then just think of Ceph as a computer program that stores data and uses a
network to make sure that there is a backup copy of the data.
+Storage Interfaces
+------------------
+
Ceph offers several "storage interfaces", which is another
way of saying "ways of storing data". These storage interfaces include:
- CephFS (a file system)
Deep down, though, all three of these are really RADOS object stores. CephFS
and RBD are just presenting themselves as file systems and block devices.
+Storage Manager: What is It?
+----------------------------
+
Ceph is a clustered and distributed storage manager that offers data
redundancy. This sentence might be too cryptic for first-time readers of the
Ceph Beginner's Guide, so let's explain all of the terms in it:
- **Storage Manager.** Ceph is a storage manager. This means that Ceph is
software that helps storage resources store data. Storage resources come in
several forms: hard disk drives (HDD), solid-state drives (SSD), magnetic
- tape, floppy disks, punched tape, Hoellerith-style punch cards, and magnetic
+ tape, floppy disks, punched tape, Hollerith-style punch cards, and magnetic
drum memory are all forms of storage resources. In this beginner's guide,
we'll focus on hard disk drives (HDD) and solid-state drives (SSD).
-- **Clustered storage manager** Ceph is a clustered storage manager. That means
- that the storage manager installed not just on a single machine but on
+- **Clustered storage manager.** Ceph is a clustered storage manager. That
+ means that the storage manager installed not just on a single machine but on
several machines that work together as a system.
- **Distributed storage manager.** Ceph is a clustered and distributed storage
manager. That means that the data that is stored and the infrastructure that