Modern applications are often designed to use S3-compatible object storage. Because of this, a Cloudian S3-compatible data lake is the ideal storage platform for Kubernetes use cases.
Cloudian supports containers-based applications on Kubernetes in two ways.
#1) Direct connect
Applications that support S3 connectivity can directly access Cloudian storage, just as any S3-compatible application would. In this case, storage provisioning would be done by the storage administrator who manages the Cloudian environment.
#2) Cloudian S3 Operator
The second option is to employ the Cloudian S3 operator (available at github.com/cloudian). The advantage here is self-serve provisioning. For developers, this is an S3-compatible, self-service storage platform. For the operations team, this platform provides exabyte scalability, multi-cloud management, and hardened data security. All at a total cost of ownership that’s 60% less than public cloud.
Unlike other Kubernetes storage solutions, Cloudian’s approach is supremely simple and exabyte scalable. Now, traditional and modern applications can share a single storage environment — just as they do in the public cloud.
Why an S3-Compatible Data Lake is Ideal for Kubernetes
Containers were designed for the cloud. The good news is they are very agile. However, being transient and ephemeral, they break many of the rules associated with traditional storage access. It’s true that traditional storage can be adapted to support containers, but this requires layers of middleware that add complexity. And, frankly, those layers are not necessary. A simpler approach is an S3-compatible private cloud. This provides cloud-like storage access — similar to what a Kubernetes application would see in the public cloud. It’s the storage environment Kubernetes was designed for.
Cloud-Native Storage for Your Data Center
A Cloudian data lake is cloud-native S3-compatible storage. It runs in your data center and uses the S3 API plus other cloud-technology elements to provide cloud-like data access. From the application point of view, it is cloud storage.
Here are seven reasons why Cloudian is the ideal storage environment for your Kubernetes applications:
S3 API for Application Portability
Designed from the ground up as a native-S3 API platform, Cloudian offers the industry’s most complete S3 API compatibility. There’s no lock-in and greater application portability. The Cloudian S3 Operator gives developers self-serve access to storage using the standard Kubernetes Persistent Volume (PV) and Persistent Volume Claim (PVC) methodology.
Multi-tenancy for Shared Storage
Share your private cloud among multiple use cases and operating environments. Cloudian’s secure multi-tenancy lets you create separate namespaces and self-serve management environments for development and production users.
Each tenant’s environment is isolated, with data invisible to other tenants. Performance can be managed, too, with integrated quality of services (QoS) controls.
Hybrid Cloud-Enabled
Bring your on-prem and cloud worlds together with hybrid-cloud configurations. Replicate or migrate data to AWS, GCP, or Azure using Cloudian’s integrated public cloud data management tools.
Data moved to the cloud is directly accessible to cloud-based applications because it is always stored in the cloud’s native format. There is no requirement to access that data via Cloudian. Manage data among clouds, too. Make data accessible wherever it is needed – whether on-prem or in AWS, GCP or Azure — without the complexity of a separate management layer.
Span the Globe with Geo-Distribution
Keep performance up and latency down by giving applications at any location access to local storage. With some storage architectures this could be a challenge, sometimes requiring additional management layers.
Cloudian solves this problem with a distributed architecture. It is a single, scalable cluster that can manage data across sites using built-in tools. Integrated data replication and data striping tools put data where you need it. Cloudian HyperIQ observability software lets you see the data across all sites and exactly how it is being accessed.
Hardened and Production-Ready
Cloudian’s award-winning object and file storage is proven with over an exabyte of data under management and millions of users. Many of the world’s largest companies, government agencies, and service providers rely on Cloudian, with deployments ranging in size from a single site to dozens of sites operating as a private cloud. Start small and grow seamlessly with the modular, peer-to-peer clustered architecture.
Verified Security and Data Immutability
For data types that have strict security or compliance requirements, Cloudian offers the broadest array of security certifications (read the report here) in object storage.
In addition to FIPS and Common Criteria certifications, Cloudian is certified compliant with SEC Rule 17a-4(f), FINRA Rule 4511(c), and CFTC 17 CFR § 1.31(c)- (d). And Cloudian offers S3 API-controlled data immutability (WORM), certified to meet regulatory requirements for non-rewritable media.
Lowest TCO: Saves 60% or more vs Traditional or Public Cloud Storage
Cloudian has the lowest TCO of any enterprise storage type, saving you 60% or more vs. traditional SAN/NAS or public cloud storage. Built on industry-standard servers with efficient, highly-dense packaging, Cloudian saves on space and power. And with modular scalability, it is far easier to manage at scale than other storage types. Choose from either appliances or software-defined-storage to support your preferred deployment type.
See how easy it is to provide the ideal environment for your Kubernetes applications, with cloud-like storage access. Start a free trial today. Access the Cloudian Kubernetes operator here.
