The Nasuni Service 6.0 Upgrade Adds Cloud-Scale Global File Locking and Mobile File Synchronization for Anywhere, Anytime Access to Corporate Data

NATICK, Mass., July 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Nasuni^®, a provider of enterprise storage as a service to global organizations, today announced its 6.0 upgrade to The Nasuni Service, which includes cloud-scale global file locking as well as desktop file synchronization for complete mobile access to data. The company also released a new 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 Nasuni'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 drastically reduces the cost and burden of storing and managing end-user file data, and gives IT a fast, easy 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 Nasuni Filer delivers the high performance end-users need.

Global File Locking: Enables Worldwide Collaboration
In today's global enterprises, distributed employees collaborate on critical 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.

Nasuni's new cloud-scale global file locking capability takes full advantage of its cloud-centric storage architecture. Typical file locking on a server prevents users from accidentally interfering with one another's files; Nasuni delivers this same functionality at global scale. For the first time in data storage history, IT can use a global locking service that operates at cloud scale with no single point of failure. Nasuni can accomplish this feat because the intelligence behind Nasuni's 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. Nasuni's global locking can be configured at a folder level as needed. Locks can be viewed and, if needed, broken through the Nasuni Management Console and Filer interfaces. And as always, Nasuni's advanced conflict management and UniFS global file system protects customers at all times from any data loss. And all data remains secure thanks to military grade 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 today 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.

Nasuni's new 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 at 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 new features available as part of The Nasuni Service 6.0 upgrade 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 the Nasuni Service has always provided integration for data access, management controls have been expanded to integrate Active Directory users and groups, with administrator access now controlled in Active Directory. In addition, Nasuni now 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 new 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 at Sedgwick LLP, a leading global 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 of 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." 

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

About Nasuni
Nasuni is an enterprise storage company that provides globally-distributed organizations with a simple, unified storage solution. By combining on-premises hardware with cloud storage, Nasuni delivers a secure, all-in-one data storage solution that provides local performance for users, simplified and centralized management for IT, and an easily scalable, complete storage service for the global enterprise. Nasuni is privately held and based in Natick, Mass. For more information, visit www.nasuni.com.

Social Media Links
Twitter: www.twitter.com/nasuni
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nasuni
The Nasuni Cloud Storage Blog: http://www.nasuni.com/blog

All company and product names are property of their respective owners.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120403/NE80973LOGO

SOURCE Nasuni