BlueArc

About BlueArc

BlueArc Corporation operated as a key provider of high-performance, scalable network-attached storage (NAS) systems before its acquisition. Founded in 1999 by Geoff Barrall, a serial entrepreneur with a background in cybernetics and multiple successful ventures, the company established itself as a specialist in managing large volumes of unstructured data. Barrall's journey involved founding several infrastructure companies, reflecting a deep expertise in the storage industry that was foundational to BlueArc's direction.

The company's business model centered on developing and selling unified network storage systems to enterprise clients. Its target market included data-intensive industries such as media and entertainment, life sciences, energy, and e-discovery, which all face challenges associated with handling "big data." BlueArc's revenue was generated through the sale of its hardware and software storage solutions, often through OEM partnerships, with Hitachi Data Systems (HDS) being its largest partner prior to the acquisition.

BlueArc's core product was a clustered NAS system built upon its proprietary SiliconFS file system. This system was engineered to manage data movement efficiently, allowing multiple storage nodes to be managed as a single pool with a capacity that could scale up to 16 petabytes. A key feature was its hardware-based file object acceleration, which provided a significant performance advantage for high-throughput environments like supercomputing clusters. The product suite also included tiered storage solutions and software like JetClone for virtual environments. After a five-year OEM partnership, BlueArc was acquired by Hitachi Data Systems in an all-cash transaction in September 2011, for a reported sum between $500 million and $600 million. The acquisition was a strategic move by HDS to integrate BlueArc's technology and address the rapidly growing market for file-based data storage.