Cloud Storage Enterprise Features

A true enterprise-class global online file server

The term, “cloud storage,” seems to have acquired many definitions. At Cloud Leverage™, we define cloud storage as an enterprise-class file server located in multiple geographically diverse data centers for performance, redundancy and security. Connectivity is achieved over a secure, private network, or the public Internet using SSL. Various access clients can be used including a Web Services API, a Windows® native directory folder, a Windows® sync client, WebDAV for Mac® and Linux, as well as mobile clients for iPhone, Blackberry® and Windows Mobile®. As the need for storage capacity continues to grow each year, many organizations are evaluating and adopting cloud storage as a cost-effective, highly scalable option for their storage needs.

The cloud storage marketplace is evolving rapidly, and at Cloud Leverage, we believe that the future is here. Cloud storage is a disruptive, Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), not just cheaper storage sold on a pay-for-use basis. Despite being the early entrant into the cloud storage marketplace, a lack of advanced capabilities within their S3 offering caused Amazon to leave the door open for other Service Providers like Cloud Leverage to enter this rapidly growing market. Cloud Leverage wants to be a trusted IT service provider for our customers. We provide aggressive 100% uptime service level agreements to meet demanding requirements daily.

The Cloud Storage Platform

Cloud Leverage’s flagship offering, the Cloud Storage Platform (CSP) offers multiple advanced capabilities including flexible file access and flexible storage organization. These include:

Multiple Access Clients (desktop & mobile)
Advanced sharing and collaboration
Role-based permission management
Hierarchical storage
Tagged-based storage/search
Programmatic access to storage
End-to-end encryption – SSL in transit and 256-bit AES at rest

Cloud Storage Platform Architecture Overview

As a stateless architecture, the Cloud Leverage platform scales linearly to support storage needs of any size. The platform maintains information about files and the file hierarchy as well as file locking, publishing and shared access in a file catalog. It also allows arbitrary metadata to be associated with any stored items. Both the file catalog and metadata are stored separately from the file contents, in a high-performance, multi-datacenter database cluster providing quick access to content without having to access the physical storage where the file resides.

Access Extensibility

Files stored using the Cloud Leverage platform can be accessed using any Internet connected application, website or device. Out of the box, Cloud Leverage offers clients that enable access via the Windows® desktop, via Internet enabled smartphones – iPhone®, BlackBerry®, and Windows Mobile® devices, as well as the REST API.

Rapid Scalability

The stateless architecture of the Cloud Storage Platform enables linear scaling. Each node of the platform is quite robust and has the ability to support a significant number of accounts. Cloud Leverage also uses virtualization technology to automatically increase capacity, and support additional customers on the fly while ensuring performance is always at its best.

End to End Security

Cloud Leverage ensures end-to-end security of the objects. This is accomplished using SSL encryption for connection between the clients and platform, as well as through the use of 256-bit AES for files that are stored.

Advanced Features

Cloud Leverage offers a wide range of advanced services to end users, via Cloud Leverage Storage Access Clients or the REST Web Services API:

Choice of Datacenter Location: Customers choose in what parts of the world and in which datacenters they wish to have their files stored.

Uploading of multiple files of any type: Files of any type and size can be uploaded, stored and instantly shared. There are no limits. Examples: documents, presentations, PDFs, website images, videos, music and more.

Real-time access: Unlike online backup services, Cloud Leverage is true cloud storage, similar to an online filing cabinet, giving real-time access to stored files.

Collaboration and sharing of files with anyone, inside and outside an organization: The Projects feature enables users to securely share files with colleagues, vendors, customers, family and friends; all without needing an account, or moving files from their stored location. Control of customer data is where it belongs – with the customer.

Hierarchical and tag-based file organization: Cloud Leverage features both hierarchical and tag-based file system organization and storing with Library File views for the easy search and retrieval of files.

Permission management: Role-based permission management and share expiration lets customers manage their private and public shared data.

Notifications: Account holders and non-account holders get notifications when files/folders are shared, or when they have been assigned to a project.

Contact import tool: Users can easily share to any existing contacts by importing names from Plaxo, Outlook, Yahoo, Gmail or a CSV file.

Global CDN Publishable URL: Cloud Leverage lets users generate public URL links to share and publish files on forums, blogs and websites using our 32-node Global CDN.

Data security and control: Cloud Leverage uses industry-leading 256-bit AES encryption for each stored file, with SSL encryption for files in transit.

Patented Online Recycle Container: Users can delete and restore files right from the Web.

Storing Files

Your data is secure, encrypted and always available, anytime, anywhere it is needed. This is true whether using the native desktop client, the Web browser, or uploading files on-the-go from a mobile device.

Native Windows® Desktop: Through the Microsoft Windows® integrated desktop, Cloud Leverage Storage appears as a network drive, allowing users to simply drag and drop files on and off for safekeeping. When working in an application, users can open files, modify them, and save directly to the Cloud Storage network drive, just as they would if working from their local drive.

Uploading of Files from the Web: Using the intuitive, rich Web 2.0 interface, users can upload multiple files of any size from their local PC or server. All of their business and personal files can be uploaded and securely available wherever they connect to the Internet.

Mobile Client: Business documents, photos, videos, music etc. can be uploaded to a customer’s cloud from their BlackBerry®, iPhone or Windows Mobile® smartphones. These files are then available to access from any of the other access points. Users simply access the local file directory from the easy-to-use carousel, select files and save online.

Organizing & Accessing Stored Files

Organizing, accessing and retrieving files can be done from both hierarchical and tagged-based views. Cloud Leverage provides users a practical bridge between the hierarchical file organization of yesterday, and the easy tagged retrieval of tomorrow.

File Manager: For users who have grown accustomed to PC organization, our File Manager allows them to create or recreate a hierarchical file structure, like they would on their PC. These files are accessible through the desktop, Web and the mobile clients.

My Library File Views: Users who have embraced tagging can store any file type, anywhere they want using Cloud Storage. All stored files are then displayed in an aggregate view within one click through the My Library navigation, found on the Web and mobile access clients. For example, the Documents view will display all of a business user’s stored spreadsheets, presentations, and PDFs in one place, though they may be stored in various subfolders elsewhere.

Web Home: The Web 2.0 and Mobile Home gives users an easy way to retrieve files that were recently accessed and worked on, as well as files that were recently shared and projects that were recently assigned. This gives them a quick reference to the latest data they need.

Search Filters: For Web and mobile access, Cloud Storage also provides search filters, letting users search by file name, folder name, and file type within any of the views to find the exact file for which they are searching.

Sharing Files

Users can easily share stored content. The sharing can take place within an organization and also securely with external users. Cloud Leverage also enables sharing via public URLs on our 32-node global CDN, so users can share their files to a blog, website, etc. The user sharing the files has the ability to enforce access levels, access expiration and more. In addition to putting the control of a file with its owner, sharing a file also eliminates the issues relating to large files such as the inability to email them.

Collaborating

Users can collaborate on files without having to physically move them (for example, on a flash drive) or email them. This is accomplished via the Cloud Storage advanced collaboration capabilities called “Projects”. Multiple users can collaborate on a project by making changes or just reviewing the data. Files continue to reside within the owner’s storage, but are accessible by all authorized users. Members of the project can view their projects through any access device and assign new files and folders to existing projects.

Ubiquitous Access

Through the growing number of Cloud Storage Access Clients, the CSP enables ubiquitous access.

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