Cloudian Acquires Infinity Storage to Power Limitlessly Scalable File/Object Storage Platform

Platform slashes storage TCO by 70 percent compared to traditional NAS systems

Cloudian, a provider of enterprise object storage systems, has acquired Infinity Storage, a Milan-based pioneer in software-defined file storage solutions. With Infinity’s technology, Cloudian now offers customers integrated file and object-based storage solutions that consolidate all unstructured data types into a limitlessly scalable storage pool. The result, according to Cloudian, is simple storage management that reduces TCO by more than 70% when compared with traditional multi-silo NAS systems.  

The acquisition is the culmination of an existing relationship between Infinity Storage and Cloudian. The companies worked together to launch the Cloudian HyperFile NAS controller, which delivers enterprise-class file services from Cloudian HyperStore. Cloudian HyperFile incorporates all NAS features essential for enterprise applications, including SMB(CIFS)/NFS support, snapshot, WORM, non-disruptive failover, scale-out performance, POSIX compliance and Active Directory integration.

Infinity Storage’s founder Caterina Falchi was an inventor of the write-once-read-many (WORM) file system that provides jukebox file management and transparent access to data within this protected environment. WORM was originally designed to preserve data integrity for regulatory compliance and now also plays a vital role in protecting data from corruption caused by malware or ransomware. Falchi joins Cloudian as vice president of file technologies.

“For more than a decade, Infinity Storage software has helped enterprise customers simplify file management with enterprise-class features that provide a familiar user experience on next-generation storage platforms,” says Falchi. “While launching HyperFile with Cloudian, we immediately recognized that our company cultures and technologies meshed perfectly. We are genuinely thrilled to be joining the Cloudian team.”

When combined with the limitless scalability of Cloudian HyperStore enterprise storage, HyperFile gives organizations new on-premises options for managing the tsunami of unstructured data, now growing at more than 50% annually. Scale-out platforms such as Cloudian’s are becoming an increasingly critical element of the IT landscape. Gartner predicts that, “By 2021, more than 80% of enterprise data will be stored in scale-out storage systems in enterprise and cloud data centers, up from 30% today.” (Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Distributed File Systems and Object Storage, 17 October 2017).

“This acquisition further accelerates Cloudian’s efforts to reduce IT workloads with self-protecting and easy-to-scale file systems that analysts agree are critical for next-generation storage management,” says Michael Tso, CEO of Cloudian. “Not only does Infinity bring deep technology expertise to the table, but also our two companies’ cultures fit perfectly, with the same uncompromising dedication to the customer, to the team and to technical excellence. We are excited to be growing together.”