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Network-attached storage (NAS), or file storage, provides shared storage in which access to data takes place at the level of entire files.

NAS is defined by the fact it runs a file system and manages access to media behind that. Meanwhile, users and application servers are presented with storage in the familiar drive letter format.

NAS boxes originally emerged as standalone appliances. Later, scale-out NAS made it possible to link many NAS nodes into a cluster with a single file system.

More recently it has become possible to deploy NAS via software-defined storage and as part of a hyper-converged infrastructure setup.

It is also possible to specify file access storage in the public cloud.

If all you want is shared storage for several terabytes (TB) up to maybe the low tens of terabytes then a standalone NAS product could fit the bill. This could be for general file storage, or more specialised use cases such as storing surveillance footage.

Products range from consumer-grade offerings to those aimed at the smaller end of the small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) market, with suppliers that include Synology, Buffalo and QNAP. Form factor is usually some kind of micro server at the low end, with rackmount possible at the high end.

It is also theoretically possible to build your own, using commodity hardware with software from the likes of FreeNAS and Xigmanas (formerly NAS4Free), both of which are based on FreeBSD.

The limitation of a standalone NAS appliance is what to do when youve filled it. If you get another NAS, you can end up with silos of storage distributed between hardware instances.

Thats exactly the limitation scale-out NAS was developed to sidestep. In scale-out NAS, discrete appliances share the same file system, a so-called parallel file system to which new hardware instances can be added.

Scale-out NAS is largely the preserve of larger SMEs and enterprises. It gets around the problem of NAS silos being formed and it allows larger volumes of shared storage capacity to be created.

For those reasons, scale-out NAS is the go-to choice for anyone who can afford it.

Key suppliers are all the big five storage players NetApp, Dell EMC, HPE, Hitachi Vantara and IBM but there are specialists too, such as Cloudian, Qumulo and WekaIO, which we will come across again when we look at hybrid and multicloud options.

Key use cases are anything where large volumes of unstructured data need to be kept.

In the past couple of years we have seen the rise of scale-out NAS products, which are built to potentially work across on-premise and cloud deployments. Examples here include the likes of Cloudian, Elastifile, Qumulo and WekaIO.

Cloudians Hyperfile provides Posix/Windows-compliant file access that can be deployed on-premise and in the cloud. It works via the suppliers Hyperstore environment, which is based on object storage and offers hybrid cloud operations across Microsoft, Amazon and Google cloud environments with data portabilitybetween them claimed.

Elastifiles Cloud File System (ECFS)is software built to scale across thousands of compute nodes, and offers file, block and object storage. ECFS is designed to support heterogeneous environments, including public and private cloud environments, under a single global namespace.

TheQumulo File Fabric(QF2)is scale-out software that can be deployed on commodity hardware or in the public cloud. Cross-platform capabilities are provided through the ability to replicate file shares between physical locations.

WekaIOs scale-out POSIX-compliant parallel file system is called Matrix. Matrix runs across a cluster of commodity storage servers or can be deployed in the public cloud and run on standard compute instances using local SSD block storage. It also claims hybrid operations are possible, with the ability to tier to public cloud services.

All the big three public cloud providers Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) offer native NAS storage services. All three also offer better-performing file storage based on NetApp storage. Where Azure is different is that it provides file storage caching, aimed at providing low-latency access to a set of files in asingle namespace at a number of service levels.

Use cases targeted by AWS and Azure include big data analytics, web serving and content management, application development and testing, media workflows, database backups, and container storage. Google is a bit more modest in its proposed use cases than some of the AWS and Azure cloud file storage offers. GCP targets video rendering, application workloads, web content management and home directories.

Here, were talking about storage suppliers NAS products that are available in the cloud.

A recent heavyweight entrant is Dell EMC, which launched a Google Cloud version of its Isilon scale-out NAS, with OneFScloud storageready for production workloads.

The move allows customers to burst production use cases on Isilon storage to GCP, with up to 50PB (petabytes) of capacity available in asingle namespace.

Other mainstream storage suppliers also offer instances of their file systems in the big three public clouds AWS, Azure and GCP. NetApp has Cloud Volumes, while IBM has its Spectrum Scale parallel file system in AWS.

Another way to leverage the cloud for file storage is from software- and infrastructure-based offerings such as Nasuni, Ctera andPanzura, which offer access via software or hardware gateways.

Nasuni was a pioneer in the space, with a virtual appliance cloud gateway that cached active data on-premise and stored less-frequently-accessed files in public clouds. Nasunis cloud-native UniFSfile file system provides a single namespace forunstructured data. Nasuni is delivered via on-site filers that stage data off to the AWS cloud.

Meanwhile, Cteras HC range are so-called edge filers, which act as local capacity that can sync with otherCteranodes globally and with cloud storage capacity. Ctera targets use of cloud bursting and collaboration across geographies.

Access can be from desktop and remote/mobile devices via Ctera Drive, application programming interfaces (APIs)/web access and a mobile app, with data held in the Ctera Global File System. From there, it can be accessed by users via Ctera instances or auto-synced toS3 cloud storage systems.

Panzura is deployed on a server at each location where a local copy is held, withGoogle Cloud Storageas the main data retention location. Panzuras main focus is cross-office collaboration delivered via an on-premise gateway and aglobal file-locking systemwith cloud storage.

Originally posted here:
Five on-premise and cloud options for network-attached storage - ComputerWeekly.com

Who would have thought 15 years ago that everyone would be storing files online rather than on the hard drives in their laptops and PCs? But cloud storage is prevalent, and it is mighty convenient, both for individuals but especially for small businesses which have neither the expertise nor budget to set up their own server and software.

The ability to access and share documents among your team no matter what device theyre on or whether theyre working in the office or remotely is why cloud storage has become so popular.

But what if you work with sensitive information? Do you trust your cloud storage provider to keep your documents safe from prying eyes? Do you even know where your files are stored and whose jurisdiction they fall under?

If you cant answer yes to both of these questions, or you havent yet decided which service to use, then heres some good news. Tresorit puts security and privacy front and centre of its cloud storage service.

1. End-to-end encryption

It does this by encrypting each and every file before it leaves your device, and only decrypting a file when it arrives back on an authorised device.

That means that no-one can see whats in your documents - not even Tresorit itself. Only people who you give access to can view them, which is the kind of reassurance that other cloud storage services simply cannot offer.

Plus, Tresorit keeps multiple copies of files so theres always a backup and offers two-factor authentication which stops anyone with stolen credentials from logging into a Tresorit account.

2. Pick where your data is stored

Tresorit gives you full control over your data, even allowing you to choose where it is stored. You can choose from countries including the UK, Ireland, Eastern and Western USA, France, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Canada, Singapore, United Arab Emirates and Brazil.

So, if you work with confidential data that needs to be protected according to local laws such as GDPR, CCPA or HIPAA, Tresorit makes it possible.

3. Secure collaboration

Forget insecure email attachments. When you need to share a sensitive file with a client, they can access encrypted documents using just their web browser and they can also send files securely to you in the same way. They dont need to have a Tresorit account or even download any software or browser add-ons.

Better still, access logs allow you to see exactly when a shared link has been opened, by whom (via email address). For even tighter control, you can even limit the number of times a link can be clicked as well as specifying when the link will expire.

4. Features galore

Its not all security, security, security. Tresorit also offers all the features youd want. It keeps multiple versions of files so you can go back to an earlier one, protects them from accidental deletion and even ransomware.

You can pick certain files that need to remain accessible offline and you can back up your phones camera roll if you like, too.

You can choose to have local copies of synced files, store nothing locally at all or pick and choose which files and folders to sync. Its entirely up to you.

When sharing files with colleagues you can decide if theyre allowed to print them, copy them, share them and edit them.

If someone loses their phone or laptop which contains sensitive files, you can remotely wipe them, and you can set Tresorit to delete all local copies of files when the user signs out of their account. Ok, those are more security features, but the point is that you have full control over your data.

Apps are available for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS and Linux and all offer the same level of security. If someone finds themselves without the app, a web browser is all thats required to access your account and files.

Try Tresorit for free!

Tresorit offers various subscriptions and as much or as little storage as you need. The service costs from 8 per user per month and they each get 1TB of storage.

You can see how it works right now by signing up for a free 14-day trial of Tresorit Business.

Read more here:
4 reasons why Tresorit is the best cloud storage service - Tech Advisor

July 30, 2020 -Netwalkerransomware attacks are again on the rise, targeting US and foreign health agencies, education entities, private companies, and governments, according to a recent FBI flash alert.Victims were also warned to not pay the ransom demand but to report incidents to the FBI.

The hacking group hasnotoriouslytargetedthe healthcare sector throughout the COVID-19 crisis. A reportin MayshowedNetwalkerhackers were partnering with other cybercriminals to gain access to enterprise networks through aRansomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) model.

Most recently, theUniversity of California San Francisco paid the hackers$1.14 millionto unlock several of its School of Medicine servers after an attack. The group wasalso behind the ransomware attack on theChampaign-UrbanaPublic Health District inIllinois.

According to the alert,Netwalkerhas continued to use the COVID-19pandemic to their advantage. In June, the FBI was notified ofmultiple attacks on those entities and successfully compromising an increasing number of unsuspecting victims.

In the latest attacks, the threat actors gain a foothold onto the network and later encryptall connected Windows-based devices and data to render critical databases, files, and applications inaccessible. Then,Netwalkerwill deploy an embedded configuration that includes a ransom noteand file names, along withvarious configuration options.

Previous attacks used COVID-19 phishing lures able to spread through Visual Basic Scripting (VBS) script that executed when the email was opened by the user. The hackers have also commonly exploited Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), vulnerabilities in web application interface components, andweak credentials used for Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) connections.

But most commonly, the hackersexploit known vulnerabilities in Pulse Secure VPNs.The Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency warned threat actors were targeting those flawsin April, even if the organization had applied the patch.

Once an infiltrated a network withNetwalker, a combination of malicious programs may be executed to harvest administrator credentials, steal valuable data, and encrypt user files, the FBI warned. In order to encrypt the user files on the victim network, the actors typically launch a malicious PowerShellscript embedded with theNetwalkerransomware executable.

Actors usingNetwalkerhave previously uploaded stolen data to the cloudstorage and file sharing service, MEGA.NZ, by uploading data through the MEGA website or by installing the MEGA client application directly on a victims computer, they added.

The group transitioned from uploading and releasing stolen data on MEGA to another file sharing service in June. Double extortion was first made popular byMazeransomware hackers, but other attackers includingNetwalker soonfollowed suit.

The FBI does not encourage victims to pay the ransom, which may embolden cybercriminals to target additional organizationsor encourage other hackers to leverage ransomware, as well. Paying the ransom demand also does not guarantee the hackers will unlock the files.

And notably, someransomwareattacks have been known to causedata loss.

The FBI provided organizations with some key mitigations, including backing up critical data offline, ensuring copies of critical data are stored in the cloud or on an external hard driveor storage device.

Organizations should also secure backups, ensuring data is inaccessible to modification or deletion from the system. Anti-virus or anti-malware software should be installed and regularly updated on all hosts, while organizations should only use secure networks.

The agency also recommended organizations install and use a VPN, as well as two-factor authentication with strong passwords. Computers, devices, and applications must be routinely patched and keptup-to-date.

Read more:
FBI Alerts to Rise in Targeted Netwalker Ransomware Attacks - HealthITSecurity.com

Student discounts offer a lifeline for anyone in education. Given that much of the time you're loaded down with debt, and probably having to combine your studies with part-time work just to pay the rent, any help you can get is greatly appreciated.

The only problem is that, while big companies offer pretty substantial student discount deals, they don't spend a lot of time shouting about them and they can often be difficult to find. Plus there's the fact that the offers are constantly changing, and so it becomes a full-time job just to keep up with what's available, and what the best student discounts actually are.

To save you the bother, we've hunted high and low to bring you the best student discounts available today. We've also got the best back to school and Apple Back to School deals happening right now.

If you're studying to become a creative professional, you're might want to get Adobe Creative Cloud. This suite of creative software includes more than 50 industry-standard apps including Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects and Adobe Lightroom. You also get 100GB of cloud storage and Adobe Portfolio, a special app that makes it easy to create your own portfolio website.

Adobe CC for students: Get 60% off All AppsAn all apps subscription to Creative Cloud will give you access to over 50 apps, plus Adobe Fonts Portfolio, 100GB of cloud storage and other benefits. Normally $52.99 per month, students and teachers can get a CC subscription for just $19.99 per month for the first year.

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Wouldn't it be lovely if Apple offered a single, universal discount for student across all of its product range? Sadly, it doesn't, but it is currently offering specific discounts to qualifying higher education students on selected Macs and iPads. Plus you get a free paid of AirPods into the bargain, worth $159, and a 20 per cent discount on Apple Care. To get any of these discounts, you just need to visit the Apple Education Store.

Amazon Prime is super-handy for students, both for when you need that textbook delivered asap, and when you need to take a study break and binge-watch some great TV. And if you're in higher education and not already a Prime subscriber, you can sign up for a six-month free trial to Amazon Prime Student, which offers pretty much everything a normal Amazon Prime account does. Then after six months, you can get 50% off Amazon Prime Student membership, paying just $6.49 per month, rather than the normal $12.99 per month.

Amazon Prime student discount: 6 months of Amazon Prime Student free, then 50% offAmazon Prime Student offers access to award-winning movies & TV shows, over two million songs and custom playlists from Amazon Music, ad free, and free premium delivery on millions of items a month. New members can get a 6-month trial for free, and after your trial, Prime Student is just $6.49/month.View Deal

There are times when it's difficult to focus, and you need a kickass soundtrack to get your brain in gear and motivate you through some serious study. So it's great that students enrolled in degree-granting universities and colleges can join the streaming service Apple Music, which gives you access to 60million songs, at half price for up to 48 months. If you're new to Apple Music you can take out a free trial first; if you're not, you can swap over your existing subscription. Either way, you'll pay just $4.99 per month rather than the usual $9.99 per month.

Apple Music student discount: Get 50% offGet Apple Music for half-price: you'll pay just $4.99 a month rather than the usual $9.99 for up to 48 months. You'll have access to 60 million songs, and you'll also get Apple TV + for a limited time.View Deal

Want to stream thousands of great shows such as High Fidelity, The Bold Type, Looking for Alaska, Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and Bobs Burgers? Hulu doesn't actually offer a student discount, but you can get free access to Hulu via Spotify's student discount program. This gives you a Spotify Premium account, access to the ad-supported version of Hulu, and access to Showtime, all for less than the regular price of a Hulu subscription.

Costing just $4.99 a month half the price you'd pay normally for a Spotify Premium account alone this student discount is available to anyone over 18 who's currently enrolled at a US Title IV accredited college or university, and who hasn't previously had a premium Spotify account.

Hulu student discount: Get Hulu for free + 50% off a Spotify Premium accountEnjoy Spotify Premium, Hulu (ad-supported), and Showtime for just $4.99/month after a one-month free trial, and cancel at any time. This offer is open only to higher education students who haven't already tried Spotify Premium.View Deal

If youre a student or teacher, you're eligible to get Office 365 Education, an online version of Microsoft Office, for free. This includes Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft OneNote, and Microsoft Teams, plus additional classroom tools. Perhaps most significantly, it also includes 1TB of online storage, which is massively more than the 15GB you get free with Google Drive.

Microsoft Office student discount: Get Office 365 Education for free with 1TB storageAccess the online version of Microsoft Office for free, plus 1TB of online storage. Your school may also allow students to install the full Office apps on up to five Macs or PCs for free. You just need a valid school email address to get started.

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Whether you're a college sports star, or just want some nice sneakers, Nike is keen to get students on board. It has long offered a 10% student discount to eligible high school, college, and university students in the USA. But recently, for a limited time, they've increased this to 20%.

To get the discount, youll need to complete a verification form, and will then be sent a single-use promo code for 20% off most items on Nike.com, which you use during checkout. Note that shipping charges are calculated after discount, and that you can apply for a new discount code every 30 days.

Nike student discount: Get 20% off at Nike.comSave 20% before shipping charges on most items sold on Nike.com. This discount is available to eligible high school, college, and university students in the USA.View Deal

Adobe's Creative Cloud is a must-have for anyone studying a creative or marketing discipline. It contains more than 50 apps that are industry-standard for disciplines such as graphic design, photography, publishing, photo editing, film-making, animation and illustration,. You also get 100GB of cloud storage and Adobe Portfolio for building a portfolio website.

Adobe CC for students: Get 65% off an All Apps subscriptionAn all Apps subscription to CC will allow you to download the full range of over 50 apps, plus Adobe Fonts Portfolio, 100GB of cloud storage and a range of other benefits. Normally 49.94, students and teachers can get a Creative Cloud subscription for just 16.24/month for the first year.View Deal

Apple doesn't have a discount you can apply to all its products. But what it does currently offer are specific discounts to post-secondary education students on Mac computers (iMac, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac mini) and iPads. Not only that, but you get a free pair of AirPods too, worth 159, and the option of a 20 per cent discount on Apple Care.

To get any of these discounts, you just need to visit the Apple Education Store. You then have three ways of accessing Apple's educational discounts. One is by signing up to student discount website UNiDAYS. The alternative is to verify you're a student through Apple by calling the phone number or chatting with a representative online.

Apple student discount: Get free Air Pods + save up to 80 on an iPadStudents in higher education can get free AirPods, worth 159, and 20% off AppleCare+ when you buy any of the following discounted iPad products: iPad Pro, iPad Air, 2nd Generation Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard.View Deal

Need school supplies or an important reference book, and need it tomorrow? Then you need Amazon Prime, which will also let you binge-watch some great TV and movies when you're on a study break. As long as if you're in higher education and not already a Prime subscriber, you can get a six-month free trial to Amazon Prime Student, which is very similar to a normal Amazon Prime account. Then after six months, you can get 50% off: just 3.99 per month compared with the normal 7.99 per month.

Amazon Prime for students: Get 6 months of Amazon Prime Student free, then 50% offAmazon Prime Student offers access to award-winning movies & TV shows, over two million songs and custom playlists from Amazon Music, ad free, and free premium delivery on millions of items a month. New members can get a 6-month trial for free, and after your trial, Prime Student is just 3.99/month.View Deal

When you want to get your head down and do some serious study, you need some top tunes to stick in your headphones and drown out the real world. So higher education students will want to take advantage of the student discount offfered by Apple Music. This gives you 50 per cent off access to 60 million songs, for up to 48 months. If you're new to Apple Music you can take out a free trial first; if you're not, you can swap over your existing subscription. Either way, you'll pay just $4.99 per month rather than the normal $9.99 per month.

Apple Music for students: Get 50% offGet Apple Music for half price: you'll pay just 4.99 a month rather than the usual 9.99 for up to 48 months. You'll have access to 60 million songs, and you'll also get Apple TV + for a limited time.View Deal

While there are numerous alternatives, Microsoft Office remains the standard tool for writing, editing and documentation. And if youre a student or teacher, you are eligible to get Office 365 Education, an online version, at no charge. You'll get Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft OneNote, and Microsoft Teams as part of the package, along with additional classroom tools. And best of all, you'll get 1TB of online storage, in sharp contrast to the 15GB you get for free with Google Drive.

Microsoft Office for students: Get Office 365 Education for free with 1TB storageAccess the online version of Microsoft Office for free, plus 1TB of online storage. Your school may also allow students to install the full Office apps on up to five Macs or PCs for free. You just need a valid school email address to get started.

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Whether you're a serious athlete or just want some nice trainers, Nike is keen to get you on board, offering a 10% student discount (before delivery charges) for most products sold at Nike.com. It's available for college, sixth form and university students. To get the discount, youll need to register with UNiDAYS to verify your student status and retrieve your discount code. Note, though, that this cannot be applied to gift cards, Apple products or NikeLab products.

Nike student discount: Get 10% off at NikeSave 10% before delivery charges on most items sold on Nike.com. This discount is available to students available for college, sixth form and university students who can verify their status.View Deal

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Student discounts: the best offers in 2020 - Creative Bloq