Seagate supports Microsoft's new Open CloudServer specification

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Seagate Technology plc, a player in storage solutions, has announced support for Microsoft’s Open CloudServer specification version 2.

The specification will include new performance enhancements and expand the management software code provided to the open source community, including new deployment and diagnostics functions. The enhanced specification will also simplify deployment while enabling flexibility and lowering implementation costs.

Wes Perdue, Seagate’s director of global cloud storage, said: “Enterprises today want the business advantages and economic models of cloud computing, but current cloud infrastructures must evolve to keep up with these growing demands. Open software and hardware architectures are critical to the evolution of cloud computing, and that’s why we are committed to working with Microsoft to optimize data storage devices to support the latest version of Open CloudServer."

Open CloudServer version 2 will allow for improvements to storage solutions now while enabling changes to match the dynamic cloud environment. The specification will help optimize storage solutions for large, web-scale deployments by allowing flexibility while reducing complexity. Costs of storage solutions can also be reduced through the elimination of cabling as the power management is distributed through the backplane.

These improvements are part of an ongoing movement towards optimization in cost, performance and implementation of cloud infrastructures.The Open CloudServer specification is part of continuing work that Seagate and Microsoft participate in to share cloud technologies and experiences with the Open Compute Project industry group.

The group collaborates to define and promote open source standards for cloud computing. The goal is to help cloud builders develop more customizable solutions using open platforms while reducing operating costs and providing benefits for consumers in the marketplace.

The Open Compute Project is a community of more than 150 companies who are committed to building cloud architecture based on open source software and open standards including Microsoft, Rackspace, Red Hat, AT&T, Cisco, HP, and Dell. As a member of the organization, Seagate will lend its expertise helping to optimize open hardware and software systems to take advantage of Seagate’s storage technology.