Ceph is open-source distributed storage software that combines object, block, and file storage in one system. Organizations run clusters on commodity hardware they choose and manage. Its RGW object storage supports the S3 API and Swift-compatible applications, with object versioning, lifecycle rules, immutability, and cross-region replication. RBD supplies thin-provisioned disk images with snapshots, writable clones, and asynchronous mirroring to remote Ceph clusters. CephFS is a POSIX-compliant distributed filesystem with snapshots, quotas, and multi-cluster mirroring. Ceph can replicate data across devices, racks, and geographic locations, then redistribute it after hardware or connectivity failures. For Kubernetes, the project recommends Rook, and its CSI driver can provision block and file volumes. Installation options include packages, container images, source clones, and tarballs; cephadm requires Python 3, systemd, and Podman or Docker. Ceph is free, with a listed plan of 0.00 USD per free. The project publishes a stable release yearly and supports each series for approximately 24 months.
Who it is for
Ceph suits organizations and developers that need to operate distributed object, block, or file storage on hardware they manage. Kubernetes deployments can use Rook and the Ceph CSI driver.
What is good
- Combines object, block, and file storage.
- RGW supports the S3 API.
- Includes versioning, lifecycle rules, and immutability.
- Can replicate across geographic locations.
- Free plan listed at 0.00 USD per free.
What to know first
- Requires organizations to choose and manage cluster hardware.
- cephadm requires Python 3 and systemd.
- Production guidance calls for 10 Gb/s networking between hosts.
Verdict
Ceph brings several storage types and replication capabilities into a system organizations operate on their own hardware. Its deployment and production guidance point to infrastructure requirements readers should account for.
Ceph plans and pricing
All plansCompared on software-defined storage software
- Free plan
- Yes
