The cloud is a strange place for data storage. The usual advantages of the cloud don’t apply to storage. Normally, a company can buy cloud resources as they need, growing or shrinking their investment on demand. Data, though, doesn’t go away. It grows. That data must be stored and managed in a way that few other cloud services require.

To shed some light on the world of cloud storage, Stu Miniman (@stu) and Brian Gracely (@bgracely), cohosts of theCUBE, from the SiliconANGLE Media team, talked with Dave Wright and Mark Bregman at the OpenStack Summit in Austin, TX. Wright is the VP and GM of SolidFire, Inc., and Bregman is the SVP and CTO of NetApp, Inc.

OpenStack and the state of storage

The discussion started with a look at the state of storage in the cloud-based, OpenStack world. Wright felt storage was in a pretty good place. Originally, he said, storage was an afterthought. Now, he said, customers have a broad array of options.

NetApp is likely to be one of those options. Going forward, Wright said, NetApp’s entire portfolio will participate in OpenStack in some way or form.

Balance in the Cloud

Bregman then shared that he’s seen a huge shift in the market toward the Cloud. His own company, he said, was focused on data storage management as part of the next wave. Success will also depend on a diverse portfolio. Some business will go to traditional markets that aren’t driven by new features, while other markets are demanding a move toward speed. There is room for a balance.

The nature of innovation, Bregman said, has moved to a more active, fluid model. Where the old way involved limited partnerships, now companies are making more open relationships. Expect to see broad partnerships across the industry, he said.

Watch the full interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE and theCUBE’s coverage of OpenStack Summit — Austin. And make sure to weigh in during theCUBE’s live coverage at the event by joining in on CrowdChat.

Photo by SiliconANGLE