File Services for AWS S3 Object Storage
Object storage systems provide a lower-cost, more durable, and scalable alternative to traditional NAS and SAN hardware storage systems. However, they’re optimized for performance with object I/O, but do not perform as well with file I/O and often lack the robust capabilities of traditional NAS filers. Frequently, object storage solutions have limited or low-performing file services. SoftNAS enables customers to take advantage of the scalability, durability, and low cost of object storage, replacing expensive on-premises SAN and NAS equipment, while still providing file services for existing enterprise applications.
Benefits
Robust File Services for Object Storage
Provides file access via NFS, CIFS/SMB, AFP (Apple File Protocol), and iSCSI block services for object storage with Active Directory (AD) and LDAP integration, which can traditionally only be accessed at the object API level.
No Added Hardware
Available as a storage virtual appliance, no additional hardware or capex is required when running SoftNAS as a virtual machine on existing hypervisor systems
No Application or Workflow Modification
Eliminate application modifications and reduces object storage skill set learning times to lower opex
Rich NAS Data Protection and Efficiency
Provides deduplication, compression, storage snapshots, writable clones, thin provisioning and other traditional NAS capabilities, providing the best of both NAS and object storage
File Services Across Object Storage Clouds
Whether you are running object storage in an on-premises private cloud or in public clouds, including AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Centurylink Cloud, SoftNAS provides file services across any combination of private, public and hybrid clouds
Seamless Integration
SoftNAS supports popular object storage products including NetApp StorageGRID Webscale, SwiftStack, Hitachi Data Systems Hitachi Content Platform (HCP), Amazon Web Services S3, Azure Blob, Cleversafe Web-Scale Storage Software Platform, Cloudian HyperStore and any S3-compatible object storage
High-performance
SoftNAS adds two layers of additional caching for increased performance and throughput beyond what object systems typically deliver by themselves
Use Cases
Files-as-a-Service for Object Storage:
For Service Providers
Object storage is beneficial to service providers because it is low-cost, durable and can be incrementally scaled. It is also a cost-effective solution to providing file services with object storage to customers, increasing margin and ROI. You also pay for what is used to match your billing for optimizing cash flow.
For End User Customers
Without added hardware, SoftNAS provides file and iSCSI block level services for object storage, eliminating the need to modify applications to fit with existing applications and IT infrastructure.
For Object Storage Providers
Many object storage providers have customers who need to access object storage with standard file system or iSCSI block protocols. SoftNAS removes the file system barrier to purchase by quickly and easily supplying file services on top of a storage provider’s own object storage, increasing overall sales value.