The South African Institute of Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) is a vital scientific organization carrying out important research and monitoring of aquatic ecosystems. South Africa's proximity to freshwater and marine environments makes it a favorite location for this type of operation, but also poses challenges related to a highly dispersed workforce and infrastructure. Suboptimal cloud. Like many organizations of the same size, only one person was providing technical support doing the best with a limited budget. However, they were basically limited in what they could provide, particularly to a workforce that was frequently away from the office and needed access to all kinds of up-to-date files, at all times. The company wanted to focus on its important work without being distracted or bothered by basic IT infrastructure issues. Fortunately, Taiwanese technology company Synology, a leading provider of network-attached storage devices, is familiar with this type of scenario. In addition, its combination of powerful and easy-to-manage hardware and services has provided a solution. We spoke with Simon Hwang, President of Synology, APAC, to find out what happened.
SAIAB employees spend a lot of time in the field. Therefore, it is essential to provide reliable remote access to key resources and systems. Image credit: SAIAB.
(Image: © South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity) TechRadar: What were the specific problems SAIAB faced?
Synology: The large number of employees, trainees, and students were based in the office and at various remote sites. They all needed constant access to about 500TB of data (including backups) with varying levels of permissions. The IT environment was managed by a single support engineer who was able to pull most of the operations to Windows File Server (for direct file interactions) and Google Drive (for sharing). Of course, the two different technologies don't mesh together and that (as well as basic functionality issues) was a problem. SAIAB found that many solutions were extremely complicated, did not have access to the native file server, had synchronization and security issues, or lacked functionality and offered only third-party support. .
SAIAB needed remote access without VPN, a single set of files accessible via a file server, sync client or web browser, as well as integrated backup. Access via mobile apps would also be ideal. The solution had to take into account the fact that traditional cloud services do not work as well in South Africa as in other countries with more robust Internet infrastructure. Ultimately, everything had to be manageable by one person.
LaComparacion: How did the Synology platform help?
Synology: A Synology NAS is an ideal choice for companies like SAIAB that need to access vast search data or large media files in different ways, as they share the strengths of traditional file servers. and the convenience of cloud services.
Many offices still share files via traditional Windows file servers, but when it comes to remote access, connections via VPN are often problematic. This means that many users are turning to public cloud storage, which raises governance and privacy concerns. The organization does not control its own data. There's also no integration between Windows file server services and public cloud storage. It is at this stage that Synology steps in. We combine the flexibility of the cloud with full control of on-site file storage.
Furthermore, Synology NAS represents a unique and evolving investment. There is no subscription for multiple cloud services, nor is there a software license to pay.
The RS3617xs + RackStation used by SAIAB offers incredible flexibility and performance, making it perfect for growing businesses. Image Credit: Synology (Image: © Synology) TechRadar: How is this Synology solution evolving? Can companies also use it? Synology: Businesses can make good use of Synology products. For example, with the RS18017xs+, the advanced RackStation, you can sync up to 1,800 clients simultaneously. On its own, the RS18017xs+ can be scaled to provide two petabytes of storage, or 180 hard drives of 14TB each. TechRadar: How does the Synology product improve on the competition? Synology: We are working on better file transmission services to help customers free up disk space on their client devices and improve storage efficiency. Synology NAS devices also enable collaboration features, so users can edit a Word file, spreadsheet or PowerPoint file together.
Synology helped SAIAB configure the ideal NAS configuration for their needs. (Image: © Synology) TechRadar: What did Synology learn from helping SAIAB? How can other organizations benefit from Synology's technology? Synology: Working with SAIAB, we found that research organizations often use traditional methods to store data. While traditional file servers can be useful for storing data locally, customers have trouble finding a way to remotely access files or share data immediately. This leads a lot to moving your data storage solution to the cloud. Public cloud storage promises instant file sharing, but organizational members often worry about privacy and security: Many people like being able to fully control where their data is located. Also, the subscription fees you pay for commercial cloud storage can be significant in the long run. That's where a Synology NAS comes in. It bridges the gap between file server and cloud storage by offering a single solution that works like a secure local server, but where users can access files anywhere in the world. World with internet connection. . In short, Synology NAS is a fast and cost-effective storage and data storage solution that improves productivity across the enterprise. In addition, the native backup feature of Synology NAS devices can ensure that all your critical work files are backed up.
Part of SAIAB's mission is to improve public understanding of how healthy aquatic ecosystems function and how to ensure their sustainability. Image credit: SAIAB. (Image: © South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity) TechRadar: Do customers need special hardware and software to create this environment? Synology: Customers only need a free Synology NAS provided with Drive software. The beauty of a Synology NAS is that it is a unique and unique investment solution. TechRadar: Why choose a Synology NAS? Synology: Whatever your storage needs, be they personal, SMB, vertical, or enterprise, Synology's highly scalable products have you covered with their combination of cloud flexibility and on-the-go control. place. The system is not only easy to manage, but also economical. To learn how Synology can help your organization, please visit https://www.synology.com/en-global/form/inquiry/product.