Fusion-io announced its acquisition of ID7, a UK-based storage technology company founded in 2006. ID7 is known for software defined storage (SDS), open-source work in shared storage, and as the developers of SCSI target subsystem (SCST) storage subsystem for Linux. The two companies have already been working together developing the ION Data Accelerator software that turns servers into shared storage appliances. Moving forward, from their current locations, all of the ID7 team including their SCST developers will join Fusion-io in collaboration on future projects.
Fusion-io announced its acquisition of ID7, a UK-based storage technology company founded in 2006. ID7 is known for software defined storage (SDS), open-source work in shared storage, and as the developers of SCSI target subsystem (SCST) storage subsystem for Linux. The two companies have already been working together developing the ION Data Accelerator software that turns servers into shared storage appliances. Moving forward, from their current locations, all of the ID7 team including their SCST developers will join Fusion-io in collaboration on future projects.
The implications for the market at large are significant. SCST is at the heart of every single Linux-based flash storage appliance on the market today. Storage vendors that use SCST include the likes of IBM, EMC, HP, Kaminario, Starboard, and many others. SCST acts as the storage-to-network translation layer through which all data must flow…without it, you could think of it in relation to trying to drive down the road without tires installed on a car. Furthermore, no interface is left out with SCST having a place with iSCSI, Fibre Channel, as well as InfiniBand. SCST also enables features such as replication, thin provisioning, deduplication, high availability, and automatic backup which have come to be standard issue (or expected) in all major storage appliances. StorageReview’s own MarkLogic NoSQL Database Storage Benchmark relies on SCST to host high-performance PCIe Application Accelerators over InfiniBand and connect it to the database cluster.
The acquisition of ID7 by Fusion-io continues to illustrate the emphasis of software, not hardware, as the driver of performance in the flash storage market. Fusion-io intends to continue to support SCST in the open source market, but it’s clear that owning the technology will provide special advantages to Fusion-io as they continue to push the software defined storage market.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the transaction has been completed. ID7 will continue to operate as a UK-based subsidiary of Fusion-io.
