Pancetera Unite
Pancetera Unite is a software virtual appliance that enables you to integrate standard filesystem tools, such as backup, replication, and migration software, with your VMware virtual infrastructure.
You work with Pancetera Unite as you would with any other NAS product: mount the Pancetera Unite filesystem as a CIFS share or NFS mount, and then do all the standard operations, such as copying files, as you would with any other filesystem. The difference is that you do not write to the Pancetera Unite filesystem; instead, it is populated with the VM files from your vSphere ESX or ESXi servers. Hosts and VMs appear in directories that you can browse, regardless of what type of storage you use or which ESX server the VM runs on. One installation of Pancetera Unite can span your entire virtual environment.
The Pancetera Unite virtual appliance is low impact, requiring only 640 MB of RAM and generating almost no disk or network activity unless a client of the Unite filesystem invokes a file operation.
We have used a host of specialized versions of backup software for our VMs and are still challenged by the overall complexity of our virtual storage environment. Because Pancetera allows us to move the I/O loads associated with backup and other management activities off our primary hypervisor, we can increase our VM density. Furthermore, we have seen significant cost savings from not having to license on a per-server basis, as we just backup from the hypervisor level.
— Barry Morrison, System Administrator, University of the Pacific
Powerful Software Architecture
Designed by veterans of the enterprise software industry, Pancetera Unite is designed to maximize what you can do with your existing enterprise tool investment. You can leverage existing enterprise backup software applications that only speak directories and files, because that’s what Unite translates your VMware environment into: a software layer of synthesized directories and files. Pancetera does all of this even while the VM is online with no disruption to the VM or its operations.
Designed by veterans of the enterprise software industry, Pancetera Unite is designed to maximize what you can do with your existing enterprise tool investment. You can leverage existing enterprise backup software applications that only speak directories and files, because that’s what Unite translates your VMware environment into: a software layer of synthesized directories and files. Pancetera does all of this even while the VM is online with no disruption to the VM or its operations.
Automatic VM Discovery
Pancetera Unite automatically finds new virtual machines when you create them, and populates them automatically into the Pancetera filesystem. You don’t need to take any action with Pancetera Unite when you create, delete, or migrate VMs in your environment.
Pancetera Unite automatically finds new virtual machines when you create them, and populates them automatically into the Pancetera filesystem. You don’t need to take any action with Pancetera Unite when you create, delete, or migrate VMs in your environment.
Enterprise Alerts and Reporting
Pancetera Unite comes bundled with sophisticated alerting, monitoring, and reporting tools that enable lights-out operation with confidence. Email reports and SNMP integration let you monitor activity from your standard enterprise tools, without logging into the Pancetera software except for maintenance operations. We even provide plug-ins for standard enterprise monitoring tools, such as Nagios.
Pancetera Unite comes bundled with sophisticated alerting, monitoring, and reporting tools that enable lights-out operation with confidence. Email reports and SNMP integration let you monitor activity from your standard enterprise tools, without logging into the Pancetera software except for maintenance operations. We even provide plug-ins for standard enterprise monitoring tools, such as Nagios.
SmartRead™
Pancetera SmartRead technology is a set of algorithms that reduce storage I/O when performing maintenance tasks such as backup, replication, or migration of virtual machines. By leveraging SmartRead, administrators can alleviate unnecessary reads from primary storage and read only the blocks required to perform these maintenance tasks.
Pancetera SmartRead technology is a set of algorithms that reduce storage I/O when performing maintenance tasks such as backup, replication, or migration of virtual machines. By leveraging SmartRead, administrators can alleviate unnecessary reads from primary storage and read only the blocks required to perform these maintenance tasks.
SmartView™
Pancetera’s SmartView technology enables you to see all of your virtual machines and their disks in a single network-attached filesystem that you can mount on any Windows or Unix system using CIFS or NFS. Your VMs appear in this filesystem regardless of what type of storage they are on, or whether the VM is running, suspended, or powered down.
Pancetera’s SmartView technology enables you to see all of your virtual machines and their disks in a single network-attached filesystem that you can mount on any Windows or Unix system using CIFS or NFS. Your VMs appear in this filesystem regardless of what type of storage they are on, or whether the VM is running, suspended, or powered down.
Offload Production Hosts
Typically, multiple agents reside within each VM, resulting in I/O contention and performance degradation problems. Installing Pancetera on a different host than the production host allows you to offload the CPU and memory footprint of these agents while also enabling optimizing I/O to storage, thus reducing the impact of backup or other maintenance tasks. Reducing the resource footprint across all your virtual machines while also enabling easier coordination and reduction of I/O lets you increase your VM density and reduce hardware costs.
Typically, multiple agents reside within each VM, resulting in I/O contention and performance degradation problems. Installing Pancetera on a different host than the production host allows you to offload the CPU and memory footprint of these agents while also enabling optimizing I/O to storage, thus reducing the impact of backup or other maintenance tasks. Reducing the resource footprint across all your virtual machines while also enabling easier coordination and reduction of I/O lets you increase your VM density and reduce hardware costs.
Virtual Desktops
Implementing persistent virtual desktops has led to some challenges as organizations consolidate virtual machines further. Because the VM density often is 50 VMs per host or higher a VDI environment is even more sensitive to daily management tasks. Pancetera’s approach minimizes the impact of backup, replication, off-line VDI and security scans for virtual desktops in these environments, providing more efficient VM consolidation.
Implementing persistent virtual desktops has led to some challenges as organizations consolidate virtual machines further. Because the VM density often is 50 VMs per host or higher a VDI environment is even more sensitive to daily management tasks. Pancetera’s approach minimizes the impact of backup, replication, off-line VDI and security scans for virtual desktops in these environments, providing more efficient VM consolidation.
Organize VMs for Backup or Mobility Tasks
By default, all the VMs are organized by host in a folder structure. You don’t have to do anything special to start using Pancetera Unite. However, you can put VMs into custom-named folders or disable specific VMs from appearing in the Pancetera filesystem.
By default, all the VMs are organized by host in a folder structure. You don’t have to do anything special to start using Pancetera Unite. However, you can put VMs into custom-named folders or disable specific VMs from appearing in the Pancetera filesystem.
Scale Up With a Single Pane of Glass
By enabling you to add throughput where you need it, Pancetera Unite scales up to hundreds of ESX servers and thousands of virtual machines encompassing scores of terabytes. Yet you can manage it all from our powerful GUI, right from a single window in vCenter. Pancetera’s unique group management design enables simple management of Unite in remote offices with minimal firewall configuration.
By enabling you to add throughput where you need it, Pancetera Unite scales up to hundreds of ESX servers and thousands of virtual machines encompassing scores of terabytes. Yet you can manage it all from our powerful GUI, right from a single window in vCenter. Pancetera’s unique group management design enables simple management of Unite in remote offices with minimal firewall configuration.
Integrates with vCenter
You can register the Pancetera Unite vCenter plug-in in minutes so that you always have the Pancetera Unite GUI available when you need it—without having to remember IP addresses or hostnames.
You can register the Pancetera Unite vCenter plug-in in minutes so that you always have the Pancetera Unite GUI available when you need it—without having to remember IP addresses or hostnames.
Maximum Theoretical Speed
We have enabled our customers to speed up movement of VMs dramatically, in some cases by a factor of 10x! Pancetera Unite’s SmartRead™ technology lets you get the most of out of your network, CPU, and storage investments, so you can do more today without adding new hardware or network bandwidth.
We have enabled our customers to speed up movement of VMs dramatically, in some cases by a factor of 10x! Pancetera Unite’s SmartRead™ technology lets you get the most of out of your network, CPU, and storage investments, so you can do more today without adding new hardware or network bandwidth.
Let Us Monitor Your Pancetera Unite Appliance
Pancetera Unite offers managed monitoring through our support-in-the-cloud service. Pancetera Unite can upload daily reports to our support server, and Pancetera’s support team can call you when we detect a backup failure or other issue. We’ll keep an eye on things for you.
Pancetera Unite offers managed monitoring through our support-in-the-cloud service. Pancetera Unite can upload daily reports to our support server, and Pancetera’s support team can call you when we detect a backup failure or other issue. We’ll keep an eye on things for you.
Software Updates without the Hassle
We use industry-standard tools to enable downloading and installing software updates without any manual downloads. Just click “Install Updates” when new software is available.
We use industry-standard tools to enable downloading and installing software updates without any manual downloads. Just click “Install Updates” when new software is available.
Reduce Complexity
Pancetera eliminates complexity while allowing you to continue to use the existing enterprise software you already have. With Pancetera Unite, you can see all your VM storage from a single, easy-to-operate network drive. Install one set of agents or tools, and all operations for those tools access your virtual storage through Pancetera. All job schedules and policies continue to be managed by your existing software. No new policies need to be created, no manual or scripted coordination is needed, and no patches or changes are required to enable your software to work with Pancetera.
Pancetera eliminates complexity while allowing you to continue to use the existing enterprise software you already have. With Pancetera Unite, you can see all your VM storage from a single, easy-to-operate network drive. Install one set of agents or tools, and all operations for those tools access your virtual storage through Pancetera. All job schedules and policies continue to be managed by your existing software. No new policies need to be created, no manual or scripted coordination is needed, and no patches or changes are required to enable your software to work with Pancetera.
