In the competitive world of object storage, Dell has recently launched its new offering, ObjectScale, as the successor to its old product ECS. However, a practical evaluation of ObjectScale’s community version has revealed a series of challenges and limitations that call into question its viability as a modern storage solution.
Excessive Hardware Requirements
The initial setup of ObjectScale presents a significant barrier to entry. The system requires:
– 4 nodes with Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform (versions 4.13.x and 4.14.x)
– 192 GiB of RAM per node
– 20 physical CPU cores per node
– 1 500 GB unused SSD
– 5 additional data disks
This hardware set, with an estimated cost between 9,000 and 15,000 euros, represents a substantial investment just to start exploring the platform.
Complex Installation and Configuration
In addition to the hardware requirements, installing ObjectScale involves a series of complex steps:
– Installing specific software like Helm, Kubectl, Podman, and PostgreSQL in cluster mode.
– Need for full access to Docker Hub for image management.
– A license activation process that can take hours, even for the community edition.
Scalability Limitations
The decision to use PostgreSQL as metadata storage raises serious doubts about ObjectScale’s ability to handle petabyte-scale data volumes, especially in AI and machine learning environments.
Lack of Support and Documentation
The lack of an active community and shortage of public documentation make troubleshooting and exploring advanced capabilities difficult without resorting to Dell’s enterprise support.
Comparison with MinIO
In contrast, MinIO, another object storage solution, offers:
– Easy installation and use, even on modest hardware like a MacBook Air.
– Ability to scale from a local development environment to production deployments without changes to the code.
– An active community and extensive public documentation.
– Over 7.3 billion downloads, suggesting widespread adoption and trust in the platform.
Conclusion
The experience with Dell ObjectScale Community Edition has been disappointing. The high hardware requirements, installation complexity, and apparent limitations in scalability and community support raise doubts about its suitability as a modern object storage solution. In comparison, alternatives like MinIO offer a more attractive value proposition, especially for those seeking flexibility and ease of use in their storage solutions.
Source and more information at Blog de MinIO.