Komprise cloud analytics can move objects between cloud object classes and the company is adding this capability to on-premises object stores.
Speaking to Blocks & Files today CEO Kumar Goswami and COO Krishna Subramanian told us Komprise will provide object store analytics that can report on an object store and say how objects are distributed by owner, size, creation date, access frequency and other filter tags. This is functionally equivalent to the company’s Deep Cloud Analytics for on-premises file stores. They did not reveal launch plans, but if they are talking to me about this service, first half of 2020 seems likely.
Object tiering is a new idea, although Goswami noted IBM already provides object tiering in its Cloud Object Store, which is available in IBM’s cloud or in an on-premises system. Subramanian told us other object storage suppliers are also developing object tiering but declined to name names. Blocks & Files thinks NetApp (StorageGRID), Cloudian and Scality are likely candidates.
Like files, objects have access frequencies and age, with lower access rates over time. It can make sense to move cold objects to cheaper storage to save money and make space in the main object store tier for more frequently accessed objects.
An object has an address based on its content. Within AWS an object has a URL and this is remapped if the object moves. Accordingly, an on-premises object store will need its object location metadata changing when objects change their location.
