File Storage

Files, folders, and directories are stored based on File storage. File storage is offered based on an SMB or NFS file share. In contrast to Block storage, the file system of File storage is provided by Equinix. This is offered in two variants:

  1. Standard – The data is stored on one location.

  2. RPO=0 – The data is synchronously replicated to another data-center.

File Storage has several tiers with the following properties.

Tier Name Application Performance
1 High performance

  • Database (Logs), RDS/SBC

  • Data Analytics

  • IOPS guarantee: 1.000 IOPS per TB. Max. 30.000 per share 1

  • IOPS limits: 1.500 IOPS per TB. Max. 45.000 per share 2

  • Latency: 5 ms 3

  • Size: Min 250 GB, max. 30 TB per share 4, 5, 6
2 Performance (Default)

  • Home Folders

  • Generic VM’s

  • App / Web services

  • High performance File services

  • IOPS guarantee: 250 IOPS per TB. Max. 7.500 per share 1

  • IOPS limits: 500 IOPS per TB. Max. 15.000 per share 2

  • Latency: 10 ms 3

  • Size: Min 250 GB, max. 30 TB per share 4, 5, 6
3 Standard

  • Back-up

  • Generic File services

  • IOPS guarantee: 100 IOPS per TB. Max. 3.000 per share 1

  • IOPS limits: 250 IOPS per TB. Max. 7.500 per share2

  • Latency: 15 ms 3

  • Size: Min 250 GB, max. 30 TB per share 4, 5, 6
Note:

  1. IOPS – Maximum value at 65% read / 35% write with 8 KB block.

  2. Limit – Determined on the basis of fair use. At long lasting exceeding the fair use, Equinix reserves the right to set the warranty as the limit.

  3. Latency – From the same data center, average per 5 minutes within IOPS-guarantee.

  4. Size – Increases per 250 GB.

  5. GBs will be implemented in multiples of 1024.

  6. 1 TB = 1000 GB.

How Does It Work?

Together with the user, an intake is carried out, in which bandwidth, back-up, and protocol (SMB or NFS) are coordinated.

Managed Storage File can be accessed through a private dedicated connection. This way, a safe and fast connection is realized. This connection is made from your rack or EBC environment to the Managed Storage platform. Once this is realized, the user receives a delivery document with the tuned variables, and can configure the connection to the file share.

Purchase Units

With File Storage, you can contract the amount of storage per tier in GB, rounded in units of 250 GB.

For more flexibility, the volume is created with the size of the contracted quantity + 50%. This amount of storage is reserved and presented in the form of a volume. You can expand the size during the contract period in blocks of 250 GB.

Shrinkage is possible after the first year with a maximum of 25% of the contracted volume with a maximum of 1000 GB per year.

Managed Storage File is charged as follows:

  • File Storage <Tier name> in GB

  • Overage File Storage <Tier name> in GB

The contracted quantity is charged per month in advance. Consumption in excess of the contracted quantity is invoiced monthly in arrears as Overage File Storage in GB.

Note: For contracted quantities above 10 TB, consultation with the user will take place.

File Storage RPO=0

File storage offers continuous data replication from one site to another. This option is suitable for implementing scenarios where an RPO value of 0 (zero) is required. Every write to the data is immediately performed on both sites. Only when the data is written correctly on both sites, a commit takes place. In the event that the storage on site A is unavailable, the storage on site B is accessed.

File Storage Premium is only available for the High Performance and Performance Tiers. In combination with EBC ST Premium, an infrastructure can be delivered with RPO=0 and an RTO of 30 minutes.

See the service description of EBC Single Tenant Premium for details.

Implementation of File storage premium is the Active Passive variant, where the primary location is always site AM3 and the secondary location ZW1.

In the event of a disaster, writing and reading can take place in ZW1. Standard file storage can, however, be purchased on AM3 or ZW1. In addition to replication, the storage characteristics are the same as File Storage.

To access the data in ZW1 in the event of a disaster, an additional connection between the two data centers is required. A Dual Diverse Metro Connect or a Stretched Layer-2 Shared can be purchased for this. It is the user's choice whether the source infrastructure is also redundantly distributed across multiple data centers.

Purchase Units

With File Storage Premium, you contract the amount of storage per tier of replicated data in GB, rounded in units of 250 GB. The rate per GB includes twice the amount of stored data, including the replication infrastructure. There are no additional costs for the connectivity and network infrastructure.

For more flexibility, the volume is created with the size of the contracted quantity + 50% . This amount of storage is reserved and presented in the form of a volume. You can expand during the contract period in blocks of 250 GB.

Shrinkage is possible after the first year with a maximum of 25% of the contracted volume with a maximum of 1000 GB per year.

Managed Storage File RPO=0 is charged as follows:

  • File Storage RPO=0 <Tier name> in GB

  • Overage File Storage RPO=0 <Tier name> in GB

The contracted quantity is charged per month in advance. Consumption more than the contracted quantity is invoiced monthly in arrears as Overage File Storage in GB.

Note: For contracted quantities above 10 TB, consultation with the user will take place.

Relations and Dependencies

  • File storage can be provided only with a direct connection. In case a user is not yet present in the data center where the storage is located, additional connectivity is required. The connectivity is not part of the Managed Storage service, but must be purchased separately.

  • Backup of data can be purchased via Backup & Restore.