IIJ Global Introduces Morro CloudNAS to CyberConnect2

November 18, 2021
IIJ Global Solutions Co., Ltd.

IIJ Global Solutions Inc. (President: Toshinori Iwasawa, hereafter IIJ Global), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Internet Initiative Japan Inc. (President: Eijiro Katsu, hereafter IIJ) and developer of WAN services for businesses, has made the announcement to have provided CyberConnect2 Inc. (Representative Director: Hiroshi Matsuyama, hereafter CC2) with the cloud-centric file server “Morro CloudNAS” from Morro Data, a US company.

CC2 adopts the solution because Morro CloudNAS allows for real-time file sharing both within and outside the company while being compatible with its existing system, and for supporting multi-tiered cloud storage that meets the application requirements and cost targets.

A Modern Global File System is Needed

CC2, a game developer of titles including the “NARUTO” series and “.hack” series, has expanded globally and needs to share large files between domestic and overseas sites. Every year the amount of data generated in game development increases by tens of terabytes (TB), resulting in a significant increase in storage costs. Besides, CC2’s old storage system did not cope well with the increasing demand for large file sharing between internal sites and with external partners. “Morro CloudNAS” proposed by IIJ Global was adopted to solve these problems.

Morro CloudNAS is a cloud-centric file server that enables cloud storage such as Amazon S3 to be used as the global file server in Japan and global sites. CloudNAS deploys the CacheDrive gateway appliance for cloud caching and syncing at each site. By using the SMB interface, the file sharing protocol of Windows, the user can mount a shared file folder directly on a local Windows PC. The compatibility with the existing system and the cost optimization are the decisive factors for the selection of Morro CloudNAS.

Deployment Results

CC2 has placed the physical appliance Morro CacheDrive equipped with a large-capacity SSD at each site in Fukuoka, Tokyo, and Montreal, Canada to share files in real-time. The development files are stored in AWS S3 and the cost-effective Wasabi cloud storage is also used for archiving historical data. By utilizing multi-tiered cloud storage, CC2’s operating cost has been reduced to about 1/3 of the old solution.

For file sharing with the external partners, CC2 now has a secure environment to access files from anywhere. Morro Data’s “CacheDrive in Cloud” virtual appliance syncs designated folders that are made available to external users. This solution avoids concerns about exposing the internal network and mitigates security risks.

Morro Data’s extensive cloud-based management functions such as file management, monitoring, and log analysis simplify the management of the entire system. CC2 now has a global file system that meets its needs, is easy to operate, and scales well. View Case Study.

Source: https://www.iijglobal.co.jp/news/2021/press_20211118.html