File system: ZFS

An open-source file system designed for unparalleled data redundancy, integrity, and limitless scalability.

Intro: 

In today’s data-driven world, the volume, value, and complexity of data storage infrastructure are rapidly increasing. For SMBs and ROBOs, the key challenge is building a redundant storage system that is easy to deploy and maintain, while keeping implementation costs and total cost of ownership (TCO) low.  

Problem: 

Storing and processing large amounts of data is no longer exclusive to large enterprises. Many SMBs and ROBOs need to store substantial data volumes while ensuring their utmost security. To guarantee data availability, storage systems must operate continuously, even if a cluster node or its components fail. Additionally, these systems need to protect against local drive failures to maintain maximum uptime and ensure data integrity throughout the system.  

Typically, this would mean using an enterprise-grade storage array with a robust file system capable of handling large data volumes while preventing data corruption and ensuring high availability. However, achieving this at an SMB-friendly cost can be difficult. 

Solution: 

To offer an enterprise-grade storage system that provides high availability, local redundancy, and data integrity at an SMB cost, StarWind integrates with the renowned ZFS filesystem. StarWind Virtual SAN leverages the advantages of OpenZFS alongside its active-active high availability (HA) feature.  

With ZFS, local redundancy is achieved using RAIDZ at various levels (mirroring, Z1/2/3). Each time data is read, ZFS ensures data integrity and protects against bit rot. This integration protects data at every layer of a StarWind-based cluster. 

Conclusion: 

By combining StarWind high availability features with OpenZFS, we deliver an enterprise-grade storage solution at an SMB cost. This setup enhances data protection, maximizes uptime, and minimizes the risk of data corruption.