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Architecture of object-based storage and S3 standard specifications

Object storage has been growing in popularity among data storage architectures. Compared to file systems and block storage, object storage faces no limitations when handling petabytes of data. By design, the limitless nature of object storage makes it fit for Big Data and Cloud contexts.

Moreover, object storage is simple and efficient. It offers easy data replication, scalability and is fit for “Write Once Read Many” contexts such as data analytics. Those characteristics combined with its ease of implementation and programmability all account to its widely spread usage.

What exactly is an object? How does object storage work, and what enables it to scale? We aim to clarify this.

Object storage is not exclusive to Cloud services such as AWS Simple Storage Service (S3), and multiple local object storage solutions exist as alternatives. Because AWS S3 sets a standard for object storage’s API interface, storage solutions and applications consuming from them are federated under “S3 compatibility”. Any S3-compatible app works with a large number of S3-compliant object storage solutions and vice-versa, which enhances both of their growth.

This article is the first of a series of three:

Object storage: how it works, why it scales

As the name suggests, object storage contains data in the form of objects. The core paradigm of object storage is to optimize common data and metadata operations while coupling the two together. What is an object made of?

It is the combination of a key (granting access), a value (actual data) and

Redditor acquires decommissioned Netflix cache server with 262TB of storage

An Open Connect Appliance server from around 2013 that a Redditor acquired. — Enlarge / An Open Hook up Appliance server from close to 2013 that a Redditor obtained.

A Reddit consumer named PoisonWaffe3 recently acquired a 2013-period Netflix cache server that had been pulled from company and wiped for disposal, which marks a exceptional situation the community has been ready to get a search at the mysterious components, Vice reviews.

The decommissioned cache server—called an “Open up Link Equipment” (or OCA)—operated as component of Netflix’s Open up Hook up material delivery network. Open up Hook up is a community of servers all-around the entire world embedded with area ISPs that consist of local copies of Netflix movie information, accelerating the delivery of that content material to Netflix viewers by putting it as near to the viewers as achievable (equally geographically and from a standpoint of network hops).

Netflix provides loads of high-degree documentation about Open Link on its website, but what is not commonly recognised is what particular elements make the Open Join servers tick—especially a person that is almost a ten years previous. Immediately after removing three screws, PoisonWaffle3 took a seem inside of their device and found out a “pretty common” SuperMicro motherboard, an Intel Xeon CPU (E5 2650L v2), 64GB of DDR3 RAM, 36 7.2TB Western Digital tough disks (7,200 RPM), 6 500GB Micron SSDs, a pair of 750-watt ability provides, and 1 quad-port 10-gigabit Ethernet NIC card. In complete, the server incorporates “262TB of uncooked storage,” according to PoisonWaffle3.

PoisonWaffle3 acquired the vivid purple Netflix cache

Solar + Battery Storage = Power Grid Independence

Two Enphase IQ 10 Batteries were installed in my garage

Those of you who have been around me or this blog for the past few years know that I’m a fan of tech, green energy, electric vehicles, and of course solar power. At the end of 2019, I went solar and documented it here. My electric bill dropped by more than half and I’ve been very happy with my system. No complaints. It just works! However, there was something that I knew I would ultimately want to complete the system and I mentioned it back then. battery storage!

A solar system without battery storage will only go so far

Solar only, no battery storage. Excess power is going back to the grid

Adding solar panels to your home will almost immediately start paying off by reducing or even eliminating the power you need from the grid. That’s the upside! However, unless your system is PERFECTLY designed to match your energy needs AND you’re on a Net Metering Plan, you’re going to either overproduce or underproduce power. There will be times throughout the day when you may even be doing both.

For example, let’s say it’s an extremely sunny day and nobody is home. That means that your system is likely producing more power than your home is consuming at that moment. Where does that excess energy go? Back to the grid. Depending on your power company you may or may not be able to take advantage of that excess power.