Varonis DatAnywhere will enter End of Life (EOL) in February 2020.   That means that organizations that use DatAnywhere need to look for an alternative. FileFlex Enterprise is the perfect migration for users of DatAnywhere – better than all other alternatives.

Estimated reading time: 4.5 minutes

Why Organizations Originally Choose DatAnywhere

How organizations stored information

Organizations store massive amounts of information on servers, server-attached storage like SAN (Storage Area Network), DAS (Direct Attached Storage) and network (NAS) attached storage. Combined, these are commonly called file shares. They can be remotely accessed over the network and they are fast and inexpensive.

Organizational storage was not available to remote workers

The problem is that file share technologies were originally launched in the late 90s, before the rise of mobile devices and the distributed workforces. At that time most users worked in an office and were plugged into the network. Mobile devices like we have today did not exist. VPNs were around, but were generally only for senior management.

Today users work from anywhere – home, restaurant, airport – and organizations hire workers who are located anywhere in the world. These workers don't connect over the internal network, they connect via the internet. Organizations needed to provide tools to enable modern distributed workforce efficiencies.

DatAnywhere provided cloud functionality to on-premises file servers

Organizations choose DatAnywhere primarily because it provided cloud functionality to their on-premises file servers. This allowed their users to access file share data from remote computers, tablets, and smartphones without using a VPN – over the internet. It allowed them to share these files with external parties. It allowed them to create data rooms so that external parties could upload files.   It was one of the few services that provided user authentication. It honored their Active Directory and device permissions. All the processes and technologies they invested in stayed the same. Best of all, it kept their data on-premises, protecting their confidential documents and helping compliance with privacy regulations like HIPAA and GDPR.

How Varonis DatAnywhere and FileFlex Enterprise are alike

FileFlex Enterprise also adds cloud functionality to on-premises file servers

FileFlex Enterprise completely fulfills the value proposition of Varonis DatAnywhere – the ability to add cloud functionality to on-premises file shares (file servers).   Like DatAnywhere, FileFlex Enterprise provides secure access to files stored on the organization's servers and NAS devices from remote computers, tablets, and smartphones. It provides sharing of these files with external parties.

FileFlex Enterprise also allows the creation of virtual data rooms

It allows an organization to create data rooms so that external parties can upload files and it honors Active Directory and device permissions. Like Varonis DatAnywhere, FileFlex Enterprise gives organizations cloud functionality utilizing their existing infrastructure. Organizations do not have to modify their processes, infrastructure, or permissions in order to give their users the cloud functionalities they need. Access controls stay the same, data classification continues to function, and data does not need to be moved to a new server or a third-party.

Since no functionality is lost and the core value proposition of DatAnywhere is maintained, FileFlex Enterprise is the perfect migration for organizations that use DatAnywhere.

FileFlex Enterprise offers much more

FileFlex Enterprise provides cloud functionality to the entire hybrid-IT infrastructure, not just file servers

FileFlex Enterprise goes far beyond remote access and sharing of file servers and network-attached storage. It does this plus much more. More than any other alternative.  FileFlex not only provides remote access and sharing of on-premises file shares, it applies to all company storage – servers, server-attached storage (SAN, DAS storage), network-attached storage, infrastructure-as-a-service providers (IaaS) such as Amazon AWS S3, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, files stored on public clouds such as Google Drive, OneDrive and Dropbox, files stored on EFSS providers such as Box, files stored on private clouds, files stored on PCs and files stored in SharePoint – all from a single 'pane-of-glass' or dashboard. In addition, FileFlex Enterprise provides remote file management between these storage locations such that storage locations are no longer separate silos.

FileFlex Enterprise adds zero trust security and IT control

It puts file sharing under IT control and since access is subject to user authentication it is the perfect tool for organizations that are moving their cyber-security paradigm from the traditional perimeter approach to the zero-trust model where information access is controlled and all users and all devices must always be authenticated.

FileFlex Enterprise adds Intel SGX hardware hardening

FileFlex Enterprise is the only solution that has the option of using Intel^® SGX platform hardened secure enclaves for encryption key generation to provide added protection at the deepest level – within the silicon itself – and provide added protection against shared data being snooped or tampered with at any stage of access or transmission. – even if the system is compromised.

FileFlex Enterprise brings layered security

Combining Intel SGX with the decentralized architecture, secure platform, secure processes, and security feature set provides FileFlex Enterprise a layered approach to security. The ecosystem created by these layers provides an absolute knock-out punch and brings 'Fort-Knox' type security to remote content access, sharing and collaboration.  

Summary

Varonis DatAnywhere users who migrate over to FileFlex Enterprise receive the following:

• Remote access, sharing, streaming, remote editing, and file management of on-premises file shares without building or maintaining a private cloud
• Ability to add cloud functionality to all company storage, not just file servers
• Ability to add cloud functionality to file servers located with Infrastructure-as-a-Service providers such as Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud
• Ability to remotely access, share and remotely edit SharePoint files and document libraries
• Ability to remotely access, share and remotely edit public cloud storage (if permitted) such as Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox, and Box.
• Ability to aggregate all file servers and organizational storage in any city or country under a single-pane-of-glass or dashboard to address the problem of information silos
• Add remote multi-device file management capability such as cut, copy, paste, move, rename, delete and create folders on or between storage silos over the internet without the need to be networked or the use of a VPN
• Optionally add Intel SGX platform hardened silicon-to-silicon secure file access and sharing
• Add remote file editing capability
• Ensures privacy, protection against secret data exfiltration, and compliance to privacy regulations such as GDPR and HIPAA
• Unparalleled Security – Significantly reduced threat surface, simplified storage structure and governance, risk management and compliance (GRC) under organizational control, AES 256 encrypted hybrid point-to-point communication, optional double-encryption, optional Intel SGX hardware hardening, U2F universal two-factor authentication, device authentication, virus scanning, single sign-on (SSO), active directory integration and activity log for operation and incident management

Get the whitepaper

If you want to dig deeper, you can download our whitepaper that explains both the similarities between FileFlex Enterprise and Varonis DatAnywhere and the extra value that FileFlex brings to the DatAnywhere organization.

You can also talk to us in person and/or arrange a demo or free trial via this link.

Get the full whitepaper.

FileFlex Enterprise for the Varonis DatAnywhere Organization