Preface

So long are the days past of massively expensive black boxes and their large data center footprints. The current data-driven world we live in demands the ability to handle large-scale data growth at a more economical cost. Day-by-day data continues to grow exponentially and the need to store this data increases. This is where software-defined storage enters the picture.

The idea behind a software-defined storage solution is to utilize the intelligence of software combined with the use of commodity hardware to solve our future computing problems, including where to store all this data the human race is compiling, from music to insurance documents. The software-defined approach should be the answer to the future's computing problems and Ceph is the future of storage.

Ceph is a true open source, software-defined storage solution, purposely built to handle unprecedented data growth with linear performance improvement. It provides a unified storage experience for file, object, and block storage interfaces from the same system. The beauty of Ceph is its distributed, scalable nature and performance; reliability and robustness come along with these attributes. And furthermore it is pocket-friendly, that is, economical, providing you greater value for each dollar you spent.

Ceph is capable of providing block, object, and file access from a single storage solution, and its enterprise-class features such as scalability, reliability, erasure coding, and cache tiering have led organizations such as CERN, Yahoo!, and DreamHost to deploy and run Ceph highly successfully, for years. It is also currently being deployed in all flash storage scenarios, where low latency / high performance workloads, database workloads, storage for containers, and Hyper Converge Infrastructure as well. With Ceph BlueStore on the very near horizon, the best is truly yet to come for Ceph.

In this book, we will take a deep pe to understand Ceph—covering components and architecture, including its working. The Ceph Cookbook focuses on hands-on knowledge by providing you with step-by-step guidance with the help of recipes. Right from the first chapter, you will gain practical experience of Ceph by following the recipes. With each chapter, you will learn and play around with interesting concepts in Ceph. By the end of this book, you will feel competent regarding Ceph, both conceptually as well as practically, and you will be able to operate your Ceph storage infrastructure with confidence and success.

Best of luck in your future endeavors with Ceph!