Overland Introduced 1U NAS Snap Server 620

Overland Storage, Inc.  introduced the Snap Server 620, a scalable, high- performance addition to its Snap Server NAS family along with major enhancements to its award-winning GuardianOS (GOS) operating system and Snap Enterprise Data Replicator (EDR) software. The turnkey NAS solutions further extend Overland’s end-to-end data protection strategy with significant improvements in the movement, management and protection of data.

Snap Server 620 takes full advantage of a dual-core AMD Opteron processor to deliver 63 percent faster performance than its predecessor, the Snap Server 520. Additionally, the new NAS platform can be configured with four enterprise-class SATA II drives for an initial capacity of one, two, three or four terabytes as well as optional scalability of up to 88 TBs to suit a wide variety of storage demands and budgets. Embedded GuardianOS 5.0 enhancements ensure heightened data protection and access security while providing more heterogeneous file sharing and streamlined management.

Additional highlights of GOS 5.0 include:

• Linux 2.6 kernel for improved stability, robustness and performance;
• Improved Windows file and folder access control lists (ACLs);
• Native Windows and Unix permissions handling for consistent folder/file security across all client access protocols;
• RAID 6 & 10 support for enhanced data integrity and availability;
• Heterogeneous file sharing for Windows, Unix, Linux and Macintosh platforms;
• Increased command-line management support.

Overland also has broadened its NAS replication functionality with the release of Snap Enterprise Data Replicator 7.2. This optional software, embedded in GOS 5.0, features seamless GOS user interface integration for streamlined management. Snap EDR 7.2 enables movement of data between any combination of GOS-based Snap Servers and Windows, Linux as well as Macintosh OSX servers. Ideally suited for businesses with remote or branch offices, Snap EDR 7.2 includes compression and high-security encryption along with centralized administration, job scheduling, robust reporting open file support and clustering.

According to Ravi Pendekanti, vice president of worldwide sales and marketing for Overland Storage, the latest Snap Server platform additions and enhancements further the company’s goal of offering end-to-end data protection solutions. "Overland Storage now enables SMB customers and distributed enterprises to build a complete multi-site storage infrastructure with right- sized storage for each location along with remote monitoring, centralized management and enterprise-class data replication," he says. "We will continue to build on these NAS innovations and seek new opportunities to leverage Snap Server IP and the GOS foundation for future integration and interoperability across our entire portfolio of disk, tape and SAN appliances."

Overland also has embedded the latest version of BakBone’s NetVault: Backup 8.1 in GOS 5.0 to provide open systems data protection and broad cross- platform support. Value bundles are available that include optional components for simplified ordering and price economies.

For Zodo‘s – Bowling and Beyond, one of the busiest bowling centers on the West Coast, the new Snap Server 620 doubles the capacity of its previous Snap Server 520 while providing greater security for critical video, operational and PCI compliance data. After the original facility was purchased by Kinko’s Inc. founder, chairman and avid bowler Paul Orfalea and other Kinko’s executives, it was transformed into Zodo’s, a thriving, 25,000-square foot entertainment center. The facility includes 24 lanes, an arcade, full-service restaurant and bar, laser lights shows, music videos, DJs on weekends, complete WiFi access as well as 48 Sony and Vitek security cameras to monitor activity and ensure the safety of employees and patrons.

Initially, Zodo’s IT experts deployed a Snap Server 520 NAS based on previous positive experiences with Snap Servers at Kinko’s. The rapid rise of Zodo’s video surveillance data, including upgrades to higher-resolution cameras and the desire to archive video on disk for up to 10 days, strained capacity, which, led to the recent upgrade to Overland’s Snap Server 620 and GOS 5.0. According to Cindy Lawrenz, vice president of operations for Zodo’s, the company is taking advantage of the Snap Server 620’s expandable capacity while leveraging new GOS 5.0 functionality, including best-in-class Microsoft ACLs support, remote backup job monitoring and NTP server support for time- stamp synchronization on all computers and video cameras. "Overland provides a complete turnkey NAS solution with embedded data protection and enhanced security to safeguard sensitive files, folders and PCI compliance data," she explains. "The combination of Snap Server 620 and GOS 5.0 gives Zodo’s a future-proof NAS foundation that scales easily while enabling us to integrate advanced functionality, like replication, to address evolving disaster recovery needs."

According to Terri McClure, analyst with The Enterprise Strategy Group, the additional enterprise-class functionality now embedded into the Snap Server 620 platform is well suited for the mid-range market. "Overland’s Snap Server 620 enables SMB customers to ‘right size’ their storage environment while taking advantage of embedded functionality that provides a variety of enterprise-class capabilities," she says. "With this addition to the Snap Server NAS product line, Overland has further advanced the platform to meet growing mid-tier market needs for scalable capacity, enhanced security, integrated data protection and streamlined remote replication. ESG research indicates that more than 50 percent of the data in medium-sized businesses is file-based, so having a scalable NAS solution that can be easily managed, such as Overland’s SnapServer, is essential for dealing with this type of data growth."

Snap Server 620 is currently available and existing Snap Server users can upgrade to GOS 5.0 and EDR 7.2. GuardianOS 5.0 enhancements are available for the entire Snap Server product line, including Snap Servers 650, 620, 520, 410, 210 and 110 models. BakBone’s NetVault: Backup 8.1 is integrated into Snap Server models 650, 620, 520 and 410. The software is optional on Snap Servers 210 and 110. Additionally, Snap EDR 7.2 is available in both standard and express editions as optional software across the entire Snap Server family. The starting MSRP for Snap Server 620 with one terabyte base capacity is approximately $7,000.