Nasuni Updates Service Suite to V6.0

Nasuni Corp. announced its 6.0 upgrade to The Nasuni Service, which includes cloud-scale global file locking as well as desktop file synchronization for mobile access to data.

The company also released a low-cost Nasuni Filer appliance, the NF-100, and upgraded hardware across its family of high-performance appliances.

Ushering in the Next Wave of Virtualization: File Data Virtualization
Just as machine virtualization separates the concept of a machine (server) from the physical hardware, File data virtualization separates file data from confines of storage hardware. Data is no longer bound to – or limited by – a box. Thanks to the company’s patented UniFS global file system, the data can be made available anywhere around the world, managed and protected, without replicating physical copies and without contention since there is only one master source of the data. File data virtualization reduces the cost and burden of storing and managing end-user file data, and gives IT a way to scale enterprise storage to any number of locations across the globe.

With the cloud as the store, scalability is infinite, while local caching provided by the filer delivers the high performance end-users need.

Global File Locking: Enables Worldwide Collaboration
In today’s global enterprises, distributed employees collaborate on work, much of which involves files, ranging from the enormous CAD or BIM files used by engineers and architects to the word processing, presentation and spreadsheet documents that are ubiquitous throughout the modern office. To be effective, globally distributed end-users need to be able to work with confidence, knowing that others are not changing the same file data they are working on.

The cloud-scale global file locking capability takes advantage of its cloud-centric storage architecture. Typical file locking on a server prevents users from accidentally interfering with one another’s files; It delivers this same functionality at global scale. For the first time in storage history, IT can use a locking service that operates at cloud scale with no single point of failure. The company can accomplish this feat because the intelligence behind its file lock resides in its cloud-based service and not in a single storage controller device, which can fail or act as a choke point. UniFS finally delivers on the promise of a global file system that is scalable across any number of locations. The global locking can be configured at a folder level as needed. Locks can be viewed and, if needed, broken through the management console and filer interfaces. And as always, the conflict management and UniFS global file system protects customers at all times from any data loss. And all data remains secure thanks to AES-256 encryption.

The Nasuni Service benefits from a cloud-centric approach using its UniFS Global File System. The intelligence of the file system lives in the cloud, removing any single point of failure and eliminating scalability issues. The flow of data is not limited by any single storage controller or network choke point. Instead, every location interacts with the cloud-based global file system simultaneously.

Desktop File Synchronization: Delivers Secure Mobile Access to Corporate Data
Employees almost always have more than one device on which they work: a laptop, a tablet, a smartphone and maybe a traditional desktop computer at the office. These files not only need to be protected, but also accessible from every device.

The desktop and laptop synchronization builds on its existing mobile data access capabilities. Employees can choose a folder on their PC for local files that will not only be synchronized back to the Nasuni service where they will be protected, but files are also available to the rest of an employee’s devices, including desktops, Apple iOS and Android mobile devices.

“You can think of this as a single, global, self-protected NAS system,” said Steve Duplessie, founder and senior analyst, Enterprise Strategy Group. “Nasuni effectively eliminates any geographic boundaries imposed on file data – anywhere, anytime. And since the majority of your data is file based, removing all the obstacles created by a remote work force is nothing but goodness. This is file serving in the age of the Tesla.“

Additional features available include:

• Expanded protocol access: Nasuni data has long been available through the CIFS, NFS, iSCSI and HTTPS protocols. Nasuni is now adding FTP and Secure FTP access and a ‘mixed mode’ that combines access on NFS and CIFS/SMB protocols to provide better access and availability for mixed Windows and Linux customers.

• Enhanced management capabilities: While it has always provided integration for data access, management controls have been expanded to integrate Active Directory users and groups, with administrator access controlled in Active Directory. In addition, Nasuni provides IT with even more fine-grained control over cache management, email alerts and migration tools.

• New NF-100 Filer: The company also released a Nasuni Filer appliance, the NF-100, and upgraded hardware across its family of high-performance appliances, now in its third generation.

• Secure third-party data access: With Nasuni 6.0, locally defined users, side by side with Active Directory, delivers controlled access to data for users outside of a domain.

“We originally deployed Nasuni because, for less than half the cost of updating our existing enterprise backup system, we got primary storage, data protection, global file synchronization, mobile access to the corporate fileshare, centralized management and more,” said Daniel Neises, IT Director, Sedgwick LLP, a law firm. “The addition of desktop synchronization and global file locking, all at no additional charge, really demonstrates just how valuable Nasuni is. We continually benefit from new and expanded functionality without paying extra for it. Because the Nasuni service virtualizes our file data, with a master copy always protected and accessible in the cloud, we are now able to manage our data as if every employee is under the same roof, even though our organization is in many different locations separated by thousands of miles.“

“The era of data being locked to a hardware silo is coming to a close,” said Andres Rodriguez, CEO, Nasuni. “With Nasuni, the data lives in the service, and never depends on any individual piece of hardware. This cloud-centric model virtualizes the file data and frees us to provide services that take full advantage of the essentially unlimited capacity and bandwidth of the cloud. Nasuni has delivered the future of storage today.“

The 6.0 upgrade is shipping and available at no additional charge to all current customers as part of their standard service agreement.