Block Storage terminology

Review key Block Storage service (cinder) terms to understand how volumes, back ends, and drivers relate to each other.

  • Storage back end: A physical storage system where volume data is stored.
  • Cinder driver: The part of the Block Storage service that enables communication with the storage back end. It is configured with the volume_driver and backup_driver options.
  • Cinder back end: A logical representation of the grouping of a cinder driver with its configuration. This grouping is used to manage and address the volumes present in a specific storage back end. The name of this logical construct is configured with the volume_backend_name option.
  • Storage pool: A logical grouping of volumes in a given storage back end.
  • Cinder pool: A representation in the Block Storage service of a storage pool.
  • Volume host: The way the Block Storage service address volumes. There are two different representations, short (<hostname>@<backend-name>) and full (<hostname>@<backend-name>#<pool-name>).
  • Quota: Limits defined per project to constrain the use of Block Storage specific resources.