CentreStack transforms traditional file servers into cloud file servers

Extended Preamble: The New Geography of Remote Work, Cloud Imperatives, and the Search for New Revenue Streams In a recent roundtable discussion relocated to picturesque Colorado, Managed Service Providers (MSPs) convened to address a challenging terrain not just geographically but also technologically. This was more than a meeting; it was a summit at the intersection of urgent needs and innovative solutions. In places like Steamboat Springs, where fiber is still creeping its way through the community, bandwidth isn't just an issue; it's a chokepoint. The traditional asymmetry in networks—like a 600 Mbps download and a mere 35 Mbps upload—no longer suits our transformed work landscape. In the world of remote work, what used to be a ‘download’ at the office becomes an ‘upload’ at home. This mismatch is driving MSPs to speed up their cloud migration processes to better serve their clients. But this i...

Introduction As a dynamic enterprise specializing in infrastructure services across a range of burgeoning markets, the company in focus faced multiple operational challenges. Struggling with an outdated on-premises file server system and scalability issues due to recent acquisitions, this enterprise needed an efficient, scalable, and secure data management solution. This blog dissects the enterprise's operational hurdles, their initial move to SharePoint, and how CentreStack emerged as the optimal solution, satisfying both current and future business requirements. What Motivated the Migration The enterprise initially moved their core file servers to SharePoint to simplify external collaboration and eliminate data redundancy. Azure was also employed for Active Directory functionalities. Before making this shift, they were dealing with several critical issues: System Availability : The company's on-premises servers were plagued by unexpected outages, significantly affecting produ...

Introduction: The Challenge of Remote Work Whether you are a design company or an architecture firm , you'll find that managing large 3D and AutoCAD files across remote team members creates performance and collaboration issues. This article introduces CentreStack as the one-stop solution for transforming your remote work experience. Identifying the Obstacles in Remote 3D Rendering and AutoCAD Usage The Challenge of Distance Data must traverse long distances when working in separate locations, introducing latency issues that hamper real-time collaboration. The Burden of Growing Files Technological advancements in 3D rendering tools and AutoCAD have led to larger file sizes, making performance even more of a challenge. The Downside of VPNs and Cloud Storage Solutions Traditional VPN technology has become more sluggish over time despite hardware upgrades or additional bandwidth. Common cloud services like Dropbox, Google Drive, and SharePoint aren't optimized for AutoCAD file typ...

In the manufacturing industry, there is a constant need for efficient, secure, and seamless means of sharing internal design documents with external partners such as suppliers and vendors. Traditional solutions, such as creating a single user in Active Directory (AD) for external access, not only compromise security but also involve tedious user management tasks. Manufacturing collaboration challenges Many manufacturing companies struggle to securely share internal files without resorting to VPNs, cloud migrations, or Active Directory changes. The need for a secure solution that enables easy collaboration without losing control of data is more important than ever. CentreStack: A Tailored Solution for Manufacturers CentreStack is proving to be a beacon of efficiency and security in this scenario. As a platform that specializes in file server mobilization with a focus on file server compatibility, CentreStack can effortlessly set up external or guest users while maintaining all standard ...

In the real estate industry, efficient data management and seamless collaboration are non-negotiable. A well-known real estate company urgently needed to fix the problems that resulted from using remote desktops, Dropbox, and Office365 to create, edit, and share CAD drawings. This led to a chaotic data sprawl across multiple servers and client sites, and the company was looking for a way to efficiently consolidate data management without having to deal with remote servers and VPNs between sites. Objective Achieved with CentreStack CentreStack - the breakthrough platform that transformed the company’s project management with its seamless collaboration and secure remote access capabilities. The platform enabled the centralization of all critical data at the company's headquarters and eliminated the need for VPN connections between sites. Remote workers, who previously struggled with VPN network issues and often worked with the wrong versions of files due to dat...

The Challenge: Remote Work and 3D Rendering Don’t Mix Well - Or Do They? Meet Alex, a systems administrator with a dilemma. His team is scattered across Germany and the U.S. and relies on 3D rendering software like AutoCAD for various projects. With the primary file server located in the U.S. and work done remotely, latency has become a crippling problem that makes smooth operation nearly impossible. The Technical Dead-ends: Synchronization, VDI, and Why They Failed Faced with the challenges of working remotely, Alex initially turned to synchronization tools to bring files closer to his team in Germany. However, the generic sync tools caused more problems than solutions, creating file duplications and conflicts when multiple users accessed the same files. In addition, these off-the-shelf syncing tools lacked important file-locking features, making maintaining file consistency for group collaboration difficult. Alex then investigated Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) as an alternati...

Introduction The cloud revolution is a mixed bag for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and their clients. On the one hand, cloud services offer incredible flexibility and scalability. On the other hand, the transition from traditional file servers to the cloud is often fraught with challenges. If you're struggling with how to provide a seamless migration experience for your clients, CentreStack's innovative solution could be just the answer you're looking for. The Challenge: Navigating the Complexities of File Server Migration The current landscape of cloud services often leaves MSPs and their clients stressed and dissatisfied. Traditional migration options like OneDrive and SharePoint aren't only costly, but also incredibly complex, especially when the volume of data is significant. Add aging hardware and compliance issues into the mix, and the migration project quickly becomes a jigsaw puzzle of mismatched pieces. The Solution: CentreStack's Revolutionary Approach ...

The cloud file-sharing landscape for 3D designs and media files is rapidly evolving. As MSPs look for standout solutions, CentreStack's unique file server mobilization capability wins out over BIM360 and LucidLink, especially when data cannot be transferred to the cloud. But what are the specifics that lead to this preference? An MSP's Observational Journey A forward-thinking MSP identified a recurring problem: Standard Office files transferred seamlessly to SharePoint, but 3D designs and media files didn't. BIM360 and LucidLink were reputable but not sufficient. CentreStack's approach to file server mobilization not only filled the gaps but also opened up a predictable revenue stream for the MSP. CentreStack’s File Server Mobilization Edge for MSPs In the face of challenges like: Difficulties with remote access and sharing Handling complex designs Retaining data control The looming threat of losing "sticky" revenues CentreStack offers unparalleled solutions:...

At a time when digital transformation is steering the course of enterprises toward cloud-based solutions, the move to virtualized environments offers unparalleled benefits in terms of scalability, accessibility, and collaboration. However, not all enterprises are ready to make this shift, especially when it comes to migrating sensitive files and operations to the cloud. This article addresses the unique challenges faced by organizations that are hesitant to move their files to the cloud. It explores the underlying concerns and outlines strategies for leveraging cloud-like productivity without committing completely to the cloud. The Cloud Conundrum: Fear vs. Desire Organizations, particularly in industries such as healthcare, legal and insurance, have valid reasons for their reluctance to adopt cloud-based file-sharing solutions. Their concerns often revolve around data security, regulatory compliance, and the complexity of their operations. But despite these reservations, these compani...

Are you struggling to accept the storage limit policy changes for Google Workspace for Education? Does the newly imposed 100 TB storage limit have you scrambling to find a new home for your data? Don't want to deal with the headaches of building your own access and collaboration interface for S3? Keep reading! In the modern era, research institutions are generating and analyzing larger amounts of data than ever before. This trend is set to continue, as new technologies like AI, machine learning, and big data analytics continue to evolve. As a result, there has been a growing need for research institutions to store and manage vast quantities of research data. However,  Google Workspace for Education has recently imposed a limit of 100TB across all end-users , creating a serious problem for research institutions with larger data sets. Gladinet provides an access and collaboration front end for AWS S3 that provides ...

Simplify External Access to Internal Shares without Active Directory Management Headaches (Bonus: You won’t need a VPN or the cloud!) Tired of Creating and Deleting AD Users for External Access?  Active Directory user management for external users can create significant headaches when there is a dynamic remote workforce that requires frequent changes. Imagine that you’re manufacturing a product that uses parts from multiple suppliers. You have all your design documents on internal file shares but your suppliers need access. Typically, this might be done over a VPN which requires that these external users authenticate to your domain. So now you’ll have to create new users for the contracted suppliers and get rid of them when they’re done. Is the Approval Process Cumbersome? That process can become cumbersome if, for example, your suppliers are constantly changing over time for different projects or they have large numbers of employees that need access. And what happens if you don’t ...

File Server Migration vs File Server Mobilization File server migration is commonly viewed as an easy, cost-effective way to address the modern workforce’s increasing need for mobile productivity and security. But moving file server data to a cloud service that is not 100% file-server compatible often leaves much to be desired in the following areas:  Mapped Drives and File Server Compatibility Backup, Protection, and Recovery Application Compatibility Compliance, Control, and Privacy Reduced Migration Complexity and Costs   File server mobilization resolves these issues with 100% file server compatibility SharePoint, Dropbox, Google Drive, and similar services are all based on file server migration. And that’s why so many of their customers have problems in these areas. To address them, file server migration must be replaced by file server mobilization – an approach that fully addresses mobile productivity and security BUT also maintains 100% compatibility with file server us...