it-sa 2012: Fraunhofer SIT highlights solution for an encrypted enterprise cloud. New version of OmniCloud enables different cloud storage services to be combined

Combining different cloud offers while ensuring data can be encrypted – the latest version of OmniCloud, which Fraunhofer SIT will be presenting at the IT security expo it-sa in Nuremberg from October 16 to 18 (hall 12, stand 213), can handle that! The software solution protects sensitive data in the cloud and prevents users from becoming dependent on individual providers. OmniCloud was developed as a network storage solution that medium-sized companies can utilize to relocate their data to the cloud in an economical and secure manner. The software encrypts the data in a way that ensures cloud providers are unable to access it. What’s more, data can be moved from one cloud to another. “Our system offers companies a high level of security combined with a great deal of flexibility”, says Michael Herfert, department head at Fraunhofer SIT. “After holding initial talks with potential customers, we have adjusted the functions and are now looking for distributors for our system at the security expo.” Further information can be found on the Internet at www.sit.fraunhofer.de/omnicloud .

The latest version of OmniCloud is capable of combining different cloud storage offers. For example, users of existing offers, such as those from DropBox and similar providers, can combine these in the form of an external drive, which can then be integrated into the company’s own IT environment. OmniCloud also checks the utilization levels of the individual offers. As soon as one cloud storage area is full, the software starts using one of the other offers. Furthermore, the solution also enables the implementation of individual storage strategies. For example, duplicate backups for certain data or the targeted scattering of data across multiple cloud storage providers.

In comparison to other encryption solutions, OmniCloud is ideal for use with dynamic teams and takes typical company situations, such as employee absence and changes to responsibilities, into consideration. This is made possible through the separation of identity and key management. As a result of this, aspects such as deputization rules can be realized simply and quickly – without the need to share passwords or re-encrypt data.

OmniCloud already supports a wide range of existing cloud storage services and can be connected very easily to existing backup solutions – even if these do not support cloud connections themselves. But that’s not all, as OmniCloud also offers a kind of relocation service, which is handy if a company decides to change its cloud provider. OmniCloud also recognizes duplicate entries and, if identical files exist, ensures only one dataset is moved to the cloud.

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