You’ll need 67 terabytes just to contain the excitement your storage-deprived mind is about to feel. How do you build huge cloud storage? This is how.
Online backup company, Backblaze, now providers of one of the cheapest cloud storage solutions known to man, gives you the cloud storage step-by-step scoop. It’s storage on a budget for sure. Not only do they give you the full overview with material list and wiring, they also provide the full SolidWorks 3D model, with every stinkin’ feature intact.
More Storage for Your Porridge
There were days when one would not only scoff at 1 Terabyte of storage, but also keel over with pains of laughter and tears. “One Terabyte of data? Are you serious?!” That’s not so much the case anymore.We not only need Terabytes of storage, we need multiple terabytes. Petabytes, Exabytes… million of bytes at our fingertips. At some point it seems ridiculous though. Think of backing up a Petabyte of data. But as data storage increase, so would data transfer – Terabytes per second, instead of Megabits per second.
So the search for better, cheaper storage lives on. Why did Backblaze go at it themselves. Here’s what they found out.
We’re a backup service, so our datacenter contains a complete copy of all of our customers’ data…Before realizing that we had to solve this storage problem ourselves, we considered Amazon S3, Dell or Sun Servers, NetApp Filers, EMC SAN, etc. As we investigated these traditional off-the-shelf solutions, we became increasingly disillusioned by the expense. When you strip away the marketing terms and fancy logos from any storage solution, data ends up on a hard drive. But when we priced various off-the-shelf solutions, the cost was 10 times as much (or more) than the raw hard drives.
This lead them to develop their own solution that would be a fraction of the cost. Using SolidWorks to construct the pod that would contain the drives, they created a sheet metal, 4U rack-mounted solution that cost a measly $7,867 (fully equipped) per 67 terabyte rack unit. So, for 1 Petabyte (1000 terabytes) , they slapped down a cool $181,000 to be up and running with the big boys… and with the information they provide, you could too.
The Storage Pod 3D Model
Why did they want to provide the full SolidWorks model for people to download? Ultimately, it’s so others can have a go at refining it, letting them know where improvements could be made or how costs could be lowered. This is really a great example of crowdsourcing, not only a product, but the main aspect of a business process. If they keep promoting this, it could optimize their storage solutions and really, the overall business of mass storage.
Download the BackBlaze 3D model here (ZIP 24.2MB)
Bib, Big hat tip to Dave Moore. Thanks!
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SolidSmack is a very small behemoth of an online community about 3D CAD, technology, design, robots, and ninjas… Ok, maybe not ninjas so much, but those guys are COOL so there just might be something about some dang ninjas.
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For these guys, I have to steal the line from the Guiness commercial. “Brilliant”! Backblaze is being run in my opinion by a group of folks who have common sense and a great idea of what they want to do an how to do it. I think they will kick the rear end off of the big boys with this backup solution they have.
I am using S3 now for my personal stuff and at first it was cheaper than most of the unlimited for $5 a month but now that most of my movies and pictures are up there my bill is around 8-$9 so now I am wondering that that was the best decision. I guess my only worry is how long are they around. With Carbonite/Mozy I didn't know them as well as I do Amazon so I want to have some idea that 10 years from now my data will still be there and not on some server that got shut down due to bandwidth costs or the economy..
This whole cloud thing reminds me of the baseless hype and hysteria that surrounded dot coms before they creashed and burned as reality set in. With storage as cheap as it is why would I trust transmiting data multiples of times over an unreliable internet when I can keep it in house and secure and do it without much expense. I would not dream of putting my company at the mercy of hackers, internet problems data corruption and all the other things that can happen when you surrender control of your stuff. Add in the time spent every day as employees wait for data to be saved and accessed and you have way more than spent the money to keep it in house and for what? What did you gain? The thrill of being on the cutting edge of stupid business models is not what I choose to be involved in and none of the big companies I contract to would even think of allowing the lapse of security you so cavalierly and enthusiasticaly describe as the next best gotta have thing. Go for it and let me know how it works out when they trash your data or shut you down a half a day as the ISP craps out.
If it wasn't for the fact that I was already using a grid to do backups at the same price remotely, I would jump at the opportunity of using these guys. I'll keep them bookmarked though as 3D eats hard drive space very quickly and having more than one backup is never a bad thing
Jon @ WoodMarvels.com
for some reason, I've held off with S3, although for the reasons you mention, it still seems the best option. Right now, my bill wouldn't be too high, but as it does, I imagine switching providers and it seems like a pain. but ya know, at $5 bucks, it's almost too good.
Hey Dave. This post and the BackBlaze post is mostly to show how you can build your own 'cloud'-level server. Not necessarily heralding the magnificence of 'cloud' storage as the be-all, end-all solution to life's problems.
However, I know what you're saying, but the opposite also holds true – the servers in our offices crap out, shut down with a power failure and need maintained. Security is an issue anywhere data is digital and tiny boxes hold our data. Places like Rackspace are working to implement ISO security practices.
As a backup service, I don't mind the 'cloud' hysteria at all. It's an offsite server that allows me to access info from where ever I may be (sure I can do that from a local server set up for it, but my local ISP need to have consistent uptime.)
It's for some and not for others really. For those who need the option it's there. Thanks for the comment man.
I was looking at http://www.jungledisk.com/ before this for backup – it starts at $2.00 plus the Amazon S3 storage fees that can stack up quick. I like the idea of unlimited.
for some reason, I've held off with S3, although for the reasons you mention, it still seems the best option. Right now, my bill wouldn't be too high, but as it does, I imagine switching providers and it seems like a pain. but ya know, at $5 bucks, it's almost too good.
Hey Dave. This post and the BackBlaze post is mostly to show how you can build your own 'cloud'-level server. Not necessarily heralding the magnificence of 'cloud' storage as the be-all, end-all solution to life's problems.
However, I know what you're saying, but the opposite also holds true – the servers in our offices crap out, shut down with a power failure and need maintained. Security is an issue anywhere data is digital and tiny boxes hold our data. Places like Rackspace are working to implement ISO security practices.
As a backup service, I don't mind the 'cloud' hysteria at all. It's an offsite server that allows me to access info from where ever I may be (sure I can do that from a local server set up for it, but my local ISP need to have consistent uptime.)
It's for some and not for others really. For those who need the option it's there. Thanks for the comment man.
I was looking at http://www.jungledisk.com/ before this for backup – it starts at $2.00 plus the Amazon S3 storage fees that can stack up quick. I like the idea of unlimited.
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