Solution Sheets: CTERA Enterprise File Services Platform
Cyber-resilient file platform from any edge to any cloud.
CTERA Intelligent Data Platform
Secure, Scalable, Performance-based Platform for Distributed Enterprise Data
A Unified Data Fabric for the Enterprise
The CTERA Intelligent Data Platform is a software-defined solution that creates a unified data fabric for unstructured data. It consolidates information from edge to cloud, replacing dispersed legacy NAS with a single, centrally managed global file system. By providing users with seamless and secure data access from any device or location, the platform empowers IT with centralized control, enhanced security, and comprehensive data management capabilities.
The Architecture
Global File System
The CTERA Global File System unifies disparate storage silos, including public cloud and on-premises infrastructure, into a single, logical namespace that scales to unlimited capacity.
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This presents a single, hierarchical view of all organizational files, regardless of their physical location. The result is simplified administration for IT and a consistent directory structure for users across all access points.
Control Plane & Central Portal
The entire system is managed through the CTERA Portal, a web-based, multi-tenant control plane.
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It provides administrators with a single pane of glass for provisioning, managing global policies, monitoring system health, and auditing all system activity. For end-users, the portal provides a user-friendly web interface for accessing files, securely sharing content, and performing self-service file restores from any location. The portal can manage multiple tenants and sites from one location
Edge Filers
CTERA Edge Filers are virtual appliances that serve as the primary data access point for remote sites.
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They provide intelligent caching, protocol gateway services (NFS, SMB), and seamless connectivity to the central cloud repository. Available in various caching capacities, they can support offices ranging from a few users to thousands.
Desktop, Web & Mobile Access
CTERA Drive gives corporate users the power to access, share, and back up files using a modern collaboration interface.
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Web, desktop, and mobile access enable secure file sync and endpoint backup from any device, anywhere.
- CTERA Drive Connect: A caching-enabled virtual drive that provides transparent, native access to the CTERA Global File System from a user’s desktop, enabling access to unlimited file volumes without consuming significant local disk space. Available on Windows and macOS.
- CTERA Drive Share: An enterprise-grade file sync and share (EFSS) service that enables users to create collaborative workspaces, synchronize content across devices, and securely share files with internal and external stakeholders, all governed by central IT policy. Available on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.
- CTERA Drive Protect: An automated endpoint backup service that protects user-generated data on desktops and laptops. It employs source-based global deduplication and compression to minimize storage and network overhead. Available on Windows and macOS.
Security, Compliance, & Resilience
Integrated security features ensure data integrity and regulatory compliance across the platform.
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- Zero-Trust Security Model: Our platform is built on a Zero-Trust architecture that enforces continuous verification and end-to-end encryption, ensuring only authorized users can access data. Learn more at Compliance & Governance
- Encryption & Key Management: All data is protected with AES-256 end-to-end encryption, and organizations retain 100% control of their keys with full support for enterprise key management systems. Learn more at Compliance & Governance
- Immutable WORM & Regulatory Compliance: The platform enforces Write-Once-Read-Many (WORM) policies to create an immutable, tamper-proof record of data for meeting strict compliance mandates like HIPAA and FINRA. Learn more at Compliance & Governance
- Ransomware Detection & Recovery: CTERA Ransom Protect uses AI-driven behavioral analytics to detect and block attacks in real-time, while immutable snapshots enable instant recovery. Learn more at Ransomware Protection
- Multi & Hybrid-Cloud Governance: Our software-defined architecture offers complete deployment freedom, enabling policy-based data placement to meet the strictest data sovereignty and residency requirements. Learn more at Compliance & Governance
Data Migration
CTERA Migrate automates file, folder, and permission transfers from legacy NAS to the CTERA platform.
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It provides a simple and powerful solution to automate the migration of files, folders, and permissions (ACLs) from existing filers with minimal disruption.
Deployment Models
Flexible deployment options to fit diverse IT strategies and requirements.
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- CTERA Private Model Subscription: Tailor your private deployment with two distinct service tiers based on your data requirements. Primary Data Services are designed for active, real-time collaborative workflows, while Secondary Data Services are optimized for long-term retention, compliance, and archival needs.
- CTERA Hosted Data Services Model Subscription: For organizations seeking the full power of Primary Data Services without managing the underlying infrastructure, this model offers a fully hosted and managed solution by CTERA. It provides all enterprise-grade features, including the global file system and advanced data protection, making it ideal for businesses looking to minimize their on-premises footprint while empowering a hybrid workforce.
- Infinite Capacity & Hybrid Storage: By leveraging scalable cloud object storage as its core repository, the CTERA platform removes the capacity limitations of traditional systems. This hybrid architecture combines the performance of local caching with the virtually unlimited scale and economics of the cloud, allowing for a TCO reduction of up to 80% compared to legacy NAS.
- Storage & Hyperscaler Integrations: The platform offers complete freedom of choice for your storage infrastructure. It is fully compatible with leading public cloud providers, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP), as well as a wide range of on-premises object storage vendors. This prevents vendor lock-in and allows you to leverage your preferred storage and compute providers.
Integration & APIs
Open architecture with deep extensibility into IT ecosystems.
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- APIs & SDK: The CTERA platform is built on an API-first design, providing a comprehensive RESTful API and SDK that enable full programmatic control. This allows for deep integration into custom applications and enterprise workflows. We also offer CTERA Fusion, a native S3-compatible API endpoint to the data managed by the Portal, unifying file (NFS/SMB) and object (S3) access to the same central data repository. Visit our Technology Partners
- Enterprise AI Integration: CTERA enables you to securely connect Large Language Models (LLMs) to your proprietary enterprise data. Through support for protocols like Anthropic’s Model Context Protocol (MCP), the platform allows AI models such as Claude 3 and OpenAI-GPT to perform Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) and analysis directly on your files, where they reside. This allows you to unlock the value of your unstructured data with generative AI without compromising your security posture or data sovereignty.
- Automation & DevOps: Our comprehensive SDK empowers IT to embrace “Storage as Code” methodologies. This allows for the automated provisioning, configuration, and management of data environments within DevOps
- Identity, SSO & Enterprise Tooling: CTERA integrates seamlessly into your existing enterprise IT landscape. We support standard identity providers, including Active Directory, Entra ID, LDAP, and SAML 2.0 for Single Sign-On (SSO) with services like Okta and Azure AD. Furthermore, the platform integrates with leading ICAP-enabled security platforms to provide centralized antivirus and anti-malware scanning for all files.
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