CESNET launched high-capacity data storage in Brno and Jihlava

Prague, November 13, 2013. CESNET Association put into operation high-capacity data storage in Brno and Jihlava. At the same time, it expanded formerly acquired data storage in Pilsen with a massive array of idle discs (MAID) and increased the capacity of the local tape library. Thus the physical capacity of data storage developed during the Extension of the National R&D Information Infrastructure in Regions (eIGeR) project has exceeded 20 PB (1 PetaByte equals 1 million GigaBytes). In Pilsen, the data storage now offers the Globus Online service that allows a high-speed copying of large volume of data using a web interface (www.globusonline.org).

With this achievement, the Czech research community has gained a very robust and reliable storage system based on internal data redundancy and replication among geographically distributed sites.

The target user groups include primarily research teams and large research projects with existing or planned equipment soon to produce extreme data volumes. Not all these groups have plans for storage of a sufficient capacity or own resources for data backup and archiving. However, distributed character of storage infrastructure built by CESNET Association, together with the created standards for user administration, will enable relatively easy integration even for groups that will operate their own storage.

Other user groups include teams dedicated to extensive simulations and mathematical modeling. CESNET, in cooperation with computing centers, has provided storage capacities also to starting or small research groups without own IT resources. Storage environment is also accommodated to the needs of distributed science teams with varying intensity level of collaboration. The role of data backup and archiving provider is also important.

The storage operated by CESNET is hierarchical with data media layers that differ in access speeds and operational costs, and automated system that moves less used data onto media with cheaper operation. That enabled to attain an effective infrastructure operation. The storage is constructed considering a high data storage redundancy and reliability.  It is fully integrated into the system of user account administration within the e-infrastructure – a user can then access the services of storage, MetaCentrum national computing grid, and remote collaboration environment with a single identity. The system also allows for easy management of user groups and access rights to data and other resources in the e-infrastructure.

Data storage use

  • Backup environment – for users that need to secure data in case of own storage accident.
  • Archiving environment – for storing valuable large data that is rarely needed.
  • Data collaboration environment among distributed user groups.
  • Special application data storage.
  • Access to data over file protocols (e.g. NFSv4, FTP, rsync, SCP), grid storage element (dCache), or, in special cases, block access.
  • FileSender – depository for one-time large files sending.

The CESNET Association was founded by Czech universities and the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic in 1996. It is engaged in research and development in information and communication technologies and builds and develops the CESNET national e-infrastructure for research and education. With its research activities and accomplishments, CESNET represents the Czech Republic in international projects, most notably the pan-European GÉANT network development and grid projects (EGI.eu), and participates actively in their implementation. Data storage has been built within the Extension of the National R&D Information Infrastructure in Regions (eIGeR) project and its operation is significantly financed from the CESNET Large Infrastructure project.

Press release, November 13, 2013

Last change: 14.11.2013