OrangeFS
orangefs.com
What it is
OrangeFS is a free, open-source parallel storage system for large workloads in high-performance computing, Big Data, streaming video, genomics, and bioinformatics. Its user-level servers and clients let applications access disk storage across multiple servers in parallel. Configurable file striping and distributed metadata, including directory metadata, support this layout. OrangeFS supports Linux, macOS, Windows, APIs, and self-hosted deployment. Linux integration uses a kernel client available in the mainline kernel since version 4.6, and the documentation recommends the upstream kernel module. Other interfaces include a native Windows parallel client, FUSE for Linux and Mac, a direct Linux application interface, Java JNI, Hadoop HCFS, WebDAV, and optimized MPI-IO; S3 is also listed among the file access protocols. Security options include capability-based security and default, key-based, and certificate-based modes. LDAP mapping can associate a client certificate subject with a user ID and primary group ID. CloudyCluster offers configurable deployments through Google Cloud and AWS marketplaces. The open-source software is free; commercial and research support is available by quote.
Spec sheet
- Purpose
- OrangeFS is a scale-out parallel storage system aimed at large storage workloads in HPC, Big Data, streaming video, genomics, and bioinformatics.Read 8 Oct 2026 · orangefs.com
- Security
- The product lists capability-based security and its documentation describes default, key-based, and certificate-based security modes.Read 8 Oct 2026 · orangefs.com
- Support
- Community support is available through the mailing list, and the maker offers commercial and research support.Read 8 Oct 2026 · orangefs.com
- License
- OrangeFS is released under the LGPL License, with some recent portions also available under LGPL and Apache 2.Read 8 Oct 2026 · orangefs.org
- Architecture
- Its user-level server and client provide parallel access to multi-server disk storage.Read 8 Oct 2026 · orangefs.org
- Cloud deployment
- CloudyCluster offers OrangeFS deployments through Google Cloud and AWS marketplaces, configurable by instance count and type, volumes per instance, and filesystem size.Read 8 Oct 2026 · orangefs.com
- Commercial support scope
- The commercial production subscription page says it includes unlimited servers and clients, fast escalation for bug fixes, and support at various levels.Read 8 Oct 2026 · orangefs.com
- Interfaces
- Listed interfaces include a direct interface for Linux applications, Java JNI, an HCFS Hadoop interface, and WebDAV.Read 8 Oct 2026 · orangefs.com
- LDAP
- OrangeFS can use LDAP identity mapping to map a client certificate subject to a user ID and primary group ID.Read 8 Oct 2026 · docs.orangefs.com
- Linux support
- The Linux kernel client has been in the mainline kernel since version 4.6, and the documentation recommends the upstream kernel module for Linux integration.Read 8 Oct 2026 · docs.orangefs.com
- MPI-IO
- OrangeFS has optimized MPI-IO support for parallel and distributed applications.Read 8 Oct 2026 · orangefs.org
- Notable setup detail
- The documentation says default security mode is intended for cases where multi-user security is not a priority and is selected for performance and faster installation.Read 8 Oct 2026 · docs.orangefs.com
- Other clients
- The maker lists a native Windows parallel client and FUSE modules for Mac and Linux.Read 8 Oct 2026 · orangefs.com
- Striping and metadata
- Features include configurable file striping, distributed metadata, and distributed directory metadata.Read 8 Oct 2026 · orangefs.com
Plans and prices
OrangeFS open source Free Open-source software · downloadable release Read 8 Oct 2026 · orangefs.org
OrangeFS support and services Priced on request Commercial and research support · targeted development · contact for quote Read 8 Oct 2026 · orangefs.com
Strong points and limits
Strong points
- Parallel access to disks across multiple servers
- Configurable striping and distributed metadata
- Interfaces include MPI-IO, WebDAV, Hadoop HCFS, and S3
- CloudyCluster offers configurable Google Cloud and AWS deployments
Limits
- Default security mode is intended where multi-user security is not a priority
- Commercial and research support pricing requires a quote
Who it suits
OrangeFS suits organizations managing large parallel storage workloads, including HPC, Big Data, streaming video, genomics, and bioinformatics. It is aimed at teams able to deploy and operate a self-hosted storage system.
Verdict
OrangeFS offers a broad set of access interfaces and security modes for distributed storage workloads. Its self-hosted design and security mode choices make deployment and configuration central considerations.
Where Specifiction places it
- Distributed File System Software#16 of 327.7
