VMware Cloud Service Providers Can Expand Their Business with Ransomware Protection

By helping their customers protect against ransomware, VCSPs can grow their footprint with existing clients and attract new ones. It’s easy with Object Lock technology.

 

Van Flowers, Senior Systems Engineer, Cloudian

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VMware Cloud Service Providers Can Expand Their Business with Ransomware Protection

VMware Cloud Service Providers (VCSPs) have emerged as an excellent alternative to hyperscalers for organizations that want to store their data in the cloud. By employing object storage, such as Cloudian HyperStore, these service providers can deliver hyperscaler-like scalability and flexibility while addressing organizations’ individual performance, data sovereignty, budget and security needs. Data security has become especially important due to the proliferation of ransomware attacks over the past few years, and VCSPs that can help their customers protect their data against this threat can expand their business by growing their footprint with existing clients and attracting new ones.

The best way to protect data against ransomware is with data immutability using Object Lock technology. As perimeter security solutions increasingly prove ineffective in preventing ransomware from getting in, having an immutable data backup copy ensures that this data cannot be deleted or encrypted. In the event of a ransomware attack, organizations can easily recover the unchanged backup without having to pay ransom.

Object Lock can be implemented as part of an automated backup workflow. For example, VCSPs using Veeam, Rubrik or Commvault can deploy Cloudian’s S3 Object Lock to seamlessly integrate a ransomware-proof, immutable S3 bucket into their customer backup solution.

So how do you do it? As shown in the screen shot below, all that’s needed to create the immutable bucket is to tick the slider, and you’re in the ransomware protection business! This simple task is performed at the time the bucket is created, and once created, the data written into the bucket cannot be deleted, altered or changed in any way until the defined immutability period expires. The bad guys – even a rogue administrator – can’t change it, but restores can be done in a flash!

Ransomware attacks are growing by the thousands every day, and VCSPs’ ability to offer this vital protection to their customers data can be a key contributor to continued growth, and to their customers’ peace of mind.

VCSPs – don’t let another minute go by without having immutable storage available for your customers. Nothing is easier to configure, integrate and fortify your customers’ data security than immutable storage built on Cloudian. Contact your local Cloudian representative for more information or drop me a note ([email protected]) or a tweet (@avf925). I’m always happy to help!

And to learn more about Cloudian solutions for VCSPs, visit Object Storage for VMware Cloud Director | Cloudian.

Cloudian Enhances MSP Partner Program

Organizations face a range of challenges in managing and protecting their data, providing new market opportunities for service providers. Cloudian’s enhanced MSP program ensures MSP partners are well-positioned to capitalize on these opportunities by delivering greater value-add to their customers and driving increased growth and profit.

Cloudian Enhances MSP Partner Program

Organizations face a range of challenges in managing and protecting their data. Unstructured data is growing more than 50% annually, and users expect access to their files anytime and anywhere. At the same, ransomware continues to pose a major threat — attacks rose 92.7% in 2021 compared to 2020* — showing how important it is to increase data security protections on different levels. In addition, regulatory requirements such as GDPR and HIPAA, along with concerns about data sovereignty, are imposing new constraints on how data is stored and handled. Finally, IT budgets are under increasing pressure, and hiring needed IT expertise is often difficult in today’s labor market.

All of this creates opportunities for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to help customers address these challenges, and Cloudian’s newly enhanced MSP partner program ensures our partners are well-positioned to capitalize on these opportunities.

Providing a Leading S3 Data Management Platform

Cloudian’s HyperStore object storage solution offers many benefits, including:

  • Feature-rich management tool set – Integrated tools such as billing and quality of service controls make it easy for MSPs to manage their business and service delivery.
  • Secure multi-tenancy – Keeping one customer’s data separated from others while leveraging a shared infrastructure is a must-have feature for any cloud storage service. HyperStore allows multiple users and applications to share the same infrastructure while ensuring no-compromise data protection. Role-Based Access Controls (RBAC) also give MSPs’ customers management access within their environments.
  • Customized SLAs – HyperStore manages data at the bucket level, allowing MSP partners to build different storage and protection policies based on data durability, efficiency, and cost.
  • Native S3 API compatibility – HyperStore is fully S3 compatible. That means it supports all S3-compatible applications and can provide seamless data management across on-premises and public cloud environments.
  • Military-grade security – Features include Object Lock-based data immutability for ransomware protection, b, encryption for data at rest and in flight, and RBAC/IAM access policies and authentication. Certifications include Common Criteria EAL-2, FIPS 140-2, SEC Rule 17a-4(f), FINRA Rule 4511 and CFTC Rule 1.31(c)-(d).
  • Limitless, modular scalability – Unlike many other object storage providers requiring users to over-provision, Cloudian lets you start small and grow without limitations. As more capacity is needed, you can non-disruptively add additional nodes or even new sites, and that capacity becomes part of the available storage pool.
  • Global data fabric, single namespace – With HyperStore, you can manage data as a single storage pool, no matter where the data resides. That means petabytes of capacity can be spread across regions and data centers and still be managed from a central location.
  • Cost-effective capacity – HyperStore offers cost savings of up to 70% compared to traditional disk-based storage systems, enabling users to add significantly more capacity for the same budget.

Foundation for High-Value Services

Cloudian’s MSP Partner Program enables MSPs to create innovative offerings for various high-value use cases, either stand-alone or in conjunction with Cloudian’s technology partners. These services include:

  • Storage-as-a-Service (STaaS) – Provide additional storage capacity on a subscription or consumption (VMware VCPP) basis to help customers address their growing volumes of data. Seamlessly integrate with VMware Cloud Director.
  • Backup-as-a-Service (BaaS) – Deploy HyperStore as the backup target for leading backup platforms such as Veeam, Commvault, Rubrik, and Veritas.
  • Ransomware Protection-as-a-Service (RPaaS) – Leverage HyperStore’s Object Lock-based data immutability to prevent cybercriminals from encrypting or deleting data, thereby enabling quicky recovery of the unchanged data in the event of a ransomware attack, without paying ransom.
  • Archive-as-a-Service (AaaS) – With HyperStore’s limitless scalability and data durability (up to 14 nines), provide an ideal long-term data repository.
  • Disaster Recovery-as-a-Service (DRaaS) – Help customers avoid the risks of the business and organizational disruptions resulting from disasters by keeping a copy of their data offsite.
  • Big Data-as-a-Service (BDaaS) – Leveraging Cloudian’s rich metadata tagging, facilitate the application of machine learning and analytics to large data sets, enabling new insights, discoveries, and operational efficiencies.
  • Containers-as-a-Service (CaaS) – With Cloudian’s fully native S3 compatibility, provide persistent, enterprise-grade storage for Kubernetes environments.
  • Office 365-Backup-as-a-Service (ObaaS) – Help your clients address the urgent need to protect their Office 365 data with HyperStore as a secure backup repository.

Besides HyperStore, MSP partners can also incorporate Cloudian’s HyperIQ, HyperFile, and HyperBalance solutions into their service offerings. In addition, MSP program partners get access to Cloudian training, technical support, and collateral.

MSP Partner Testimonials

Here is just a sampling of what partners say about our solutions:

“Cloudian and VMware are helping us compete with the largest public cloud providers on a level playing field.” – Peter Zafiris, Senior Infrastructure Engineer, AUCloud (Read more about AUCloud and Cloudian here.)

“Our Cloudian partnership has enabled us to pursue new market opportunities, deliver enhanced value to our customers and drive more profitable growth.” – Adam Svoboda, principal cybersecurity strategist, Eagle Technologies (Read more about Eagle Technologies and Cloudian here.)

To learn more about Cloudian MSP Partner program, visit https://cloudian.com/msp-partners/.

To sign up for the program, go to https://cloudian.com/reseller-partners/.

* https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/97166-ransomware-attacks-nearly-doubled-in-2021

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