Global Namespace
Encyclopedia
A Global Namespace is a heterogeneous, enterprise-wide abstraction of all file information, open to dynamic customization based on user-defined parameters. This becomes of particular importance as multiple network based file systems proliferate within an organization—the challenge becomes one of effective file management.
A Global NameSpace (GNS) has the unique ability to aggregate disparate and remote network based file systems, providing a consolidated view that can greatly reduce complexities of localized file management and administration. For example, prior to file system namespace consolidation, two servers exist and each represent their own independent namespaces; e.g. \\server1\share1 & \\server2\share2. Various files exist within each share respectively, however users have to access each namespace independently. This becomes an obvious challenge as the number of namespaces grows within an organization.
With a GNS, an organization can access a virtualized file system namespace; e.g. files now exist under a unified structure, such as \\company.com\share1, share2—where the files exist in multiple physical server\share locations but appear to be part of a single namespace.
Some of the main reasons behind a GNS is to open up more storage pools for larger working pools of disk, migrate data transparently, and reduce number of mount points / shares in an environment. Vendors implement this technology in different ways, but the client view is designed to be the same.
There are a great many vendors offering in this field now.Prominent are EMC Rainfinity GNA, NetApp, IBM, Sun with Lustre, Hewlett-Packard with Polyserve, Exanet, Panasas, Active Circle, Isilon, Gluster and others.
A Global NameSpace (GNS) has the unique ability to aggregate disparate and remote network based file systems, providing a consolidated view that can greatly reduce complexities of localized file management and administration. For example, prior to file system namespace consolidation, two servers exist and each represent their own independent namespaces; e.g. \\server1\share1 & \\server2\share2. Various files exist within each share respectively, however users have to access each namespace independently. This becomes an obvious challenge as the number of namespaces grows within an organization.
With a GNS, an organization can access a virtualized file system namespace; e.g. files now exist under a unified structure, such as \\company.com\share1, share2—where the files exist in multiple physical server\share locations but appear to be part of a single namespace.
Some of the main reasons behind a GNS is to open up more storage pools for larger working pools of disk, migrate data transparently, and reduce number of mount points / shares in an environment. Vendors implement this technology in different ways, but the client view is designed to be the same.
Standards
Global Namespace technology can virtualize file server protocols such as Common Internet File System protocol (CIFS) and the Network File System (NFS) protocols. These are standard protocols used by all servers, Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices and client systems for handling file data.External links
Global Namespace Vendors: AutoVirt Software http://www.autovirt.com/product/, http://www.f5.com/solutions/virtualization/file/ F5 ARX File Virtualization,Njini,Brocade, EMC Rainfinity Global NameSpace ApplianceThere are a great many vendors offering in this field now.Prominent are EMC Rainfinity GNA, NetApp, IBM, Sun with Lustre, Hewlett-Packard with Polyserve, Exanet, Panasas, Active Circle, Isilon, Gluster and others.
See also
- Network File ControlNetwork File ControlNetwork File Control is a common point of "command and control" for file data—delivering a common set of network resident services, centrally defined and managed via policy, then applied across a heterogeneous file storage infrastructure. NFC's associated services are delivered "within the...
- File Area NetworkingFile Area NetworkingFile Area Networking refers to various methods of file sharing over a network such as storage devices connected to a file server or network-attached storage .- Background :...
- Network File ManagementNetwork File ManagementNetwork file management is a data storage management-related category that was identified and defined in 2004 by several prominent data storage analysts...
- F5 NetworksF5 NetworksF5 Networks, Inc. is a networking appliances company. It is headquartered in Seattle, Washington and has development and marketing offices worldwide. It originally manufactured and sold some of the very first load balancing products...
- EMCEMC CorporationEMC Corporation , a Financial Times Global 500, Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company, develops, delivers and supports information infrastructure and virtual infrastructure hardware, software, and services. EMC is headquartered in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, USA.Former Intel executive Richard Egan and his...
- AutoVirtAutoVirtAutoVirt, short for automated virtualization, is a company based in Nashua, New Hampshire that provides a file virtualization software for migrating and consolidating unstructured data Windows networks. AutoVirt virtualizes access to networked files and has a data management platform for migrating,...