Parascale competes with Caringo’s CAStor in that it too can automatically replicate files across your storage nodes so as to ensure that your files are safe in the event one or more nodes fail.

The main differences with Caringo are that the software runs in userspace on a fairly vanilla Linux server while Caringo’s CAStor is delivered as a completely self-contained Linux software appliance. Additionally that it can be mounted via NFS without requiring a “Content File Server” or use of a REST API (for which there exists a very good Alfresco-CAStor Adapter).

A neat thing about Parascale is that it’s rather lightweight so that gave me the ability to install Alfresco on the one of the Linux boxes that also ran the storage services. This can be put to good use in a production environment as it allows enterprises to maximize their hardware investment by consolidating Alfresco and reliable storage.

I decided to run a 100,000 document benchmark while we stepped out to lunch. Upon our return I was quite pleased that the rather under-powered server I was running on managed about 8 documents per second. Unlike my GoGrid benchmarks, the benchmark client was running on the same physical machine as Alfresco and the storage software so I didn’t need to deal with network latency.

Parascale has already proven the longevity and scalability of their storage cloud but you can expect even more enhancements over the coming months. Check them out at http://parascale.com

Mike Maxey will be present at the special cloud event in San Francisco on May 13th. You can learn more about the event and register here.

You can learn more about GoGrid by visiting their site. I’ll also be discussing this and other topics at the San Francisco user conference on May 14th and during the Special Cloud Event on the evening of May 13th. There are still seats available for the cloud computing event so please register by emailing harinder.sunder@alfresco.com.

Curious to know how Alfresco can be deployed to the cloud?

If you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, you may be interested to learn that Alfresco has partnered with GoGrid, provider of cloud-based hosting services, to organize a special event to be held the evening of May 13th, the night before the Alfresco Meetup.

Some of the topics that we will explore include:

• What is cloud computing?
• What are the benefits of leveraging the cloud?
• How does Alfresco fit into the cloud?

This event will feature experts from Alfresco, GoGrid (Randy Bias and Michael Sheehan) and CNet cloud computing blogger James Urquhart (Wisdom of the Clouds). We’ll also have guests from Parascale who develops cloud-style storage software that you can run on your own datacenter.

There will be opportunities to network with fellow Alfresco and cloud enthusiasts as well as ask questions.

IMPORTANT NOTE: There’s room for only 30 guests, so we require registration to this event.

Date: May 13th, 2009
Time: 7:00pm (Please show up early as registration with security is required)
Place: GoGrid/ServePath Corporate Office - 2 Harrison St. Suite 200 - San Francisco
Registration: To register, please send an email to harinder.sunder@alfresco.com

* GoGrid Cloud Hosting is a service of ServePath Dedicated Hosting

I’d love to hear about cool implementations, integrations with other systems, etc. Anything goes!

Alfresco + Fujitsu ScanSnap Integration from Alfresco Software.