Storage Developer Conference

PowerShell is a task-based command-line shell and scripting language that helps rapidly automate tasks that manage operating systems (Linux, macOS, and Windows) and processes. PowerShell is open-source, object-based and includes a rich expression parser and a fully developed scripting language with a gentle learning curve. The PowerShell Toolkit for SNIA Swordfish™ provides simple to use commands for managing any Swordfish Implementation (including the SNIA API Emulator). Attend this session to learn how to use the SNIA Swordfish PowerShell Module to jumpstart development of your own Swordfish implementation.

Learning Objectives: 1) Provide an overview of the PowerShell open source tool kit; 2) Describe how the PowerShell tool kit can speed a Swordfish implementation; 3) Educate the audience on how to use and access the PowerShell tool kit.

After a year of implementation progress of the The SMB3 .1.1 POSIX Extensions, a set of protocol extensions to allow for optimal Linux and Unix interoperability with NAS and Cloud file servers

- what is the current status

- what have we learned

- what has changed in the protocol specification in the past year

- what advice do we have for implementers

- and users …

These extensions greatly improve the experience for users of Linux. This presentation will review the state of the protocol extensions and their current implementation in the Linux kernel and Samba among others, and provide an opportunity for feedback and suggestions for additions to the POSIX extensions.

This has been an exciting year with many improvements to the implementations of the SMB3.1.1 POSIX Extensions in Samba and Linux!

Learning Objectives: 1) What is the current status of Linux interoperability with various SMB3.1.1 servers?; 2) How have the protocol extensions for Linux/POSIX progressed over the past year? What has changed? What works?; 3) What are suggestions for implementors of SMB3.1.1 servers?; 4) What is useful information for users to know to try these extensions?; 5) How do new Linux file system features map to these extensions?

NVMe KV (Key-Value) is an industry-wide proposal for a new command structure that allows access to data on an NVMe SSD controller using a “key” rather than a block address. Developed within the NVM Express technical working group, this Key Value command set provides a “key” to store a corresponding “value” on non-volatile media, then retrieves that “value” from the media by specifying the corresponding “key.” In addition to extensive work being undertaken by the NVM Express working group, the SNIA has completed an overarching KeyValue API released for a membership vote in January 2019. This presentation examines standardization efforts going on within SNIA and the NVM Express working group that will allow users to access key-value data without the costly and time-consuming overhead of additional translation tables between keys and logical blocks.

Learning Objectives: 1) What is the status of standards development; 2) Overview of what is in the SNIA KV API; 3) Overview of what is in the NVMe KV proposal.

A variety of persistent memory technologies with DRAM-class performance, known as “memory class storage” or “MCS”, have appeared on the horizon. MCS will change the architecture of future computing systems. These technologies include carbon nanotube memory, phase change memory, magnetic spin memory, and resistive memory, and each has unique characteristics that can complicate systems designed to exploit them. The JEDEC DDR5 NVRAM specification in process intends to bridge the differences between the technologies and provide systems designers with a unified specification for DRAM-class persistent memory. Nantero NRAM is a NVRAM based on carbon nanotube cell structures that provides a DDR4 or DDR5 interface to the system, and provides additional enhancements to yield 20% higher performance at the same clock rate.

Learning Objectives: 1) Attendees are exposed to system level advantages of memory class storage devices that operate at DRAM speeds but provide data persistence; 2) JEDEC is working on a new specification to standardize the interface to a variety of NVRAMs which provide memory class storage; 3) Nantero NRAM is a memory class storage device with better than DRAM performance.

One of the most common benchmarks in the storage industry is 4KiB random read I/O per second. Over the years, the industry first saw the publication of 1M I/Ops on a single box, then 1M I/Ops on a single thread (by SPDK). More recently, there have been publications outlining 10M I/Ops on a single box using high performance NVMe devices and more than 100 CPU cores.

This talk will present a benchmark of SPDK performing more than 10 million random 4KiB read operations per second from a single thread to 20 NVMe devices, a large advance compared to the state of the art of the industry. SPDK has developed a number of novel techniques to reach this level of performance, which will be outlined in detail here. These techniques include polling, advanced MMIO doorbell batching strategies, PCIe and DDIO considerations, careful management of the CPU cache, and the use of non-temporal CPU instructions. This will be a low level talk with real examples of eliminating data dependent loads, profiling last level cache misses, pre-fetching, and more. Additionally, there remains a number of techniques that have not yet been employed that warrant future research. These techniques often push devices outside of their original intended operating mode, while remaining within the bounds of the specification, and so often require collaboration between NVMe controller and device designers, the NVMe specification body, and software developers such as the SPDK team.

Learning Objectives: 1) Optimal use of NVMe devices; 2) Optimal use of PCIe and MMIO in a storage stack; 3) Leveraging advanced x86-64 CPU instructions and making best use of the CPU cache.

The applications using NVMe, SAS, SATA, USB based storage devices find a new use and one of them is mining for open source cryptocurrency such as Burst Coin. Using low power or solar power HDD’s, SSD and most importantly NVMe technology can improve turnaround latency and build blocks on a faster scale. Utilization of security protocols allows anonymization as well as protection of the users and vendors. Burst coin has an extensive developer’s community and can run on the cloud, has dApps, its own ATM and more. More importantly, Burst is based on Proof of Capacity protocol and utilizes storage drives, arrays and enables users to build the mesh net of miners and secure blockchain protocol. Using NVMe devices we can accelerate transactions. We will show how using performance analytics tools we can create predictions on building blockchain blocks and provide insights into date usage efficiency. Additional value benefits are saving energy costs, address new markets and create adoption in the larger markets. The usage of storage devices and blockchain will enable HW secure banking transactions (via smart contracts) and much more.

Learning Objectives: 1) Learn how Proof of Capacity works with storage devices; 2) Find new applications for Storage applications; 3) Understand Data Science perception with Blockchain.

A growing trend in the market is capacity of data. This data growth is creating challenges within modern storage infrastructures and a new way to think of data is needed. The SNIA Computational Storage TWG was formed in October of 2018 to address this opportunity for the Storage industry to use innovative technologies that bring computational capabilities closer to or within the storage device. The goal of the TWG is to develop an architecture and set of definitions that allow for common communication about the problem set as well as a standardized interface between the Computational Storage device and host or peer devices. Ultimately the TWG will drive standardization of the necessary Computational Storage interfaces across the industry, contribute to and drive the development of software necessary to enable the usages, and promote the education of the industry regarding Computational Storage.

This session will provide an overview of Computational Storage, the focus areas of the TWG, and the opportunities for engagement with the rest of the industry in this space.

Learning Objectives: 1) Overview of the Computational Storage TWG goals; 2) Walk through the current architectural paradigms defined in the TWG; 3) Give the industry a common language to speak regarding computational storage.

Last year at SDC we reviewed the integration of crypto which made use of DPDK’s existing variety of drivers to usher in the capability. This year we are expanding our use of DPDK with the addition of a compression! This talk will outline the overall architecture of the compression module and explain in detail how we are managing the layout of the device and leveraging the Persistent Memory Development Kit to store metadata in super-fast persistent memory.

Learning Objectives: 1) Understand new SPDK compression feature; 2) Understand the value of SPDK in general; 3) Learn about the SPDK Community.

This talks explains the exciting new features in the Linux NVMe driver and software target in the last two years, as well as the relevant block layer changes to support these features.

Learning Objectives: 1) Learn about new Linux features; 2) Learn about new NVMe features; 3) Have fun!

LTO (Linear Tape Open) is an industry standard format for tape drives and media. To begin this talk we will give a brief overview of LTO tape: how data is recorded and accessed on tape, and some characteristics that make it very different from earlier forms of computer tape storage. We will then discuss the current state of LTO tape, including “feeds and speeds”, backwards/forwards drive and media compatibility, and the LTO Consortium’s roadmap for the future. Finally, we’ll discuss the Linear Tape File System (LTFS): what it is, how it works, and what benefits it provides. We’ll end with a detailed description of the latest important feature in LTFS version 2.5, Incremental Indexes, including a discussion of the impetus for Incremental Indexes, the benefits they provide, and an explanation of how they work. This talk is suitable for newcomers to tape storage as well as those who are already taking advantage of LTO tape and LTFS.

Learning Objectives: 1) Understand the operation and current state of LTO tape storage, and its roadmap for the future; 2) Understand the use and benefits of the Linear Tape File System (LTFS); 3) Learn how adding Incremental Indexes to LTFS improves performance and storage efficiency while preserving backwards compatibility.