iXsystems is taking simplified service delivery to a new level by enabling a curated set of third-party services to run directly on its TrueNAS arrays. TrueNAS already provided multi-protocol unified storage to include file, block and S3-compatible object storage. Now preconfigured plugins converge additional services onto TrueNAS for simple hybrid cloud enablement.
TrueNAS Technology Provides a Robust Foundation for Hybrid Cloud Functionality
iXsystems is known for enterprise-class storage software and rock-solid storage hardware. This foundation lets iXsystems customers run select third-party applications as plugins directly on the storage arrays—whether TrueNAS, FreeNAS Mini or FreeNAS Certified. Several of these plugins dramatically simplify the deployment of hybrid public and private clouds.
How it Works
iXsystems works with select technology partners to preconfigure their solutions to run on TrueNAS using FreeBSD jails, iocage plugins, and bhyve virtual machines. By collaborating with these technology partners, iXsystems enables rapid IT service delivery and drives down the total cost of technology infrastructure. The flexibility to extend TrueNAS functionality via these plugins transforms the appliances into complete solutions that streamline common workflows.
Benefits of Curated Third-party Service Plugins
There are many advantages to this pre-integrated plugin approach:
- Plugins are preconfigured for optimal operation on TrueNAS
- Services can be added any time through the web interface
- Simply turn it on, download the plugin and enter the associated login credentials
- Plugins eliminate network latency by moving processing to the storage array
- Third party applications can be run in a virtual machine without purchasing separate server hardware
Hybrid Cloud Data Protection
The integrated Asigra Cloud Backup software protects cloud, physical, and virtual environments. It is an enterprise-class backup solution that uniquely helps prevent malware from compromising backups. Asigra embeds cybersecurity software in its Cloud Backup software. It goes the extra mile to protect backup repositories, ensuring businesses can recover from malware attacks in their production environments.
Asigra is also one of the only enterprise backup solutions that offers agentless backup support across all types of environments: cloud, physical, and virtual. This flexibility makes adopting and deploying Asigra Cloud Backup easy with zero disruption to clients and servers. The integration of Asigra with TrueNAS is Storage Magazine’s Backup Product of the year for 2018.
Hybrid Cloud Media Management
TrueNAS arrays from iXsystems are heavily used in the media and entertainment industry, including several major film and television studios. iXsystems storage accelerates workflows with any device file sharing, multi-tier caching technology, and the latest interconnect technologies on the marketplace. iXsystems recently announced a partnership with Cantemo to integrate its iconik software.
iconik is a hybrid cloud-based video and content management hub. Its main purpose is managing processes including ingestion, annotation, cataloging, collaboration, storage, retrieval, and distribution of digital assets. The main strength of the product is the support for managing metadata and transcoding of audio, video, and image files, but can store essentially all file formats. Users can choose to keep large original files on-premise yet still view and access the entire library in the cloud using proxy versions where required.
The Cantemo solutions are used to manage media across the entire asset lifecycle, from ingest to archive. iconik is used across a variety of industries including Fortune 500 IT companies, advertising agencies, broadcasters, houses of worship, and media production houses. Cantemo’s clients include BBC Worldwide, Nike, Madison Square Garden, The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and many other leading media companies.
Enabling iconik on TrueNAS streamlines multimedia workflows and increases productivity for iXsystems customers who choose to enable the Cantemo service.
Cloud Sync
Both Asigra and Cantemo include hybrid cloud data management capabilities within their feature sets. iXsystems also supports file synchronization with many business-oriented and personal public cloud storage services. These enable staff to be productive anywhere—whether working with files locally or in the cloud.
Supported public cloud providers include Amazon Cloud Drive, Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, Box, Dropbox, Google Cloud Storage, Google Drive, Hubic, Mega, Microsoft Azure Blob Storage, Microsoft OneDrive, pCloud and Yandex. The Cloud Sync tool also supports file sync via SFTP and WebDAV.
More Technology Partnerships Planned
According to iXsystems, they will extend TrueNAS pre-integration to more technology partners where such partnerships provide win-win benefits for all involved. This intelligent strategy allows iXsystems to focus on enhancing core TrueNAS storage services, and it enables TrueNAS customers to quickly and confidently implement best-of-breed applications directly on their TrueNAS arrays.
All TrueNAS Owners Benefit
TrueNAS plugins provide a simple and flexible way for all iXsystems customers to add sophisticated hybrid-cloud media management and data protection services to their IT environments. Existing TrueNAS customers can gain the benefits of this plugin capability by updating to the most recent version of the TrueNAS software.