provide extreme scalability, multiple forms of I/O access and to build truly heterogeneous systems from commodity equipment to deal with the ever increasing volume of data stored within data centres. Most importantly for SDS is the abstraction between control plane and data plane logic. The control plane of Software Defined Storage should be able to allow end-users to implement storage policies which are automatically implemented by the data plane (where storage resides) without requiring any direct knowledge of the underlying storage system. Many existing technologies already exist which could be used to provide SDS and it is proposed through experimentation and quantitative analysis of results to determine if said technologies are truly suitable to provide SDS. Some general objectives of this PhD project include defining a specification for SDS, identifying tools and methodologies for benchmarking SDS technologies, identifying and comparing suitable candidate technologies for components of the SDS control and data planes. Finally, once these objectives are met an open-model for SDS will be developed and delivered.