Improving Cloud VPS storage with Open Source technology

Our Cloud VPS provides customers with high-speed SSD storage to ensure that demanding applications get the disk performance they require. In feedback from customers, it was highlighted that some users require more disk space without the additional bundled RAM or CPU.

Providing bigger disk space on a Cloud VPS server has, until now, been inefficient for cloud storage providers, resulting in a reduced service and higher prices for the end user – something we at Memset were not willing to compromise on.

So we set about looking at how we could utilise various software available to us in order to create additional Disk Space for our customers. We're proud to announce we came up with a solution and have now launched Cloud VPS Block Storage which allows our customers to manage their storage allowance at the click of a button. Without compromising on cost or customer service.

How we created additional Block Storage 

As a service provider, contributor and sponsor of the OpenStack Foundation, we knew that we could utilise the core components to improve our Cloud VPS.

“OpenStack is a collection of open source components that facilitate the management of cloud resources, whether that is Compute (CPU), Storage (block or object) or Networking (VLAN, IP etc.) or one of the many sub-components.”

As an open source project, OpenStack and Ceph (software) can be used in their standard form, modified specifically in order to suit its application, or contributed to by anyone no matter the size. OpenStack and Ceph are largely used by service providers, telecommunications companies and research facilities due to their ability to scale almost infinitely. With so many contributors from around the world, OpenStack has an intense development cycle, resulting in updates and new features continuously being added.

Ross Martyn, OpenStack Product Manager at Memset, explains that “OpenStack gives us the power to manage massive pools of software-defined storage powered by Ceph via its powerful Cinder API.  We utilise these open API’s in the same way that our customers do as part of our flexible IaaS offering. This means we are able to make use of these tools and can contribute to this global effort”.

In simple terms, this means that as a cloud storage provider we are able to more efficiently utilise our servers. Resulting in a more cost-effective solution for our customers as well more portability between platforms.

If you’re interested in learning more about our Cloud VPS Block Storage you can call the team on 0800 634 9270 or you can read more on how to implement it on our Documentation pages.

The team are still looking at new ways to utilise this technology to continue to improve our product offering and service, and have a number of announcements coming over the next few months. If you want to be the first in the know please sign up to receive our newsletters.