Morro Data, an innovative provider of cloud-first global file services, announced several new offerings for its CloudNAS hybrid-cloud file server architecture. First, Morro Data now supports Microsoft’s Azure Active Directory in addition to local Active Directory. This makes file management and identity management extremely easy for those businesses using Office365. Morro Data has also announced Replicate, a new service that delivers a high-performance means of moving a large number of files to the cloud and to other sites. As SMBs continue their inevitable transition to more cloud-based architectures, CloudNAS provides a high-performance, hybrid-cloud platform that delivers versatile 3-in-1 global file services solutions for storage consolidation, multiple office file sync, and instant disaster recovery.
“With Morro Data 3.0, we are all about helping SMBs connect to the broader IT ecosystem and removing any remaining barriers to making hybrid-cloud storage the best possible choice for storage architecture,” said Paul Tien, founder, and CEO of Morro Data. “Replicate makes it easy to move just about any file to the cloud. And with Azure AD, we’re supporting the many SMBs that have migrated to Office365 but still have files and applications that benefit from the performance and control that comes with an on-premise file server. Morro’s hybrid-cloud file server architecture provides cost-effective management for IT and enables SMBs to have the best of both worlds combining the benefits of cloud with on-prem storage performance for everyday users.”
Morro Data’s CloudNAS is designed to deliver the performance and scale necessary for businesses with hundreds of users that require large capacity across multiple locations. CloudNAS combines Morro Data’s Cache & Sync technology with its Global File System to ensure businesses have the highest level of file access performance, unlimited storage capacity and collaboration services such as file locks, versioning, and replication.
Support for Azure AD
Now Morro Data is adding additional features and support for Microsoft Azure AD to extend this ease-of-use. Microsoft has quickly become the world’s most commonly used cloud service by user count and Office365 is a big part of that adoption. The firm has been quoted as running a year ahead of adoption goals, and per a recent study by Barracuda Networks, there are more than 100 million active users, with that number being up 20 percent over their previous year’s survey. Anyone using Office365 inherently has an Azure identity, making it easy to integrate with CloudNAS’ storage architecture.
Azure Active Directory support makes life easier for IT and addresses SMB storage management issues. Some of these features include:
- Single Sign-On:†One username and password across all cloud platforms. Office365 users use the same login they already have.
- Self-Service Features:†Users can add themselves to the Morro Data Cloud Manager. Users can login through the Access Panel and reset passwords. Admins can create, read, write, and delete, entries in the directory.
- High Availability:†Identity management as a service using Azure. Durability of Azure AD: We guarantee at least 99.9 percent availability of the Azure Active Directory Basic and Premium services.
- Secure Access:†Clients with Azure AD added accounts are auto-authenticated on the file server.
Another benefit that comes with Morro’s support for Azure AD is providing a superior solution to Azure File Sync. Compared to Azure Files, CloudNAS is simpler, better, and faster. With a simple web portal and appliance format, no advanced Windows Admin expertise is required. CloudNAS supports real time file sync and locking, which Azure File Sync does not, and starting at $19/TB, CloudNAS is 1/3rd†the cost of Azure Files for storage. All available with zero data transfer fees versus Azure files at $50/TB and up.
With CloudNAS Azure AD support, Microsoft AD users can now completely replace or supplement traditional on-premises file servers or NAS devices with a low-cost, high-performance CloudNAS 3-in-1 Global File Services solution that seamlessly integrates into their existing Azure AD user management environment.
Replicate shares for cost-effective file transfer to the cloud†
Also included in our 3.0 Release is support for Replicate shares. From the outset, Morro Data CloudNAS has supported real-time, bidirectional, many-to-many sync across multiple endpoints and Cloud Storage. For some applications Sync is an unnecessary overhead or even undesirable. With the introduction of Replicate, which is uni-directional/one-to-many/schedule-driven, files can be transferred with low overhead and higher speed.
Replicate is ideal for creating a secondary site backup and moving files into object store, e.g. as a backup target. Replicate shares are also a very effective way to perform low cost file transfer or file distribution to one or more locations. Utilizing our no egress fee Wasabi storage pool option, there are no data transfer fees. The only cost is the monthly service fee and storage cost incurred. Compared to traditional file transfer services, this is extremely affordable.
Pricing and Availability
Morro Data’s CloudNAS platform with support for Azure Active Directory is available now.
