DataCore Software has developed a Block Storage driver for Cinder which connects the OpenStack Cinder service to SANsymphony virtualization software. OpenStack Integration extends the benefits of the advanced data services offered in SANsymphony architecture while providing block storage for compute instances in OpenStack. This integration works with OpenStack version 1.3 for Mitaka as well as Icehouse release
The DataCore OpenStack Cinder Volume Driver is completely integrated with the OpenStack Block Storage Cinder service and the public APIs of SANsymphony software. When volumes are created in OpenStack, the driver creates the same virtual disks in SANsymphony. When a volume is attached to an instance in OpenStack, a Linux host is registered and the same virtual disk is served to the host in SANsymphony. The DataCore OpenStack Cinder Volume Driver and Python scripts are installed on the Linux host.
About the Cinder-Volume Service and Cinder.conf File
A key component of OpenStack Block Storage is the cinder-volume service that manages block storage devices and responds to read and write requests sent to the Block Storage Service to maintain state.
The cinder-volume service can interact with a variety of storage providers through a driver architecture, SANsymphony storage virtualization software being one. The OpenStack Block Storage configuration, which includes the volume driver setting, is specified in the cinder.conf file that is located in /etc/cinder directory by default. OpenStack uses the INI file format for configuration files.
When the Block Storage service is manually installed, options in the cinder.conf file are set to default values. The default volume driver will be set to the volume drivers for the DataCore OpenStack Cinder Volume Driver.
For more info about cinder-volume configuration refer to: http://docs.openstack.org/icehouse/config-reference/content/ch_configuring-openstack-block-storage.html
Installing the DataCore OpenStack Cinder Volume Driver
The OpenStack Block Storage Service provides an infrastructure for managing volumes and interacts with the OpenStack Compute Service to provision and manage storage for virtual machine instances.
For a step-by-step guidance, click here: https://docs.openstack.org/cinder/zed/configuration/block-storage/drivers/datacore-volume-driver.html
Creating Volumes for OpenStack Block Storage
OpenStack volumes are persistent block-storage devices that may be attached and detached from instances, but they can be attached to only one instance at a time. Similar to an external hard drive, they do not provide shared storage in the way a network file system or object store does. It is left to the operating system in the instance to put a file system on the block device and mount it, or not.
Providing instructions on basic OpenStack operations is beyond the scope of this document, although instructions are provided for SANsymphony-specific operations.
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