Data Management Glossary
CloudPools
What are CloudPools?
Dell EMC Isilon CloudPools software provides policy-based automated tiering that allows for an additional storage tier for the Isilon cluster at your data center. CloudPools supports tiering data from Isilon to public, private or hybrid cloud options. This technology is a form of storage pools, which are collections of storage volumes exported to a shared storage environment.
Read more about storage pools.
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Read the blog post: What you need to know before jumping into the cloud tiering pool
Download the white paper: Cloud Tiering: Storage-Based vs Gateways vs File-Based: Which is Better and Why?
How CloudPools moves data, and where it stays tied to Dell hardware
CloudPools moves cold files from an Isilon or PowerScale cluster to object storage, but it stores that data in a proprietary format and references it with stubs. This means the data can only be read back through the original array. Direct access from cloud-based AI, analytics, or other tools is not possible without rehydrating the data first, and functions like backup by an external application or migration to a new storage array require full rehydration, which brings egress fees and the need to retain on-premises capacity.
According to IDC, in 2026 Dell holds 31.2% of the worldwide external enterprise storage market as of Q1 2026, with 40.8% year-over-year growth, so a large share of enterprise unstructured data sits behind exactly this kind of tiering.
How Komprise tiers cold data differently
Komprise Intelligent Data Management tiers cold files off Isilon and PowerScale using Transparent Move Technology, which relies on industry-standard symbolic links (Dynamic Links) rather than proprietary stubs. Files move in their native format, so they remain directly readable from cloud storage by AI, analytics, and backup tools, with no rehydration step required.
Komprise also tiers across more than one vendor at a time. The Global Metadatabase indexes files across Isilon, PowerScale, NetApp, Pure Storage, Qumulo, and cloud NAS environments, so cold data is identified and managed under one policy regardless of which array it happens to sit on.
Why this matters more with Memflation
Gartner is calling the current memory price surge Memflation, with NAND flash prices forecast to rise 234% in 2026 and no meaningful relief expected until late 2027. Komprise customer research shows 60-70% of enterprise NAS data has not been accessed in over 90 days, yet often remains on expensive primary storage.
Source: “Gartner Forecasts Worldwide Semiconductor Revenue to Exceed $1.3 Trillion in 2026,” April 8, 2026
CloudPools can move that cold data off an Isilon cluster, but the visibility and policy stop at Dell hardware. Extending that same discipline across every storage vendor in the environment is where Komprise fits.
Learn more about the Flash Stretch program.
| Evaluation Criteria | CloudPools | Komprise Intelligent Tiering |
|---|---|---|
| Destination format | Proprietary format, readable only by the originating array | Native file format, readable directly by cloud tools and AI/ML pipelines |
| Data access from the cloud | Not possible without rehydration through the original storage system | Direct access to the file at its new location, no rehydration |
| Multi-vendor scope | Tiers only from Isilon or PowerScale | Tiers across PowerScale, NetApp, Pure, Qumulo, and cloud NAS in one policy |
| Visibility into what is cold | Limited to the managed cluster | Global Metadatabase indexes cold data across the full storage estate |
| Exposure to rising flash prices (Memflation) | Cold data can leave the cluster, but the policy and visibility stop at Dell hardware | Cold data can move off flash entirely, to the lowest-cost tier or cloud, across every vendor |
CloudPools FAQs
What is CloudPools used for?
CloudPools is Dell EMC software that automatically tiers cold files from an Isilon or PowerScale cluster to public, private, or hybrid cloud storage, based on policy.
Is CloudPools the same as SmartPools?
No. SmartPools tiers data between storage node pools inside a PowerScale cluster. CloudPools extends that tiering out to cloud object storage. Both operate inside the Dell OneFS filesystem.
Does data tiered with CloudPools stay accessible in the cloud without Dell hardware?
No. CloudPools stores tiered data in a proprietary format and references it with stubs, so reading that data back requires rehydration through the original Isilon or PowerScale array.
How does Komprise differ from Dell EMC Isilon CloudPools?
Komprise moves files in their native format using standards-based symbolic links instead of stubs, so files remain directly accessible in the cloud with no rehydration. Komprise also tiers across multiple storage vendors from a single policy, not just Isilon or PowerScale.
How does the Komprise Global Metadatabase help when using CloudPools?
The Global Metadatabase indexes files across the entire storage estate, including Isilon and PowerScale alongside other vendors, so cold data is identified everywhere it lives rather than one cluster at a time.