Ceph cluster model with explicit data sets (volumes) supporting discrete customer data paths and workloads in a single cluster. CohortFS client-side striping and erasure coding and streamlined CohortFS OSD open new workload possibilities for Ceph-style storage deployments.

CohortFS extends traditional pNFS layout technology to fully expose the data placement flexibility of leading-edge storage architectures such as Ceph. The CohortFS Placement layout delivers new algorithmic placement strategies (e.g., CRUSH, client-side striping and erasure coding) directly to clients. Metastripe layouts (originally proposed by Mike Eisler) continue the evolution of pNFS to metadata, to support scale out filesystem namespaces, scaling for huge numbers of clients, and scalable directory operations through directory striping.

The CohortFS team are proud collaborators with CEA (Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives), IBM, Panasas, Open-pNFS, and others around the world on the open source Ganesha NFSv4 project, and committed to playing an engaged and creative role in Ceph development community as our project matures.

CohortFS, LLC has been funded by NSF Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I and Phase II (Project Abstract) NSF TECP and and Phase IIB grants, as well as Michigan Emerging Technology Fund.