Cloud Solutions from Synapse encompass LucidLink (a best-in-class encrypted Cloud NAS offering literally unlimited shared storage via the Wasabi Cloud) and Cloud Hosted Desktop (a remote desktop solution hosted at Vultr using the latest virtualisation technologies).
THE CLOUD NAS
LucidLink Filespaces cloud-native NAS solution from Synapse is ideal for organizations that would like to take advantage of cloud storage economics and utilize it for applications, file systems, and even high-performance workloads. A LucidLink app running on our clients' Windows, Mac or Linux devices is all that is required from an end-user point of view – no need for servers or hardware appliances. LucidLink from Synapse leverages state of the art cloud-based storage from Wasabi with the functionality you expect from an on-premises hardware NAS – only a million times better! Data streams directly to and from any object store, eliminating the hassle of downloading or synchronizing.
A LucidLink Filespace acts like any other high-performance network-attached storage (NAS) even though the data is hosted in the cloud. Designed to address the business needs around storing large data sets on and off-premise and accessing them over distance, distributed teams get secure, on-demand access to digital assets, and can collaborate on files, in the cloud, from anywhere.
LucidLink solves the problem of distance and latency in cloud environments by reducing the traffic between applications and remote storage. By dramatically boosting responsiveness, file data is delivered efficiently and streamed on-demand. Performance is further optimized by sophisticated data prefetching based on a proprietary, adaptive algorithm; parallel TCP streams; local write-back caching; and in-line compression. Additionally, LucidLink from Synapse offers advanced file capabilities like direct read/write access from the cloud, immutable snapshots, user access control, and global file locking.
Video: LucidLink Cloud NAS – 40 Second Overview
END-TO-END SECURITY
Transferring business data and hence intellectual property outside a company’s organizational perimeter is fraught with security risks, and as a result, still represents a significant impediment to adoption. Most modern cloud storage systems provide some encryption to satisfy data privacy requirements. Unfortunately, this is typically a weak form of security known as server-side encryption, in which data is encrypted in transit and on the servers using provider generated keys. As a result, the storage provider has complete access to their customers data.
LucidLink believes that the need to protect businesses’ most valuable assets should go beyond this simple model to offer a much higher degree of confidentiality—one which guarantees that only the customer is able to unlock and see the data.
To that end, the security in LucidLink’s system is achieved through end-to-end encryption. With the use of AES-256 in GCM mode by default, both the metadata and the data are encrypted with customer keys. Each file has its own encryption key, and its parent folder’s encryption key wraps each file’s key. The system administrator grants individual users access to certain keys in the file system hierarchy, which allows them to see only the content which they have been given access to in the subtree. This provides fine-grained user access control, without a server acting as a gatekeeper. On top of this encryption, all network communication between the hub, the object store, and the client devices is additionally encrypted through TLS.
Most importantly, this client-side encryption guarantees that only the client devices can decrypt the metadata or data. It also prevents even LucidLink and the object storage provider from seeing the content or any other meaningful information about the data being transferred or stored.
SUMMARY
Cloud object storage has fundamentally changed how enterprises store and access data. Despite these advances, modern workflows require a different approach, one that allows seamless and instant access to data from geo-distributed locations.
LucidLink has reimagined the file system built for the cloud to provide a truly innovative alternative to the prevailing architectures of today. It is engineered for enterprises seeking a scalable, reliable file service with best-in-class security and zero operational overhead. It revolutionizes the use of
object storage for modern cloud-computing environments by transforming the cloud into a local storage tier.
HOSTED WINDOWS DESKTOP
The “stable-mate” of LucidLink is a Cloud Hosted Desktop – the concept is the same … access to your information from anywhere … but with Cloud Hosted Desktop it’s not just your files and folders that are available from anywhere, it’s your normal Windows computer desktop and the whole office network too. New from 2022, we can now even offer hosted Windows 11 Desktops!
Traditionally speaking, organisations need to implement and manage several different IT systems – an email server, application servers, file servers, for example and manage key responsibilities like support, anti-spam, anti-virus and security, offsite backup, desktop management, server upgrades and much more. Cloud Hosted Desktop is a secure cloud service from Synapse built using our tried and tested platforms, hosting your core programs, documents and emails – making them accessible from anywhere that you happen to be. All the things you need to operate effectively, just without all the hassle. Applications such as Sage and QuickBooks or even your own bespoke applications can be added into the mix too!
A Cloud Hosted Desktop virtual desktop looks and feels the same as your normal Windows desktop that you are familiar with, so there is nothing new to learn. The only difference is that instead of the desktop being stored on the hard disk of your computer, it’s stored in a highly secure datacentre. This is even more significant where an organisation is located at more than one site. A geographically dispersed organisation can work together and share a central Cloud-based network without the need for ‘clunky’ VPNs or the like. Similarly, working from home or out of the office became just as easy as working in the office.
Through a process called desktop virtualisation, Synapse host a virtual desktop for you and stream it to your local computer. We manage these desktops to ensure they are always available and that they look and feel exactly the same as your traditional, local Windows desktop.
Virtual desktops are rapidly replacing the traditional IT model of on-premise servers and IT support. Now over 70% of organisations are running at least some of their IT in the cloud and a quarter of desktops across the UK are now hosted desktops. These figures will surely rise!