At this time, the Open Flash Platform (OFP) initiative was launched with inaugural members Hammerspace, the Linux neighborhood, Los Alamos Nationwide Laboratory, ScaleFlux, SK Hynix, and Xsight Systems. OCP intends to deal with necessities from the following wave of knowledge storage for AI.
“The convergence of knowledge creation related to rising AI functions coupled with limitations round energy availability, sizzling knowledge facilities, and knowledge middle area constraints means we have to take a blank-slate strategy to constructing AI knowledge infrastructure,” OFP stated in its announcement.
A decade in the past, NVMe unleashed flash because the efficiency tier by disintermediating legacy storage busses and controllers. Now, OFP unlocks flash because the capability tier by disintermediating storage servers and proprietary software program stacks. OFP leverages open requirements and open supply—particularly parallel NFS and customary Linux—to put flash straight on the storage community. Open, standards-based options inevitably prevail. By delivering an order of magnitude higher capability density, substantial energy financial savings and far decrease TCO, OFP accelerates that inevitability.
Present options are inherently tied to a storage server mannequin that calls for extreme assets to drive efficiency and functionality. Designs from all present all-flash distributors usually are not optimized to facilitate the very best in flash density, and tie options to the working lifetime of a processor (usually 5 years) vs. the working lifetime of flash (usually eight years). These storage servers additionally introduce proprietary knowledge constructions that fragment knowledge environments by introducing new silos, leading to a proliferation of knowledge copies, and including licensing prices to each node.
OFP advocates an open, standards-based strategy which incorporates a number of components:
- Flash gadgets – conceived round, however not restricted to, QLC flash for its density. Flash sourcing needs to be versatile to allow clients to buy NAND from numerous fabs, doubtlessly via controller companions or direct module design, avoiding single-vendor lock-in.
- IPUs/DPUs – have matured to a degree that they will change far more useful resource intensive processors for serving knowledge. Each decrease value and decrease energy necessities imply a way more environment friendly part for knowledge providers.
- OFP cartridge – a cartridge accommodates the entire important {hardware} to retailer and serve knowledge in a kind issue that’s optimized for low energy consumption and flash density.
- OFP trays – An OFP tray suits a variety of OFP cartridges and provides energy distribution and fitment for numerous knowledge middle rack designs.
- Linux Working System – OFP makes use of customary Linux operating inventory NFS to produce knowledge providers from every cartridge.
“Our targets usually are not modest and there’s a lot of labor in retailer, however by leveraging open designs and trade customary elements as a neighborhood, this initiative will end in monumental enhancements in knowledge storage effectivity,” OFP stated.
“Energy effectivity isn’t optionally available; it’s the one strategy to scale AI. Interval. The Open Flash Platform removes the shackles of legacy storage, making it potential to retailer exabytes utilizing lower than 50 kilowatts, vs yesterday’s megawatts. That’s not incremental, it’s radical,” stated Hao Zhong, CEO & Co-Founding father of ScaleFlux.
“Agility is all the things for AI — and solely open, standards-based storage retains you free to adapt quick, management prices, and decrease energy use,” stated Gary Grider, Director of HPC, Los Alamos National Lab.
“Flash would be the subsequent driving drive for the AI period. To unleash its full potential, storage techniques should evolve. We consider that open and standards-based architectures like OFP can maximize the total potential of flash-based storage techniques by considerably enhancing energy effectivity and eradicating boundaries to scale,” stated Hoshik Kim, SVP, Head of Reminiscence Techniques Analysis at SK hynix.
“Open, standards-based options inevitably prevail. By delivering 10x higher capability density and a 50 p.c decrease TCO, OFP accelerates that inevitability,” stated David Flynn, Founder and CEO, Hammerspace.
