Synaptic Storage is the brand name for the cloud storage offered by AT&T.

Synaptic is the parent brand that covers storage, hosting and virtual machines.

Cloud Storage

Synaptic Storage is similar to Amazon S3, Windows Azure Storage and other cloud storage services. The storage usage is over the Internet, by HTTPS REST API and billed monthly by usage.

Since AT&T itself is a managed service provider with data center all over different cities in US, other additional access method (other than over the Internet) are over VPNs and MPLS(Multiprotocol Label Switching), providing more security, privacy and quality of service.

One of the key differentiator for AT&T is that you can use VPN and MPLS if you are already an AT&T business customer. The data transfer fee may also be waived if you are transferring over AT&T’s private network.

Technology

AT&T Synaptic Storage is based on EMC Atmos for storage, with AT&T’s data center and network. EMC understands storage business. AT&T  understands service provider business. The combination should provide reliable services and solutions.

One of the unique feature of EMC storage is that it is policy driven. By setting policies on objects, you can control where the objects are, such as one site, two sites, replication and so on and so forth. This is a differentiator too.

Access Solutions

The most basic way to access AT&T Synaptic Storage is by writing applications using the Synaptic Storage REST API or the EMC Atmos Web Service API. This is a good way to access if you are an application developer yourself.

If you are looking for a turnkey solution to access AT&T Synaptic Storage, Gladinet has several cloud storage access products.

(1) How to Access from Desktop PC?

Gladinet Cloud Desktop provides direct Desktop integration of a network drive, mapped to AT&T synaptic storage.  It is the easiest way to access Synaptic Storage.

(2) How to Access from a File Server?

Gladinet CloudAFS provides File Server integration and expose the Synaptic Storage as network shares.  This will come in handy if you are looking for integration Backup Exec with Synaptic Storage. If you are accessing from desktop PCs,  CloudAFS allows zero client desktop installation change since the integration is on the file server.

(3) How to Backup to Synaptic Storage?

Gladinet Cloud Backup provides backup functionality from Windows computers, with multiple snapshots support. It will be handy if you are looking for a way to continuously backing up a Windows System, files and folders, SQL Servers.

The three Gladinet products together provides pretty good coverage for different ways to access Synaptic Storage.

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