Ctera Sets Bar for Multi-Cloud Global File System
V7.0 delivers performance, secure geo-segmentation, migration from traditional NAS.
This is a Press Release edited by StorageNewsletter.com on October 23, 2020 at 2:14 pmCTERA Networks, Ltd. released V7.0 of its Enterprise File Services Platform, delivering fast edge-to-cloud synchronization, secure geo-segmentation, embedded antivirus and built-in data discovery and migration from legacy file storage.
The release sets a new bar for multi-cloud global file systems, offering the feature-rich, fast and secure platform.
The Enterprise File Services Platform unifies local file sharing with cloud hyperscale storage, allowing enterprises to modernize every aspect of their distributed file services delivery – including remote offices, work-from-home laptops, VDI, and mobile – without compromising performance or security.
7.0 release highlights include:
- CTERA Direct. V7.0 marks the introduction of a fast edge-to-cloud transfer protocol that synchronizes data at a throughput of over 30TB/day per site, with minimal sensitivity to network latency. It combines secure zero-trust content distribution with the cost savings of disaggregated architecture routing data to the nearest cloud location. It is designed to power distributed data-rich environments, such as creative media and healthcare offices, and to accelerate responsiveness for work-from-home users using company’s desktop and VDI agents.
- CTERA Zones. They allow enterprises to dynamically segment their global file system into any number of geographic locations. By preventing sensitive data exposure to unauthorized sites and users, enterprises can strengthen internal privacy mechanisms and ensure data sovereignty and compliance requirements.
- CTERA Migrate. V7.0 is a global file system offering a built-in migration engine that enables automated data discovery and import from NAS systems such as NetApp, Dell EMC, and Windows Server with perseveration of folder structure and permissions. Migrate streamlines enterprise cloud transformation initiatives that otherwise might be hindered by the complexity and cost overhead of data migration from legacy systems.
- CTERA MacAssist. The firm continues to deliver desktop and mobile integration and a beautiful user experience. The MacAssist feature provides Mac Finder integration with icon overlays, thumbnail support, and enhanced search experiences. The vendor also released new versions of its mobile app for iOS and Android for consistent user experiences across desktop, mobile, and cloud.
- CTERA Antivirus. V7.0 includes multi-layer virus protection that includes both in-cloud scanning as well on-access protection embedded in the Edge Filers. By combining 2 scanners, the company provides threat protection at all entry points to the global file system as well as continuously scans for newly discovered ones without creating extra processing overhead on the Edge devices.
The firm powers than 50,000 enterprise locations and millions of corporate devices in 110 countries, and is trusted by McDonald’s, the US.Department of Defense, Humana, WPP, and other organizations. At the core of the company’s solution is a global file system providing multi-cloud file services with edge caching and multi-site synchronization.
Organizations are embracing firm’s Global File System
Jeff Newman, IT architect, W. L. Gore & Associates, an American multinational manufacturing company, said: “Gore has partnered with CTERA to simplify our ROBO sites and move data from remote file servers to the cloud. V7.0 has been a game-changer for us, offering an automated migration utility that has made it easier and faster for us to migrate data and retire remote servers across our locations in Europe.”
Kyle Edsall, VP technology, Glenn Davis Group, an integrated branding agency, said: “As we faced the limitations of our on-premise storage infrastructure, our investigation into cloud and object storage-based platforms culminated in the CTERA global file system, which allowed us to consolidate virtualization, backups, storage, presentation, and sharing into a single solution. Leveraging all the benefits of cloud storage efficiently with cutting-edge deduplication, while keeping our active data hot and accessible on local SSD, was the ideal choice for us and has powered us through our WFH transition. Every IT decision should remove barriers to growth; we’re pleased this decision has done just that and more, and are excited by the V7.0 benefits of further improved performance and macOS usability.”
Wesley Smith, Senior Consulting System Engineer, World Wide Technology, a technology solutions provider, said: “The CTERA global file system is the perfect fit for any enterprise or federal organization seeking to dramatically simplify the cost, capacity, and scale problems that have plagued NAS for decades. We’re excited about the innovations in V7.0 and how the platform is encouraging distributed organizations everywhere to re-think how they deliver file services to their users, particularly amid the growing need for effective remote work.”
Setting new standard for Global File Systems
Aron Brand, CTO, CTERA, said: “The pandemic has forced enterprises to support a distributed workforce with a heavy reliance on remote IT, whether in smaller branches or home offices. The innovations in V7.0 empower all organizations to keep data close to users wherever they are, to easily migrate file workloads to the cloud, and to deliver consumer-grade user experiences. V7.0 represents a radical shift in how global file systems are designed and sets the standard by which other global file systems are measured.”
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Comments
Ctera Networks shakes the market with this major release.
What we called several years ago as ROBO with remote file access morphed a bit to global file services. We see that the star topology with aggressive caching techniques is the preferred model for many vendors.
Historically, we remembered WAFS, WAAS later WAN optimization and acceleration and more recently SD-WAN with networks vendors working at the protocol level. And as a rapid demand with lots of opportunities we saw several M&As in these groups listed above. But global file sharing and collaboration within the enterprise continues to be a hot topic and addressed from a file and data management perspective.
Several key players are visible in this segment with Ctera of course, but also Hammerspace, Morro Data, Nasuni, NetApp, Panzura or even Cohesity who jumped recently. NetApp just extends FlexCache to SMB with ONTAP 9.8 and acquired earlier this year Talon Storage available today as Global File Cache. We also find some other alternative anecdotic players.
Common things between these players are the object storage back-end, especially a S3 one inviting the user to consider lots of choices, public or private, access methods as NFS and SMB are maintained locally, caching techniques and topology.
But this segment illustrates also a battle on new features with data segmentations, fast transfer and access, locking granularity, ability to propagate changes, clients and platforms support, embedded security and finally migration of legacy file storage to this new one.
On all these dimensions Ctera maintains some differentiators and interesting approaches.
Go to market is also a key element and recent agreements with HPE and Nutanix mark a new era for Ctera as it should accelerate significantly the market footprint.
How competition will react as global file services are one of the new demands for enterprises especially during pandemic?
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