metaLANServer

Multi-point gateway server technology at a great price!

metaLAN Server is a cost-effective version of Tiger Technology's flagship metaSAN software, designed specifically to be used in conjunction with metaLAN clients. As such, metaLAN Server is ideally suited for environments looking at leveraging low cost Gigabit Ethernet, but requiring advanced connectivity features.

Any number of metaLAN clients can connect to a single metaLAN Server, or a cluster of servers. A single server can be used as an alternative to a conventional NAS appliance while multiple servers can easily participate in a SAN cluster. A cluster offers the added benefits of virtualizing the shared storage thereby eliminating hotspots and I/O bottlenecks in addition to aggregating the total bandwidth of the individual servers for increased LAN performances. Please refer to metaLAN client software for additional information.

 

Requires professional integration. Contact us today to find out how you can benefit from Tiger Technology.

Notes:

  1. metaLAN Server and metaSAN or metaSAN iSCSI licenses cannot be mixed in the same SAN. metaSAN offers all the same functionality and should be used whenever a combination of features is required.
  2. Unlike metaSAN and metaSAN iSCSI that can participate in a SAN as either client or server workstations, metaLAN Server can only participate in a cluster as a gateway for metaLAN clients. Because only the "master" server has direct access to the SAN storage, metaSAN licenses should be used instead when such access is required (ex: for backup purposes).
 
 
 
 

Massively Scalable - Access a cluster of servers through a single namespace
Overcome the traditional file servers limitations. Because they always sit between storage and clients, servers inevitably become bottlenecks and single point of failure. Connect multiple servers to a shared storage and easily create a “cluster” that can serve more clients with the same set of data.
 

Block-level Sharing - Feel the local drive behind
Enjoy a shared, block-level connection to your remote storage cluster from any LAN client. Instead of accessing a server location (i.e. \\server\share), metaLAN mounts like a local drive and provides block- and file-level sharing over TCPI/IP. You benefit from a persistent connection, dramatic increase in performance and smoother video playback.
 

Near Wire Speed and Minimal Latency - Increase LAN performance over TCP/IP connection
Leverage low-cost TCP/IP infrastructures without the overhead of file-level protocols such as SMB, AFP or NFS. metaLAN connections are easy to establish and you enjoy near wire speed performance. When accessing rich media, you can expect significant performance increase, lower latency and more sustained throughput than regular shares.
 

Perfect Balance - Dynamic load balancing distributes clients evenly
Maximize your network efficiency. Every metaLAN connection is dynamically routed through one of the available servers. Multiple LAN connections are continuously load balanced. This ensures that the cluster and the network are always used optimally, regardless of the number of active connections.
 

Seamless Cross-Platform Integration - Collaborate across Mac, Windows and Linux workstations
Let your Mac, Windows and Linux LAN computers access the centralized storage. There is no need for installing third-party software. metaLAN Server provides the file-system translation services that ensures equivalent performance across all platforms.
 

Per-node Bandwidth Usage - Avoid video drop frames across busy networks
Monitor, manage and allocate the available storage and network resources by assigning specific “reserves” and/or “quotas” to individual LAN workstations. Bandwidth control (sometimes referred to as “throttling” or Quality-of-Service - QoS) ensures smooth video capture or playback, even when the network or storage is taxed.
 

High availability - Ensure maximum uptime with automatic failover
Avoid service disruption in case of hardware failure or scheduled maintenance. If your primary metaLAN Server  fails - or is shut down, transparent failover will take place. As soon as a new master is elected, your transactions resume. In most cases, the failover completes in seconds and is transparent to users and applications.
 

Access Control and User Authentication - Use Active Directory or Open Directory - your choice
Control who can access what files and folders the same way you control access on local drives. By default, metaLAN Server provides unrestricted access to all connected users, but can easily be configured to authenticate against either Active Directory or Open Directory. Mac users can even authenticate against Active Directory for tight cross-platform integration.
 

Open Architecture - Save money by remaining vendor independent
Choose among - or combine - the finest and latest interconnect and storage technologies based on either Fibre Channel, iSCSI, AoE, PCIe, Infiniband or 1/10 Gigabit Ethernet. With storage capacity requirements estimated to double every 12 months, this freedom ensures your storage costs won’t be skyrocketing with your hands tied to any storage provider.
 

Dashboard Management - Get a bird’s eye view of your SAN in real time
Open the Dashboard from any connected workstation to visualize your entire SAN/LAN infrastructure. See which machines are online; which are mastering the SAN; how full your storage storage is and what connections are established; etc. You can also collect performance statistics to see how throughput is distributed and used.
 

Simple to Use - Reduce operating expenses with user friendly technology
Maintain your own setup. Configuring a cluster of servers can be a daunting task, but metaLAN Server makes it easy. By leveraging existing HFS+ or NTFS file systems, metaLAN Server eliminates the need for configuring complex clustered file systems. This approach enables regular disk utilities to be used for maintaining or repairing a damaged file system.
 

Centralized Client Licensing - Simplify license management
Manage licences on your server. There is no need to worry about freelances or others leaving with valuable licenses. You can install the metaLAN initiator on as many computers as you wish. You easily control the IP addresses of the clients that are authorized to connect to your cluster.
 

Safe, Secure and Dependable - Trust a mature file system to store your data
Rely on NTFS and HFS+ file systems to safeguard your data; like millions do. metaSAN doesn’t write directly: every file access undergoes standard OS calls and i/o services. And with metaSAN taking regular metadata snapshots of your file system, it is probably even safer to store on metaSAN than it is on a regular NTFS or HFS+ volume.
 

Perpetual vs. 1 Year Licenses - Choose the purchasing model that is right for you
Use Perpetual licenses if you like to “acquire” your software, or choose 1 Year licenses if, like many governmental, educational and corporate organizations, you prefer an annual licensing model. The 1 Year model also makes it easier to add or remove licenses as you go; and lets you save upfront and work with a constant budget, year after year.
 

24/7 Hotline and Upgrades - Contact our professional support at all time
Minimize downtime by ensuring you’re always eligible for professional email and phone support. When acquiring Perpetual licenses, you get one year of Subscription at no extra charge (additional years of Subscription can be purchased at 30% of the product’s SRP pricing). When opting for the Annual licensing model, you are always covered.
 
 
 
 

There are many ways to integrate metaLAN clients using metaLAN Server. Here are some of the most popular setups. Click on the link below to see various SAN configurations:

Microsoft Windows centric LAN cluster

This setup offers transparent failover and load balancing.

Mac OS centric LAN cluster

This setup offers transparent failover and load balancing.

Virtualization for media sharing in Avid workgroups (Windows)

This setup allows multiple Avid workstations to simultaneously share access to the same media files.