Cleversafe Releases Next Generation Dispersed Storage Software Into Open Source
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Upgraded Version Features New Interface and Dispersed Storage Algorithm; Now Available for Download at www.cleversafe.org
CHICAGO, Oct. 16 / / -- Cleversafe, Inc., open source sponsor and lead developer of software to create the world's first Dispersed Storage(TM) Network (dsNet), today announced it has released the next generation of its Dispersed Storage software into open source on its www.cleversafe.org/ site. Enabling the first completely functioning version of Cleversafe's dsNet, this release increases flexibility, ease of use, integration and access, leading to a more private, secure, reliable and cost effective method for storing and archiving large quantities of data on a global scale.
Cleversafe's latest Dispersed Storage software incorporates an iSCSI device interface, which allows any dsNet to appear as a network device on the desktop, enabling users to transparently store and retrieve files as if they were using a local hard drive. iSCSI is a network storage protocol that is compatible with all major operating systems, including Windows, Macintosh, Linux and Solaris. The Dispersed Storage software release initially works on a Linux operating system, with other operating system configurations to be released to the open source community later this year. Because of its standard iSCSI interface, Cleversafe's Dispersed Storage software now easily integrates with many other existing backup and archiving solutions.
"We are excited to release this new version of our software into open source and invite all interested developers to participate in the Dispersed Storage community. We hope the open source community embraces this exiting new paradigm for storing data by getting involved with testing software stability and scalability, as well as by identifying initial target applications and uses for Dispersed Storage," said Jonathan Zakin, CEO of Cleversafe. "We are developing a fundamentally better way to store the world's data on a global scale, and believe open source is the optimal development model for achieving this goal."
Current storage backup and archiving approaches rely on multiple copies, replication and synchronization technologies, which compromise security, add complexity and increase costs. Cleversafe's Dispersed Storage software divides data into "slices" using functions called Information Dispersal Algorithms (IDAs) and disperses these slices, via secure Internet connections, to multiple nodes on a dsNet. Each individual slice contains too little information to be useful, but any threshold of the slices can be used to perfectly recreate the original data.
Cleversafe Dispersed Storage software is based on traditional Cauchy Reed-Solomon Information Dispersal Algorithms (IDAs) to provide more flexibility in determining the width, threshold and reliability of any particular dsNet. Developers will now be able to customize the number of nodes in their infrastructure, adjust the threshold number of slices required to reassemble data and fine-tune the reliability of their dsNets. For example, dsNet developers can now configure their systems to use eight, 16, 32, or even 64 nodes, and can set an appropriate threshold number, depending on their specific needs.
"This release gives the open source community the tools to develop Dispersed Storage Networks with heretofore unheard of flexibility, scalability and reliability, and we look forward to interaction with the developer community to further this exciting technology," said Chris Gladwin, chairman and CTO of Cleversafe.
Dispersed Storage promises to be a more secure, private, reliable and cost effective solution than traditional copy-based storage methods. Dispersed Storage Networks can tolerate multiple failures of hardware, storage locations or administrators, while still keeping data secure and easy to reassemble. Because Dispersed Storage does not make copies of data, it reduces the amount of overall storage and bandwidth expansion of data to 10 percent to 50 percent more than original data. By contrast, copy-based storage methods have a 300 percent to 400 percent expansion factor, which increases cost and synchronization traffic.
Availability
Cleversafe's new upgraded open source Dispersed Storage software is now generally available for free download from www.cleversafe.org/.
About Cleversafe
Cleversafe, Inc. is the developer of Cleversafe Dispersed Storage software, which uses Information Dispersal Algorithms (IDAs) to separate data into unrecognizable DataSlices(TM) and distribute them, via secure Internet connections, to multiple storage locations on a dispersed storage network. With dispersed storage, transmission and storage of data is inherently private and secure. No single entire copy of the data is in one location, and only some of the slices need to be available in order to perfectly retrieve the data. Data on the network remains private and secure in the face of natural catastrophes, or failures of hardware, connection, facility or IT management. Moreover, the individual data slices do not carry enough information for an unauthorized viewer to determine the original content. For more information, please go to http://www.cleversafe.com/.
Source: Cleversafe, Inc.
Web site: http://www.cleversafe.com/
