Architecture Overview

Contents

• Architecture Overview
  • Management Node
  • Gateway Node
  • Storage Node
  • Backplane network

The PixStor Cloud solution is based on a highly scalable, parallel filesystem design. As such, there are a number of nodes with clearly defined roles

The PixStor Cloud solution will deploy the relevant number of nodes to provide the desired throughput and capacity of the solution automatically.

Note

All Nodes within the PixStor Cloud solution should not be used for any other purpose

Management Node

The PixStor Cloud Management Node instance (denoted by the -mn- tag in its instance name) orchestrates configuration of all other nodes in the PixStor Cloud solution. It also provides management and metrics via a webUI running on the node.

There is typically only one Management Node in a PixStor Cloud deployment

Gateway Node

The PixStor Cloud Gateway Node instance (denoted by the -gw- tag in its instance name) connects via the Backplane Network to the Storage Nodes and the main front-end network of your cloud project. It provides NAS exports to hosts running within the project, using protocols such as SMB and NFS.

Storage Node

The PixStor Cloud Storage Node instances (denoted by the -sn- tag in the instance name) connect directly to cloud storage devices, and makes these available across the cluster.

Backplane network

An internal network for the PixStor Cloud solution to communicate over.

PixStor Cloud also includes Ngenea software, which can be used for migrating data in and out of the PixStor Cloud file system from/to other storage systems, including existing on-premise storage services and cloud object storage. Files managed in this way are still visible on the PixStor Cloud file system, and are transparently migrated in on access.