Enterprise File Sharing Solution: Consolidate Multiple Construction Offices With a Cloud-Based File Server
Secure file sharing is a major challenge of remote working. Organizations with branches distributed across different locations need a unified, secure means of communication that can enable seamless collaboration between various branches, partners, and stakeholders.
There are various methods to combat this challenge, but each carries distinct disadvantages ranging from cost to complexity. Additionally, most of the effective solutions require complementary services that make extraneous products necessary, leaving gaps that create more problems in the long run. However, our corporate cloud solution, complete with sync and share features for data centralization, provides an optimal, comprehensive solution.
In this article, we will thoroughly examine the concerns hindering the transition to the cloud, and explain why CentreStack is the best option for secure multi-site file sharing and collaboration
File-Sharing Challenges Faced by Distributed Teams
Companies with distributed teams depend on fast and secure data access. While VPN might be the most common way to connect remotely to a file server, creating a site-to-site VPN link between all franchise stores and the corporate headquarters can be highly inefficient and expensive.
Furthermore, these companies need to engage separate file-sharing services for external collaboration; this can raise compliance concerns, since the engagement process involves replicating corporate data into the servers of the vendors. Moreover, third-party file-sharing services like Dropbox often scatter multiple versions of files across numerous client locations. And since these public file sharing services don't provide management with data control functionalities, data can fall into the wrong hands.
Outlined below is the sequence of challenges faced by one exemplary franchise with several outlets spread across the country.
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First, the company started out using
VPN for remote access
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Then, productivity dropped as users
began to face network challenges due to increased latency
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Next, the company sought a VPNremote access alternative and employed the use of remote desktop solutions from
Citrix and VMware
● However, the alternative proved virtually impossible to feasibly set up and maintain, as it required hardware, software, ongoing maintenance, upgrades, training, and support. And, it was a total upheaval of what everyone was used to.
Businesses can avoid disrupting workflow by incorporating a solution close to home. One way to do this is adopting a hybrid cloud environment or full cloud storage solution. In an ideal scenario, a hybrid-cloud environment can help ease the transition to the cloud.
In the above real-life study, thrusting a new, impractical, unmanageable solution on workers greatly hindered productivity. This can be avoided with CenterStack.
How To Avoid Operations Disruption During Cloud Migration
Creating a cloud migration strategy is the first step to successful migration. Important aspects such as the existing data infrastructure, nature of business applications, size of business, and cost implication must be taken into consideration. Calculating the projected cost implication of migration using existing data infrastructure helps to avoid the budget nightmares, like those that surface when unexpected terabytes inflate storage costs.
Overall, a great migration strategy has the least disruptive effect on workflow. CentreStack makes strategizing and implementation easier by mitigating cloud migration challenges and providing a simplified, rapid solution that automatically recreates data structure, users, and permissions.
CentreStack is optimal for:
● Businesses looking for an efficient cloud computing service to streamline operations and reduce management overhead.
● Businesses with one-man or small IT teams looking to leverage the simplicity and flexibility of the cloud.
● Businesses intent on avoiding downtime as the migration process could take weeks or months, depending on the complexity of the data infrastructure.
CentreStack vs Alternatives
CentreStack tackles three of the biggest concerns in cloud migration: Data Security and Compliance Regulations, Management Costs, and the Transitioning Proces
Here's how:
Data Security and Compliance Regulations
Businesses, especially those attempting to safeguard sensitive data from unauthorized access or leakage, need full control of their data. Unhelpfully, most public file sharing services infringe on the regulatory requirements that need to be adhered to when sharing sensitive information.
CenterStack offers businesses granular control of their data to address this challenge. During the migration process, CentreStack retains NTFS security permissions, preventing companies from exposure to cyber-attacks or security breaches, and also allows AD integration to ensure authorized users have seamless access to the files.
Files are synced from the local device with end-to-end encryption to eliminate device vulnerabilities. CentreStack also navigates AEC-type cloud security challenges such as missing file locking features on industry-specific file types.
Finally, an additional important feature of CentreStack is its auditing and reporting tool, which tracks external shares and user activity.
Management Costs
Cloud migration has direct and indirect cost implications. While direct expenses are tied to the amount of data needing to be moved, businesses must also factor in employee training when estimating costs. Thankfully, CentreStack's familiar mapped drive experience makes navigating and operating the cloud technology easy for employees and users.
CentreStack is a cost-effective cloud solution, and its enhanced features offer a competitive advantage. Although careful planning and stage-by-stage implementation of a migration strategy might successfully prevent complexities, CentreStack provides extra support to ensure a smooth migration process.
Transitioning Process
When the CentreStack file server agent is installed on the server, regular business operations can proceed uninterrupted, even during the migration process. The agent-client application connects to CentreStack's file servers, turning them into cloud-friendly servers, facilitating server share migration and transforming on-premises servers into private cloud storage accessible from any device or location. With a two-way synchronization structure, file server network shares can be used locally and still synchronize with CenterStack, forming a hybrid cloud solution.
Other CentreStack benefits include:
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Relieving the file-sharing burden on
IT through an intuitive interface
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Easy adaptability
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Eliminating data sprawl, which can
quickly double up storage space, and dampen cost as well as productivity; file
duplication results in employee frustration when up-to-date or needed files are
hard to find.
●
Improving productivity by making
files directly accessible at any time from any device, irrespective of the
operating system (Mac, Windows, or Linux laptop/workstation or iOS, Android, or
Windows mobile device).
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Ensuring secure and easy file
sharing for internal and external collaborations.
● Providing consolidated access and centralized management for multiple offices/sites.
Request a demo or talk to an agent to get
started on your business multi-site file sharing solution.
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