Egnyte Expands Its Hybrid Cloud Storage Solution

Egnyte announced Egnyte Local Cloud on Network Attached Storage (NAS).

This latest offering from Egnyte allows businesses to rapidly deploy a corporate-wide file storage, sharing and backup solution that combines the speed and security of a local file repository with the access, flexibility and unlimited storage capabilities of the Internet cloud. The best of both worlds, Egnyte Local Cloud on NAS automatically synchronizes with the Egnyte Cloud File Server for on- and off-line access to all your latest files and folders, and the ability to work faster ‘ even on the largest of files.

With Egnyte Local Cloud on NAS, Egnyte effectively addresses key concerns including reliability, off-line access, security and latency issues that have traditionally made businesses hesitant to adopt online storage products. Unlike online-only solutions, Egnyte Local Cloud on NAS treats the online cloud and local cloud as synchronized active file repositories. This gives businesses the assurance that they always access the most current files from the office or on the road.

"Egnyte Local Cloud on NAS is currently a one-of-a-kind cloud storage solution as it enables businesses to eliminate expensive hardware and maintenance overhead and instead deploy a hybrid solution that integrates cloud computing and cost effective NAS devices," said Jeff Boles, senior analyst for the Taneja Group. "In this way, Egnyte is turning any off the shelf NAS device into a fully functional file server, giving SMBs the same advantages of much larger corporations but without the high-end budget."

Drew Meyer, NETGEAR‘s director for worldwide storage marketing said: "NETGEAR’s ReadyNAS line is a market leader in small and medium-sized business storage solutions. Our extendable Add-On software architecture makes it effective for third party developers to create their own applications. We are delighted to see Egnyte delivering a cost-effective and location-independent private cloud on the ReadyNAS platform."

Egnyte Local Cloud on NAS also meets the demand of the growth of the distributed work force. It provides businesses with an integrated file infrastructure that can be accessed by multiple users, either on-premise or in distributed locations. Anywhere access and automatic synchronization of the local and cloud file servers allows on-premise and remote employees and business partners to effortlessly access, share and collaborate without the need for a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

Earlier this year, Egnyte introduced the first hybrid cloud/on-premise file server on Direct Attached Storage (DAS): Egnyte Local Cloud. Egnyte Local Cloud on NAS is a continuation of the company’s commitment to provide flexible, innovative data infrastructure alternatives that meet the needs of today’s small and mid-sized business market.

Egnyte Local Cloud on NAS is easy to install and provides all the benefits of a physical file server without the associated high costs and management overhead.

Key features are:

• Work locally, work globally: When users are in the office, they can access their files on the NAS device. However, when they are out of the office or working remotely, they can access their files via the online cloud.
• Enterprise-level security for local and online data: Egnyte Local Cloud on NAS addresses the concerns many companies have regarding the security of their data in the cloud computing environment by providing the same enterprise-level security for files stored locally and in the online cloud. In addition, administrators can designate that folders be kept behind a corporate firewall.
• Local access permissions are automatically managed: Egnyte synchronizes all access permissions from the online cloud locally into the NAS device. This allows users to access files locally with the same level of security as they would on the online cloud. No additional directory service is required to control access security. Egnyte can also integrate with existing directory services like Active Directory or LDAP.
• Edit large files easily: Egnyte Local Cloud on NAS ensures fast file access from an office setting by allowing users to access files locally via their company network, a significant advantage for any business that works with large files.
• Bi-directional synchronization: Egnyte Local Cloud on NAS synchronizes files on the NAS device with the files on the online cloud. This ensures that the files on the NAS device are accessible to remote users who are accessing the online cloud and vice versa. Administrators can also set up an appropriate synchronization schedule based on business needs.
• Compatible devices: The Egnyte Local Cloud on NAS solution is initially available on the NETGEAR ReadyNAS series, as well as systems based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Novell’s Suse Linux Enterprise Server. Egnyte is planning to support the majority of popular NAS devices.