CTERA Networks
Encyclopedia
CTERA Networks is a cloud storage
and data protection hardware and software company that specializes in cloud storage gateways
. It provides network storage combined with asynchronously replicated off-site cloud storage
. The company produces hardware appliances which are installed in the local network and backup data offsite, and management software for service providers.
CTERA markets cloud storage gateways that use traditional file-based protocols to provide cached cloud storage. Local network computers are automatically backed up to the CTERA appliances on the LAN, which then perform incremental backups to an off-site deduplicated
cloud storage service, compressing and encrypting the data as it is transmitted. Users have browser-based access to the backups and can access files locally using a "Virtual Cloud Drive”. Users can also throttle bandwidth and schedule transfers off working hours for reducing impact on the network performance. CTERA appliances encrypt data onsite and keep the keys local, reduce latency
by caching data or keeping local copies, and provide snapshot capabilities for data availability.
CTERA is also the developer of Next3
, an open source
journaled file system for Linux
.
and Israel
, was founded in 2008. The company is privately held and backed by Benchmark Capital
.
In 2010, a new local NAS appliance was unveiled that can be used for bare metal recovery of downed servers. New server agents were also introduced to make backup and recovery easier and enable multi-user collaboration on files or folders stored locally or in the cloud.
In 2011, the company was named a "Champion" by the Info-Tech Research Group
.
CTERA has partnered with EMC Atmos
, Rackspace
and storage providers like Scality and ComputerLinks.
that converts external hard drives into network attached storage combined with cloud backup
. It also makes several appliances (C800, C400 and C200), which are installed in the local network and backup data into the cloud. CTERA devices can be used for hybrid on-site and offside data protection using cloud backup, snapshots and bare-metal restore
capabilities.
server applications, such as Microsoft Exchange
, SQL Server
and Active Directory
.
, an open source
journaled file system for Linux
based on ext3
, which adds snapshots
support, yet retains compatibility to the ext3 on-disk format. Next3 is implemented as open-source software, licensed under the GPL license. Next3 uses dynamically provisioned snapshots, i.e., it does not require pre-allocation of storage space for snapshots. Instead it allocates space as needed. Storage space is conserved by sharing unchanged data among the file system and its snapshots.
Cloud storage
Cloud storage is a model of networked online storage where data is stored on virtualized pools of storage which are generally hosted by third parties. Hosting companies operate large data centers; and people who require their data to be hosted buy or lease storage capacity from them and use it for...
and data protection hardware and software company that specializes in cloud storage gateways
Cloud storage gateway
A cloud storage gateway is a network appliance or server which resides at the customer premises and translates cloud storage APIs such as SOAP or REST to block-based storage protocols such as iSCSI or Fibre Channel or file-based interfaces such as NFS or CIFS....
. It provides network storage combined with asynchronously replicated off-site cloud storage
Off-site Data Protection
In computing, off-site data protection, or vaulting, is the strategy of sending critical data out of the main location as part of a disaster recovery plan. Data is usually transported off-site using removable storage media such as magnetic tape or optical storage...
. The company produces hardware appliances which are installed in the local network and backup data offsite, and management software for service providers.
CTERA markets cloud storage gateways that use traditional file-based protocols to provide cached cloud storage. Local network computers are automatically backed up to the CTERA appliances on the LAN, which then perform incremental backups to an off-site deduplicated
Data deduplication
In computing, data deduplication is a specialized data compression technique for eliminating coarse-grained redundant data. The technique is used to improve storage utilization and can also be applied to network data transfers to reduce the number of bytes that must be sent across a link...
cloud storage service, compressing and encrypting the data as it is transmitted. Users have browser-based access to the backups and can access files locally using a "Virtual Cloud Drive”. Users can also throttle bandwidth and schedule transfers off working hours for reducing impact on the network performance. CTERA appliances encrypt data onsite and keep the keys local, reduce latency
Latency
Latency or latent may refer to:*Latency period , the time between exposure to a pathogen, chemical or radiation, and when symptoms first become apparent...
by caching data or keeping local copies, and provide snapshot capabilities for data availability.
CTERA is also the developer of Next3
Next3
Next3 is a journaled file system for Linux based on ext3 which adds snapshots support, yet retains compatibility to the ext3 on-disk format. Next3 is implemented as open-source software, licensed under the GPL license.-Background:...
, an open source
Open source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
journaled file system for Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
.
History
CTERA, based in Palo Alto, CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, was founded in 2008. The company is privately held and backed by Benchmark Capital
Benchmark Capital
Benchmark Capital is a venture capital firm responsible for the early stage funding of some very successful startups. In 1997, the firm invested $6.7 million in eBay, which became worth more than $5 billion by the spring of 1999. Other high-profile investments include Ariba, Juniper Networks, Red...
.
In 2010, a new local NAS appliance was unveiled that can be used for bare metal recovery of downed servers. New server agents were also introduced to make backup and recovery easier and enable multi-user collaboration on files or folders stored locally or in the cloud.
In 2011, the company was named a "Champion" by the Info-Tech Research Group
Info-Tech Research Group
Info-Tech Research Group is an information technology research, analysis and consulting firm. Info-Tech provides businesses with independent expertise in strategy, planning, implementation, optimization, management, staffing and education....
.
CTERA has partnered with EMC Atmos
EMC Atmos
EMC Atmos is a cloud storage services platform developed by EMC Corporation. Atmos can be deployed as either a hardware appliance or as software in a virtual environment. The Atmos technology is designed to manage petabytes of information and billions of objects across multiple geographic locations...
, Rackspace
Rackspace
Rackspace US, Inc. is an IT hosting company based in San Antonio, Texas. The company also has offices in Australia, the United Kingdom, The Netherlands and Hong Kong, and data centers operating in Texas, Illinois, Virginia, the United Kingdom, and Hong Kong in late 2008...
and storage providers like Scality and ComputerLinks.
Hardware
CTERA Networks produces the CloudPlug, a small form factor Plug computerPlug computer
A plug computer is a small form factor server for use in the home or office. Compared to their PC-based counterparts, plug computers are lower cost, consume less power, often do not have a video card, and are intended to be powered up at all times...
that converts external hard drives into network attached storage combined with cloud backup
Cloud backup
Cloud Backup and Recovery is a subset of Cloud Computing and a form of Online Backup.Cloud Backup and Recovery has the following characteristics:-Service-based:...
. It also makes several appliances (C800, C400 and C200), which are installed in the local network and backup data into the cloud. CTERA devices can be used for hybrid on-site and offside data protection using cloud backup, snapshots and bare-metal restore
Bare-metal restore
Bare-metal restore is a technique in the field of data recovery and restoration where the backed up data is available in a form which allows one to restore a computer system from "bare metal", i.e...
capabilities.
Backup Agents
In addition to "clientless backup" capabilities, the company provides an installable backup agent that can back up open files, and server agents for backup and recovery of Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
server applications, such as Microsoft Exchange
Microsoft Exchange
Microsoft Exchange can refer to:* Microsoft Exchange Server, an email server software product from Microsoft* Microsoft Exchange Client, the former companion client software for Exchange Server that was embedded into some versions of Microsoft Windows...
, SQL Server
SQL Server
SQL Server may refer to:* Any database server that implements the Structured Query Language* Microsoft SQL Server, a relational database server from Microsoft* Sybase SQL Server, a relational database server developed by Sybase...
and Active Directory
Active Directory
Active Directory is a directory service created by Microsoft for Windows domain networks. It is included in most Windows Server operating systems. Server computers on which Active Directory is running are called domain controllers....
.
Open Source Software
CTERA has developed Next3Next3
Next3 is a journaled file system for Linux based on ext3 which adds snapshots support, yet retains compatibility to the ext3 on-disk format. Next3 is implemented as open-source software, licensed under the GPL license.-Background:...
, an open source
Open source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
journaled file system for Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
based on ext3
Ext3
The ext3 or third extended filesystem is a journaled file system that is commonly used by the Linux kernel. It is the default file system for many popular Linux distributions, including Debian...
, which adds snapshots
Snapshot (computer storage)
In computer systems, a snapshot is the state of a system at a particular point in time. The term was coined as an analogy to that in photography. It can refer to an actual copy of the state of a system or to a capability provided by certain systems....
support, yet retains compatibility to the ext3 on-disk format. Next3 is implemented as open-source software, licensed under the GPL license. Next3 uses dynamically provisioned snapshots, i.e., it does not require pre-allocation of storage space for snapshots. Instead it allocates space as needed. Storage space is conserved by sharing unchanged data among the file system and its snapshots.