Panzura has launched the world's
first Global File System-as-a-Service (GFSaaS) for managed services providers
(MSPs). In a move that will transform the
future of teamwork and collaboration in the enterprise, the service replaces
legacy storage with always-on, SaaS-based modern data management.
Panzura-certified MSPs can now offer a fully managed and automated file-sharing
experience to customers as they address the industry's massive transition to
infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) and cloud-native services. GFSaaS provides
unified, outsourced management of unstructured data across hybrid and public
clouds.
In conjunction with the launch, Panzura also announced a
partnership in which CCL is the first MSP organization to
offer Panzura GFSaaS to its customers. The GFSaaS delivery model was
co-developed with CCL which helped further define the framework by driving
commercialization of a service-provider delivery
model, and extending the functionality of Panzura Data Services as a
powerful multi-tenant service management platform. CCL, New Zealand's largest locally focused information and
communications technology (ICT) service provider, earlier this year completed
an extensive early-adopter program with Panzura including training and pilot
deployment of the new technology. The successful pre-launch process fine-tuned
design and architecture considerations for the service around data consistency, synchronization, security, replication
and access.
"CCL has been an indispensable partner in ensuring GFSaaS has been
engineered with MSPs in mind. Their vision of GFSaaS as a new component of the
managed services arsenal, in support of any type of cloud storage, has been
both transformational and inspiring," said Jill Stelfox, CEO at Panzura. "From
talking to customers about the process and helping them understand the value,
to training sales teams and assuring generous compensation, Panzura GFSaaS is a piece of cake for
MSPs and an imperative for the enterprise."
According to Gartner, the global
IaaS market, which broadly includes networked file systems and object storage
services, is expected to approach $81 billion by 2025. Already the de facto choice of enterprise IT departments, particularly amid digital transformation shifts and
pandemic-accelerated remote work, Panzura
is now positioned as the go-to as-a-service
file-sharing and management option. With budgets increasingly flowing toward
cloud giants, and growing demand for managing unstructured data and analytics
workloads, the company acknowledged plans to offer its GFSaaS through the major
U.S. hyperscaler marketplaces either directly or via technology partners in the
coming months.
Users are typically charged separately for the marketplace products they
purchase and their cloud infrastructure costs. GFSaaS provides for flexible
pricing models such as monthly charge or PAYG options. Moreover, Panzura's
high-performance, tiered cloud NAS architecture is engineered to eliminate
costly data bloat-data from all legacy storage instances is consolidated, de-duped
and compressed, significantly reducing the overall unstructured data footprint while still providing the same availability and
durability. Panzura Data Services, which offers data
analytics, monitoring, auditing and management for a complete view of
unstructured file data within a file system, is now also used to provide
billing management for Panzura GFSaaS.
Panzura GFSaaS empowers MSPs
Panzura GFSaaS replaces local applications with a cloud-native service managed
by Panzura-certified partners, making it possible to deploy and support an
enterprise-grade instance of the Panzura global file system without crossing
swords with internal IT. The Panzura distributed file system incorporates
network acceleration technology that accommodates high-latency remote object
stores, and overcomes the limitations that prevent the enterprise from
successfully integrating cloud storage into their infrastructure.
Management
of cloud-based services can be cumbersome and complex for internal IT teams.
The new service allows MSPs to manage the entire Panzura architecture,
comprising the Panzura Interfaces, the Panzura Data Path, the Panzura API and
the Panzura CloudFS. Operating through a web interface, it gives administrators
the tools to remotely install, configure and control access, security and
governance with minimum effort as part of its core design. MSP compatibility
offers the ability to seamlessly toggle between admin accounts on multiple
instances of Panzura GFSaaS, easily managing customer accounts and features.
Moreover,
network architectures, configurations and policies differ across cloud
providers. Panzura GFSaaS provides a single cloud-agnostic file-sharing
framework that offers the flexibility to consume public cloud storage, such as
AWS S3 and Azure Blob, or private object storage, such as Cloudian. Panzura
virtual appliances can be hosted in the cloud or on-premises to support any set
of providers or deployment models. For instance, CCL's
partnership with Panzura allows customers to choose CCL's own Vault v2 object
storage, as well as other public cloud storage or private cloud deployments. CCL
also provides access to a pay-as-you-go pricing structure that is uniquely
available through CCL in New Zealand.
"We've seen first-hand the breakneck pace at which our customers
are not only consuming SaaS but finding their way to a cloud-first mentality
when it comes to their IT infrastructure and spending," said Richard Hansen,
portfolio services director at CCL. "Panzura GFSaaS has arrived at the right
time and with the right approach toward complete cloud data management. It is a
must-have for MSPs who want to stay at the top of their game, and help the
enterprise win the battle for competitive advantage."
CCL's
partnership with Panzura to offer GFSaaS underscores the urgency to retool
industry using digital and data-driven innovation as a means to revitalize
hard-hit economic sectors. A recent report from the New Zealand Government's
Digital Council, which provides recommendations and directives for the
country's transition to a post-COVID digital economy, embraces the scalability,
performance, and compatibility of multi-cloud public-cloud solutions.
"Our
partnership with Panzura extends CCL's lead at the forefront of helping New
Zealand's government agencies and largest enterprises adapt to this new reality
no matter where people are or how much distance is between them," added Hansen.