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Permanent Memory Storage for Long-Term Use in the age of containers (r)

Apr 22, 2023
Illustration showing persistent storage devices like hard drives and cards.

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Persistent storage refers to the permanent storage of data using an indefinite method to ensure that the data will be accessible even after a device or program shuts off or shuts down. The ability to store and retrieve information of data allow apps online to store user information and state information and function with a high degree of reliability.

For monolithic systems storage access is simple because the server and the storage are connected. Dispersed systems create a problem for access since storage has to be available to all parts around the world.

Containerization issues are more complicated because containers are lightweight as well as stateless and impermanent -- characteristics that make them not suitable to store the documents. So, any storage system is required to work with containers. This adds another layer of the complexity.

The article focuses on persistent storage, by providing an overview of the various types of storage along with their design and usage situations. Additionally, it provides examples to illustrate the difference between volume storage and persistent storage. Storage volume using Docker.

Storage types which are in use

There are a variety kinds of storage that are permanent. These include traditional spinning disks (hard disk drives, also called HDDs) Solid-state drives (SSDs) and network-attached data storage (NAS) as well as storage area networks (SANs).

  • HDDs are data storage electromechanical devices for storing and retrieving digital data using spinning disks that are made from magnetic media. They are fitted with magnetic heads, which are positioned on an arm which are able to read and write data.
  • SSDs are often called solid-state devices, semiconductors or solid-state disks. They are made up of integrated circuits that store the data for extended periods of duration. The majority of them are interconnected devices that don't have moving parts. Being stationary makes them significantly more reliable and long-lasting as compared to HDDs.
  • Network-attached Storage is a collection of HDDs as well as SSDs either connected to an internal network that utilizes a portion of the current file system like New Technology File System (NTFS) or the fourth extended filesystem (EXT4).
  • SANs are networked, high-speed block-level storage devices, similar to disk arrays or tape libraries. Their connections appear to the operating system's memory as being local. This isn't possible through the local area network (LAN).

Persistent Storage Architecture

There are three options to ensure persistent storage each having its own unique requirements and limits.

Object Persistent Architecture

The method of using object-permanent architecture utilizes object-relational maps (ORM) to create objects using information from an existing key-value or relationship database. This approach is useful for scenarios where data is not controlled by schemas, because the ORM will be responsible for the retrieval and retention.

Block Persistent Architecture

Block persistent architecture utilizes block-level storage devices. They can be used to store massive documents. This technique is helpful when you need to save large quantities of data as you can utilize multiple blocks to improve storage capacity.

Persistent Filestore Architecture

A persistent Filestore can be useful in applications that need frequent access to data and require an interface to manage the file system.

Storage Cases that are Persistent to Use for Storage

This section will explain some possible uses for every type of storage.

     OPS stands for OPS is an object persistent storage    

  • Analytics utilizing large datasets Obscure storage is utilized in big data analytics to facilitate managing and storing large databases which are often utilized for data analysis in addition to the use of machine-learning and AI. It allows access to data quickly and efficiently, making it an integral component of the architectures that support big data.

Block Persistent Storage

  • HDC (HPC): HPC environments that allow for rapid and effective processing of massive volumes of data. Block persistent storage allows HPC clusters to save large data sets like mathematical simulations and weather models, as well as financial analysis. Block storage is typically the preferred option to HPC as it delivers the best performance with the most efficient data access at the lowest latency, and also allows simultaneous input and output (I/O) processes which can significantly speed up the processing process.
  • Editing video: Applications for editing videos require high-performance, fast access to huge videos in various formats. They must also be able to support huge numbers of operations per second. They also need to with a low latency when rendering and editing videos in real-time. Block storage can provide these features, making it the perfect solution for workflows to edit videos.
  • Gaming Games require extremely high performance and low latency when accessing games assets, as well as the player's data. Block storage effectively stores and retrieves huge volumes of information. This makes sure that gaming environments are loaded quickly and remain fluid during play.

     Permanent filestore storage    

  • Media and entertainment: Editing, animation and rendering software generally make use of persistent storage. They require high-performance and low-latency access to huge media files, including audio, video and photos. Filestore is a file sharing platform that is accessible by several applications. This is a perfect storage system for these applications.

Containers that are stored in can be used over a period of time

Containers are portable, lightweight as well as secure and easy, offering access to various apps. Containers must be equipped with the ability to save data in between reboots as well as eliminating them. Containers can store files as well as a file system that is as common to applications. When you construct containers with new features that are not durable, you will lose all files.

Containers are a great option to create volume storage, or for the storage of an entire volume. The storage volumes contained in containers are considered an archive. Anything that's written to the volume gets in the host's computer system for file storage.

Containers that have persistent storage need to function as such since restarting the container will create an entirely new instance and erase the old one. If the container doesn't possess the same data view, it is lost whenever the container restarts. Storage volumes store data across sessions and restarts. This allows the container to keep its current state after having been relocated or restarted.

Volume vs Persistent Volume

Containers can be used to save persistent data making use of volumes as well as permanent volumes. There is a difference between the two. Containers are able to store massive amounts of data. When you close a storage container and then restart it, the information remains accessible and is re-accessible following restart. When you detach or delete a container data is lost because you've removed the original volume storage.

Bind mounts may be described as a means to keep data off the system's filesystem. The data won't be lost even if you decide to delete the container. Data is stored until the entire container is deleted manually.

This section will show two different types of volume using examples.

Persistent Storage Container Demo

This is a basic application that has two fields to permit input from the user:

  • Title
  • The Text of the Document
Screenshot: The demo application's feedback form graphical interface.
Demo application's GUI which includes fields for Text as well as The Text field of Document fields.

Once you have stored the input from the user After you have saved the user's input, it is easily accessible via the file from the feedback directory. You can find its name appearing in the field called field. The input in the documents' text field is the actual content of the file.

How to Utilize Volume Storage

Once you've installed the application for your personal computer you'll be able to access the option of volumes of storage based on Dockerfile. dockerfile.

Screenshot: Contents of the Docker file, including a VOLUME attribute.
Dockerfile to demonstrate the use to store volume.

After that, you create your image and begin the program. In order to do this, follow these steps.

docker build -t feedback-node:volumes . docker run -d -p 3000:80 --name feedback-app feedback-node:volumes
Screenshot: Terminal window showing results of the docker build command with volume storage.
Implementing the app using use of large amounts of storage.
Screenshot: Terminal window after executing the docker run command with volume storage.
Its performance shows it's controlling the storage volume.

Once the application is active, go to localhost.3000 to provide feedback.

Screenshot: Submitting feedback via the demo application's graphical interface.
Sending feedback to the application.

Click Save and navigate to localhost:3000/feedback/test.txt to see if the input is stored successfully or not.

Screenshot: A browser with the submitted test.txt file open.
Feedback received successfully confirmed.

The container should be started and removed from it to check whether there is an entry there.

docker stop feedback-app docker start feedback-app

If you return to the site There you will still see the same feedback. What happens if you remove the container away and try to restart it?

docker stop feedback-app docker rm feedback-app docker run -d -p 3000:80 --name feedback-app feedback-node:volumes
Screenshot: Browser reporting failure to open test.txt file.
Feedback information has disappeared.

To prevent this from happening and to ensure that your data remains when you remove the container, you can use persistent volume storage also known as name storage. First, you must eliminate the containers along with the images.

docker stop feedback-app docker rm feedback-app docker rmi feedback-node:volumes

What is the best way to utilize persistent Volume Storage

Before you attempt this, ensure that you get rid of the VOLUME property from your Dockerfile. Rebuild the image.

Screenshot: Dockerfile edited to remove VOLUME attribute.
The Dockerfile was modified to get rid of this attribute. VOLUME attribute.
docker build -t feedback-node:volumes . docker run -d -p 3000:80 --name feedback-app -v feedback:/app/feedback feedback-node:volumes

As you can see from the second command. In this case, you can utilize"the "-v" flag to indicate the amount of volume remaining in the container which remains regardless of the removal of the container.

Similar to the previous step, try adding feedback. It is possible to connect after having been able to end, take it off, and restart the container.

Screenshot: Entering text in the demo application's feedback form.
Incorporating new feedback to allow for testing of the persistence.
docker stop feedback-app docker rm feedback-app docker run -d -p 3000:80 --name feedback-app -v feedback:/app/feedback feedback-node:volumes

It's evident that regardless of the removal and stoppage of the container, the information remains available and accessible.

Screenshot: Browser that has successfully opened the second test file.
Once you've taken the container from its place and turned off there is still some information that has not been entirely.

Summary

Persistent storage is essential in containers since it permits the storage of information that isn't connected to the lifetime that the containers have. Most commonly used types of storage that are used by containerized applications include volumes and binding mounts. Each of them has advantages and uses.

Volumes are kept in the containers' file systems. while bind mounts are directly accessable on host machines.

Persistent storage allows for data to be shared between containers, making it possible to build complex multi-tiered applications. Persistent storage is vital in maintaining the durability and stability of applications that use containers. It provides an easy and safe way to keep important information.

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