The ICM, an international center for neurological research, has opted for a solution based on Active Circle software for storing several petabytes of scientific data.
Active Circle
Storing and preserving large file systems
Active Circle is a solution for storing, preserving and accessing large volumes of files. Active Circle solutions are software-based, able to leverage any storage technology or vendor, provide storage virtualization on disk and tape, and scale from small to multi-petabyte environments.
Tiered and distributed storage
Active Circle is a solution based on HSM, or Tiered Storage; this is the optimal architecture for storing massive amounts of files while optimizing the storage and the power consumption. At the same time Active Circle is a distributed platform that protects your data by replicating on multiple storage pools or even on multiple sites.
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Software solution running on linux servers
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Clustered file system with no point of failure, no master node
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Global namespace
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Distributed architecture
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Policy-based management
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API for application integration
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Supports any disk or tape storage technology
Main features
Hardware-independent storage environment
The Active Circle platform aggregates standard servers and storage devices into a virtualized storage environment. Because it can be installed on standard x86 servers and supports any disk or tape storage system, your storage can evolve independently of storage technologies.
Scalable from Terabytes to Petabytes
Thanks to its modular architecture, Active Circle can grow non-disruptively by adding storage capacity or adding servers (storage nodes) for performance. This is perfect for long-term storage or archival needs as archives continue to grow.
Direct file system access on disk and tape
Active Circle provides a direct file system view of all files on disk or LTO tape, even when offline. Users can read and write the archives just like on a file server. In this way, Active Circle integrates seamlessly in your existing infrastructure.
TAR and LTFS format on tape
Active Circle writes data to tape using the Posix-normalized TAR format and the LTFS open format. This makes it possible to read the tape from any platform, even without the Active Circle software. In addition, TAR and LTFS are the format used by Active Circle customers for exchanging content.
Clustered Mode
Active Circle is a solution natively built in clustered mode: All nodes are equal, there is no single point of failure. The content is always available.
Disaster Recovery Mode
Just place a storage node in a remote building or site and you get a disaster/recovery solution. Your content is protected on-the-fly against disasters.
Data Integrity Check
When activated, the Integrity Check option automatically calculates and stores the checksum signature. It provides functionality for file delivery acknowledgement during archiving and integrity verification throughout a file's lifecycle.
API for integration with the Applications
Beyond direct File System interface, Active Circle offers an API for easy integration with your Media Asset Management system or other types of applicaitons.
Active Media Explorer, a content-oriented interface
Active Media Explorer is a web interface for browsing and retrieving the multimedia content in the Archive. Search, view the low-res file and retrieve the content you are looking for.
File Version Management
When you activate this feature, Active Circle automatically captures file versions and allows users to restore deleted files. Data protection is now embedded in your storage system and you can get rid of traditional backup tools.
Policy-based Data Management
In Active Circle, services like replication, HSM and versioning are built-in and policy-based: You define the lifecycle for your data and Active Circle takes care of the rest..
"Active Circle is the only storage solution that combines the features of an HSM system and of a distributed file system. With Active Circle, we can store very large data sets at very low cost."
Target Applications
Active Circle customers store massive data sets in the following areas:
- Imaging (Science, Medical…)
- Audio & Video storage
- Scientific data sets
- User data
- Geographical Information Systems
- Design data (e.g. publishing, CAD) and other large data sets
