F5 Acopia FreedomFabricTM Network Operating System Software
The industry's first scalable, multi-service, intelligent file virtualization operating system
F5 Acopia FreedomFabric network operating system software is a vital component of the innovative technology behind Acopia's award-winning intelligent file virtualization solutions. This reliable, scalable software allows enterprises to efficiently manage unstructured file data by automating many storage management tasks and eliminating the disruptions associated with those tasks.In addition, FreedomFabric software gives businesses the freedom to choose and seamlessly deploy the storage technologies that best meet their business and IT requirements.
FreedomFabric network operating system software simplifies file storage management by:
Decoupling the logical access to data from the physical location of that data through a file virtualization layer
Enabling the enforcement of powerful, easy-to-use intelligent storage management policies
Simplifying File Access with File Virtualization
File virtualization creates a logical abstraction of the physical storage environment. This presentation layer, also referred to as a Global Namespace, enables simple logical access to physical file systems, and hides storage changes from clients. FreedomFabric software does not introduce a new file system into the storage environment, but acts as a proxy to federate file systems that are already in place on the underlying storage layer. FreedomFabric software uses industry-standard file access protocols, NFS and CIFS, to communicate with both clients accessing files and storage servers providing them.
Simplifying Storage Management with Automated Storage Management Policies
FreedomFabric network operating system software enables IT organizations to automate and enforce data management policies in realtime. Operations that were once done manually can now be performed automatically, without disruption to users and applications.This significantly extends the value of existing storage investments and enhances business workflow in four key areas:
Data Migration
Administrators can use powerful policies for a range of data migration tasks - from moving entire file systems to individual files. Data migration can take place between heterogeneous storage devices, for both NFS- and CIFS-oriented data, and migrations can be scheduled to avoid peak traffic times or backup windows. Outages and business disruption previously associated with data migrations are eliminated.
Storage Tiering
FreedomFabric network operating system software automates the placement and movement of data between different tiers (or classes) of storage, with each tier potentially comprising devices from multiple vendors. The Acopia storage tiering capability operates at the file-level, enabling organizations to move just files or projects based on certain criteria (age, type, etc.) rather than entire file systems. Acopia solutions do not leave behind stubs or pointers which pose availability risks and complicate backup and recovery procedures. Real-time policy enforcement capabilities enable files to be placed on appropriate devices automatically.
Data Replication
Disk-based replicas of file data can be created and used for cost-effective data replication. Storage managers can define groups of files to be replicated either locally or remotely, across an IP network. Replication can occur at regularly scheduled intervals, and only file changes are transmitted to preserve WAN bandwidth. Off-site replicas can be presented and accessed by the user in a read-only fashion to ensure the availability of data. These replicas can be quickly promoted to a read/write state in the event of a data center failure.
Load Balancing
Real-time load balancing policies allow enterprises to create larger "virtual file servers" from existing file storage devices, aggregating the resources (capacity, throughput, processing power) of these physical devices and optimizing application performance. The Acopia device acts in real-time to avoid the bottlenecks and ensure optimal data traffic flow.
For more information, download the FreedomFabric network operating system software data sheet, or learn more about the ARX Series of intelligent file virtualization solutions.