An online file server solution that complements on-premise file servers with hybrid online file servers by leveraging the same drive mapping, file locking, and permission control capabilities. While the online solution simplifies file access for remote workers, these key features make it easier for business users to access file servers while maintaining day-to-day operations without compromising application compatibility, data ownership, and regulatory compliance.
"Everybody globally has access to the same files, which are all up-to-date and accurate, from a system that's also secure and easy to implement."
CHRISTOPHER JESMAN
Director
Panorama Antennas
"Now we can go to any healthcare provider in the Netherlands and say this is all functioning according to Dutch healthcare regulations."
ROB CHRIST
Director & Co-owner
Damecon
"CentreStack is the best file server replacement solution on the market. They aren't just leading the market, but they basically created a new market."
STEPHEN MONK
CEO
Noverus
You are not looking for just any online file solution. More specifically, you are looking for an online file server solution that best mimics your current daily workflow without disrupting it. For example, you could very well migrate your file server data to SharePoint online or Google Drive. However, neither SharePoint nor Google Drive will retain drive mapping, file locking, or existing permission controls. This means your users will have to adjust and change their workflows and hope that application compatibility and compliance are still intact. The reason you are not using SharePoint for your online file access is the same reason that forced you to use either VPN or RDP to access your current file servers. With CentreStack, you now have an online file server solution that gives your users the same drive mapping experience without having to use a VPN solution. Below are the features most often mentioned by CentreStack users that set us apart from other online solutions.
You use a drive letter or multiple drive letters to represent files of different business units. The drive mapping ensures that the external references in the files are preserved.
You use the CAD or Adobe Creative Suite software or another software application that requires an atomic update of a group of files with file locking to protect updates.
Permission Controls
You use Active Directory and NTFS permissions to protect your files and folders, and use them to protect multiple project folders under your control. You need folder permissions.
You use Windows file servers or local NAS devices for your data. You need to enable remote file access to your file server network shares with or without data migration.
You need to share files and folders with internal employees and external parties. You want to perform file and folder sharing via web links with controllable parameters.
You can redirect file server access away from the VPN and terminal server to significantly reduce the VPN workload and increase the scalability of the terminal server.
Quickly enable the mobile workforce to work from home and remote locations?
Simple cloud drive mapping for remote access to Windows file servers and inter-office collaboration?
Reduces costs with simplified migration and retirement of traditional file servers in a smooth transition?
Combines the security and control of Windows file servers with the ease of use and productivity of the cloud?
Has a more straightforward permission migration and configuration strategy than SharePoint, Dropbox, or Google Drive?
Combines NTFS permissions, Active Directory users, and drive mappings with remote access from any device?
Maintains data synchronization by offering the ability to store data both on-premise and migrate to online storage?
Preserves data privacy by providing the ability to keep data on-site on traditional file servers and meet compliance requirements?
CentreStack adds cloud file services with remote access, secure file sharing and data protection features to an on-premises file server, while maintaining legacy security, permission controls and data ownership! It combines the productivity of online file sharing with the security of local IT infrastructure in one solution.
CentreStack provides secure remote access and file sharing, disaster protection and recovery for on-premises file servers with easy cloud migration to private cloud storage. It's the true cloud file server solution you have been looking for!
CentreStack bridges file servers and cloud storage for secure remote access without the need of using a VPN.
CentreStack turns cloud storage accounts into a central cloud file repository with version control, file change history, and audit tracing to provide business continuity for file servers.
CentreStack leverages cloud storage for secure mobile file sharing from a web browser or a mobile application.
CentreStack sets up a hybrid deployment between local file servers and cloud storage to migrate to cloud-only later.
Simplify remote access to file servers from mobile devices, PCs, Macs, and web browsers.
Reduce server replacement costs. Eliminate management costs of file servers and VPNs.
Avoid the headaches of data sets split between internal file servers and cloud solutions like Dropbox.
Avoid the cost of manual files and folders replication or recreation of NTFS permissions.
Avoid the management headaches of cross-site replication and simplify collaboration with remote offices.
Eliminate threats from de-centralized security and personal Dropbox and other 3rd party accounts.
CentreStack addresses traditional file server challenges faced by CIOs, who are as concerned with remote work efficiency as they are with data ownership, privacy and regulatory compliance.
Traditional file servers typically provide fast local access with secure permission controls, but can be expensive to maintain and difficult to access from mobile devices. And for enterprises, sharing files between remote offices can be challenging with traditional methods. CentreStack provides the ability to store files on an online file server, share them, access them and create a backup that syncs with local storage. This solution offers the best of both worlds. It offers the speed and security of a Windows file server without the setup costs and management overhead of traditional file servers.
CentreStack goes a step further by offering the ability to set up a hybrid online file server without migrating data or changing workflows! This private, secure file sharing is critical for organizations that want to maintain data privacy by keeping their data on Windows File Servers, but at the same time face the challenge of providing secure remote access, external sharing and online collaboration. With the proliferation of ransomware and other cyber threats, accessing server message block (SMB) shares via a VPN can introduce malware vulnerabilities that make traditional file sharing risky. In addition, mapping SMB drives over a VPN can be relatively slow because it was originally designed for mapping local file drives.
Easy remote access to file server network shares with a mapped drive and without a VPN.
Web browser-based access and mobile application access to data-center hosted file server network shares.
CentreStack eliminates the common drawbacks of remote file server access and file sharing solutions and provides the best of both worlds – the security and control of on-premise file servers combined with the efficiency and productivity gains of remote mobile access.
Remotely access file shares from a drive letter without the need for a VPN. Cloud replication is optional!
Granular folder permissions can mirror NTFS permissions or get created natively.
Minimize storage and bandwidth consumption by automatically syncing and caching only the files you need.
Preserve NTFS permissions and Active Directory identities when connecting file servers to the cloud.
Encrypt remote agent caches or revoke remote agent access privileges from a central management console.
CentreStack provides full support for file locking from the cloud, with a familiar file server locking experience.
When it comes to giving remote workers access to files, the most common solution is to migrate file servers to the cloud, meaning uploading the file server's data to SharePoint, Dropbox, Box or Google Drive. However, migration comes at the price of disruption. After all, the data is in a different location and the way files and folders are accessed is different, leading to issues such as interrupted business processes, lost data ownership, disrupted application compatibility and failed compliance audits. With CentreStack, you take file server migration one step further to file server mobilization, which means preserving the familiar functionality and compatibility of file servers as much as possible!
Migrating file shares to online storage with bi-directional synchronization to set up a hybrid file server:
Remote and mobile access to network file shares over HTTPS secure channel directly:
CentreStack can either install agent software on your file server or directly mount network shares from your file server network share when direct access is available. It intelligently manages local and cloud storage to provide a range of cloud enablement options.
Active Directory security and NTFS permission models are also maintained as if nothing changed. Users get a familiar drive letter to access files from remote locations with distributed file locking to prevent collaboration collisions.
Businesses find themselves having to purchase new file servers every few years. Migrating file shares to the cloud with CentreStack can eliminate these capital expenditures. Users can continue to work on the existing file shares without disruption, and the file server can be retired once the migration is complete.
Simplify remote access and file sharing with familiar interfaces on any computer or device. Windows and Mac desktops display natively mapped drives in Explorer and Finder. That same experience is presented on iOS and Android devices like iPads, iPhones, and Pixels or can be viewed from popular web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Internet Explorer.
Easily collaborate with business partners by providing them with access to a limited set of internal files or folders. Share files with non-AD users while maintaining administrative controls. Simplify multi-site collaboration with automatic version controls and file locking.
Eliminate the overhead and support tickets commonly associated with VPN file sharing, Always On VPN, or Direct Access. Automatically use existing users and permissions to save setup time and money. Having an always-on mapped drive helps end-user experience too.
Eliminate the need to manage servers on-premises by retiring them to the cloud. Centrally manage users, access controls, and storage for each tenant. Easily keep track of where the data is, who has access and how it’s being shared.
For complete control and visibility, granular permissions can be managed from the file server that was their source, or natively with CentreStack. If the file server is retired, CentreStack becomes the new permissions master.
Centrally manage users, access controls, and storage for each tenant. Easily keep track of where the data is, who has access and how it’s being shared. Admins can perform audits of GDPR and HIPAA compliance or keep track of any changes that have been made to individual files.
Provide an always-on mapped drive that works anywhere on any device and allows mobile users to access internal file shares or cloud file servers easily. Web browser-based file access and mobile applications on iOS and Android devices also help mobility and productivity.
Centrally manage users, access controls, and storage for each tenant. Easily keep track of where the data is, who has access and how it's being shared.
Use on-demand synchronization to reduce bandwidth usage and endpoint storage consumption. Files are only synced to the endpoint when used, so you don't have to purchase large disks for endpoint devices and don't create network sync storms.
CentreStack provides a multi-tenant, white-labeled platform that makes it easy for MSP partners to build a private online file server solution based on infrastructure from Amazon, Azure, or Google.
CentreStack can use your file server as a private cloud to prevent replication to third-party data centers for data privacy, security, and control. Or you can use storage from a private cloud. In either case, CentreStack provides a better alternative to Dropbox and SharePoint when you care about data privacy, control, data sovereignty, or legacy access.
As a second option for deployment, the file server content will be migrated over time to cloud storage for the attached local folders. When it is an enabling method for online access, it is also a backup process happening in the background to provide business continuity functionality.
You can attach local folders from different file servers to your CentreStack account. Doing so creates a global namespace directory structure unifying the other file servers into a single folder structure, enabling multiple-site collaboration. Thus, it forms a distributed file system in the cloud.