CTERA Brings Data Security to Linux File Systems

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Enterprise Storage Forum reports that the data storage startup CTERA Networks' Next3 file system goes well beyond Linux's snapshot capabilities. The open source file system builds on the Ext3 file system, providing thin-volume snapshots and point-in-time recovery, change auditing and retention of previous file versions, all of which are lacking in Linux Volume Manager snapshotting capabilities.

CTERA Networks is giving the Linux Ext3 file system additional data protection in the form of new snapshot capabilities.

CTERA's Next3 open source file system builds on the Ext3 file system to provide thin volume snapshots and point-in-time recovery, change auditing and retention of previous file versions, features the company says are lacking in Linux Volume Manager (LVM) snapshotting capabilities. Next3 is licensed under GPL and could eventually find its way into the Linux Kernel via the Ext3 or Ext4 file systems.

The file system is also the basis of the company's Cloud-Attached Storage appliances, the C200 and CloudPlug, which combine local and cloud data storage and backup and are aimed at small businesses and service providers.

Snapshots record the state of the file system at any given moment, creating a point-in-time copy of the data that can be used to restore previous versions of files. CTERA says the offering is the first solution for Linux that offers file-system level snapshots that make efficient use of disk space, store snapshots reliably and maintain low performance overhead.

Read the rest of "CTERA Adds Data Protection to Linux File Systems" at Enterprise Storage Forum