Storage networking body ratifies cloud data storage interface standard

Standard offers secure network interface for enterprises thinking of storing and manipulating data in public cloud environments

SNIA announces cloud data management standard

The Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) has ratified version 1.0 of an interface designed to manage data contained in public cloud environments.

Called the Cloud Data Management Interface (CDMI), the new standard is an interface for interoperable transfer and management of data in a cloud storage environment.

Using CDMI to link to cloud data storage customers, will be able to discover the capabilities of cloud storage and to use this interface to manage containers and the data that is placed in them, says SNIA.

CDMI can also be used by administrative and management applications to manage containers, domains, security access, and monitoring/billing information, even for storage that is functionally accessible by legacy or proprietary protocols, it says.

SNIA said that it hopes “the majority of existing cloud storage offerings today will likely be able to implement the interface.”

Being an interface, the standard does not itself secure data, but can manage the security capabilities intrinsic to cloud data storage environments.

SNIA is a not-for-profit organisation made up of 400 member companies from technology vendors like Cisco, Oracle, NetApp, Hitachi Data Systems to channel partners and end-users.

Its goal is "to promote acceptance, deployment, and confidence in storage-related architectures, systems, services, and technologies, across IT and business communities.”

User suggestions for revisions to the standard can be made on the SNIA feedback page.