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Launch HN: Regatta Storage (YC F24) – Turn S3 into a local-like, POSIX cloud FS

587 points by huntaub · 626 days ago · 320 comments on HN

Article summary

Regatta Storage is a cloud file system that provides unlimited pay-as-you-go capacity, local-like performance, and automatic synchronization to S3-compatible storage. It allows users to access massive data sets in S3 with Spark, Pytorch, or pandas without paying for large local disks or waiting for data to download. The system uses a durable caching layer to stage writes before replicating them to S3, providing strong read-after-write consistency. Regatta is designed to work with existing data sets in S3 and supports full POSIX compatibility for the file interface.

Main themes

  • Cloud Storage
  • File Systems
  • S3 Compatibility
  • POSIX Compliance
  • Distributed File Systems
  • Caching Mechanisms

What commenters say

  • Regatta Storage is similar to other products like FlexFS and JuiceFS, but with differences in design and functionality.
  • The use of a proprietary block format in some products can provide parallel data flush back to S3 quickly, but may limit compatibility with existing data sets.
  • Regatta's durable caching layer and asynchronous update mechanism can efficiently handle changes to large files, but may introduce latency for certain operations.
  • The product's consistency semantics and support for POSIX compatibility are crucial for its adoption in various use cases, including ML Ops and data processing.
  • Some users have expressed concerns about the product's comparison to existing solutions like MinIO and Mountpoint, and its potential to solve specific problems in the cloud storage market.
  • The choice of Regatta over other products like EFS may depend on factors like cost, scalability, and performance requirements.
  • The product's ability to provide a file-system-like experience on top of S3-compatible storage can be beneficial for users who want to access and use their data while keeping it in S3 for primary storage.
  • The trade-offs between different design choices, such as using a proprietary block format or supporting full POSIX compatibility, are important considerations for users evaluating Regatta and similar products.