Group Logic (http://www.grouplogic.com), a provider of digital content-driven solutions for collaboration in the enterprise and the cloud, has announced new enhancements to its ExtremeZ-IP family of products and services.
The latest release of ExtremeZ-IP, version 7.1, delivers expanded support for Microsoft Distributed File System (DFS). In this latest release, Group Logic unveiled a new option for ExtremeZ-IP, called DFSConnect, that provides DFS file share support for organizations with Mac clients on Mac OS X 10.4 or later. In addition, Group Logic announced a new suite of low-cost migration services for Apple Xserve customers looking to migrate to a Windows server environment in response to Apple’s end of life announcement.
Microsoft DFS is widely used today and allows an organization to provide a single point of access to multiple file server resources. Until recently, Mac users were unable to access DFS file shares because of inherent deficiencies within SMB (Server Message Block) — a widely used communication protocol used to interface Mac OS X based devices with Windows file servers.
ExtremeZ-IP solves this and other SMB deficiencies by providing the technology necessary to allow Mac users to access Windows DFS Namespaces. With this latest release of ExtremeZ-IP 7.1, Group Logic now offers a low-cost DFSConnect add-on that allows ExtremeZ-IP users with as few as 10 Mac clients to add DFS access capability. In addition, Group Logic announced a new suite of service offerings designed to smooth the migration from an Apple Xserve environment to a Windows file server.
“Apple’s recent end of life announcement provides a perfect case in point because soon, Xserve users must plan their migration to another platform,” says Group Logic CEO Chris Broderick. “And should those plans include migration to a Windows server environment, Group Logic now offers a suite of services designed especially to smooth the transition from Xserve to Windows.”
The process begins with a no-cost briefing to understand the customers’ current and target file server environment, he adds. From there, customers can opt for one or more of Group Logic’s low-cost service offerings targeted at system and file migration, security, and administration.