LucidLink is a “Cloud NAS” endpoint delivered as a SaaS solution. The Enterprise File Fabric provides storage aggregation, permissions, auditing, sharing and data movement for over 60+ storage platforms and providers. The combination of LucidLink and the Enterprise File Fabric creates a storage solution which can be considered greater than the sum of its parts.
LucidLink provides a distributed file system to users via a client application which is installed on Mac/Windows/Linux desktops. The LucidLink framework allows for the creation of one or more Filespaces, each of which can host data on S3 compatible cloud providers such as Amazon, Google, Wasabi, IBM or Azure. Filespaces proprietize data within these clouds, but through the LucidLink client application multiple users can access this storage from anywhere in the world. Since LucidLink adds a proprietized layer over the S3 API, the agent is able present features to end users which are not native to cloud object storage like seeked writes, appends, global file locks, and snapshotting.
The Enterprise File Fabric provides a unified namespace of existing storage assets in a non-proprietary way by indexing data in-place and supporting bi-modal use which allows for native access to any and all supported storage providers. When adding any storage provider to the Enterprise File Fabric a number of features become available even if the underlying storage system does not support such capabilities. Some of these features include web access, trash/recycle bin, versioning, backup, global search, link/folder sharing, DLP features, AD/LDAP & SAML authentication.
Customers and prospects have tested LucidLink and have found it to be a good solution for moving to cloud hosted data. LucidLink like Amazon FSX or Windows Files provides familiar file based access, but does not require complex VPN setups to access remote data over SMB. However, moving data into and out of LucidLink requires skill in a multi-cloud or hybrid cloud environment.
Enter the Enterprise File Fabric
With the technical preview of LucidLink for the Enterprise File Fabric vastly simplifies and expands the capabilities of LucidLink.
Data Movement
Since the Enterprise File Fabric works natively with the underlying storage providers it can be used to populate a new LucidLink filespace or to pull data off a filespace and onto a more economical tier of storage.
Once copied/moved files from Amazon S3, Cloudian, Isilon or any number of our partner providers can be used immediately on LucidLink via the LucidLink client.
And if your Lucidelink filespace has data that is not longer ‘hot’, move it back to Cloudian, Amazon S3, Azure… This will save money and additionally data is no longer locked in a proprietary format and can be more easily shared.
Using multiple Filespaces at the same time
Normally the Lucidlink client only allows access to a single filespace at a time. This presents a problem if the needed files are not on the open filespace. The Enterprise File Fabric can connect to multipe filespaces at one time allowing for the transfer of data between filespaces or client access to files in LucidLink outside of the Lucidlink client.
Web UI for LucidLink
While many customers prefer a desktop client, which both LucidLink and SME provide, many prefer using data remotely via a web browser. The Enterprise File Fabric gives a Web view, previews and data access via a modern web interface.
Permissions / Access Control
The Enterprise File Fabric connects to AD/LDAP & SAML for authentication and authorization of file resources. This access control is limited to using filespaces in the SME web or desktop clients, but it allows a power NTFS permissioning layer to be added to a filespace. For more information see this document.
Sharing / Collaboration
Data on LucidLink can be shared with external parties at the file or folder level. This allows contractors and partners to work with the LucidLink storage without the need to set them up an LucidLink account and then trying to managing their access to the entire filespace.
Here the AutoCAD document folder can be shared with a contractor for the purpose of collaboration (and only the autoCAD folder). Furthermore, with the File Fabric link security a verification code can be required at the time of each access.
Governance / Compliance
The Enterprise File Fabric can smart index the metadata contained on the LucidLink provider. Once a deep content search is performed, not only can users search for data within files, the File Fabric can use its DLP features to alert users to files/folders containing sensitive data such as credit cards, Social Security numbers, or other PII / PHI information.
Summary
These examples are just scratching the surface. The full feature set of the Enterprise File Fabric is now available when integrating LucidLink. Check out our articles on M-Stream, backup, versioning, trash, auditing, Office Online and Teams integration, all of which can now be applied to your LucidLink storage.
If you would like to take a trial of the Enterprise File Fabric with LucidLink please contact Sales.
by 
Douglas Soltesz
Latest posts by Douglas Soltesz (see all)
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