Workshop on Storage Technologies in Computing Clusters & Datacenter Environments at HiPC 2007

Research Challenges

In this workshop we will explore research challenges in deploying new technologies in storage network architectures to help boost the performance of typical data center and cluster computing applications such as databases, web servers etc. These include the challenges in areas of security, storage networks and employment of SSDs or other similar devices & techniques.

Some of the typical research questions that we would wish to explore are:

  • Seamless integration of SSD based tiered storage array technology into existing SANs
  • Application Visible Vs. Application Transparent SSD Cache Architectures  
  • Application benefit analysis. Benefit to application classes (E.g. databases Vs. web servers)
  • Storage allocation, SSD Cache Partitioning
  • Scalability & Manageability of the solution (from 10s of servers to 1000s of servers)
  • Security related concerns arising for potential use of mid-level caches and similar constructs.
  • Changes to the following to make most use of SSDs:
    • Optimized file system algorithms, structure etc.
    • Optimizations to SAN protocol
 Background
Research Challenges
Call for Papers
Chair for workshop
Invited Speakers
References