As the demands on data storage grow more complex, especially in sectors like government and aerospace, the need for secure, scalable, and adaptable solutions has never been more critical. Leading the charge in addressing these needs is 45Drives, a company that has pioneered open source data storage systems. To understand how their innovative solutions are shaping the future of data storage, I sat down with Dr. Doug Milburn, President and Co-Founder of 45Drives, and Brandon Graham, Director of IT and Security at ProtoSpace Mfg, a rapid manufacturer working with 19 of the world's top 20 aerospace firms. Their insights highlight how 45Drives' innovative holistic approach to open source solutions is setting new benchmarks for data security, scalability, and adaptability in these high-stakes industries.
The Open Source Revolution in Government Data Storage
Traditionally, government agencies and aerospace manufacturers have relied on proprietary storage solutions. However, a notable shift toward open source technology is underway, driven by the need for increased flexibility and cost efficiency. Dr. Milburn noted that government organizations, in particular, are moving away from rigid, expensive proprietary systems in favor of open source solutions that allow for greater customization. "Governments are increasingly turning to open source solutions because they offer flexibility and cost-efficiency that proprietary options simply can't match," Milburn explained.
Open-source data storage platforms, such as those offered by 45Drives, enable organizations to tailor their infrastructure to meet highly specific needs. Graham shared how ProtoSpace's collaboration with 45Drives has allowed the company to integrate open source technologies like Ceph, enabling them to better align with their clients' storage protocols while enhancing security and risk management capabilities. "For ProtoSpace, working with 45Drives and using open source technologies like Ceph has allowed us to better align with our clients' needs," said Graham. "Open source is more adaptable, allowing us to integrate with modern governmental data storage protocols, which improves both security and risk management. The fact that these solutions are customizable is huge for us."
Ransomware Defense: A Critical Component
Ransomware has become one of the most urgent threats to government and aerospace sectors, which handle vast volumes of sensitive data, making them prime targets for cybercriminals. Traditional defenses, which respond only after an attack has begun, often fall short in today's fast-evolving landscape. In response, 45Drives developed SnapShield—the world's first ransomware-activated fuse. Using real-time behavioral analysis, SnapShield detects and neutralizes ransomware attacks within milliseconds, providing critical protection for users' storage infrastructure without impacting performance.
SnapShield is continuously monitoring server traffic for suspicious behavior. If ransomware-like activity is detected, it disconnects the compromised client from the server, halting further data corruption. It also maintains detailed logs of malicious actions and offers a restore function to recover affected files quickly. This tool integrates seamlessly with existing security protocols and is compatible with 45Drives storage systems running ZFS or Ceph with Windows file sharing, adding a vital layer of ransomware defense without requiring client-side agents and with minimal impact on system performance.
This proactive capability is essential for ProtoSpace, which manages large amounts of sensitive aerospace and government data. "Our approach is different," noted Dr. Doug Milburn, 45Drives' President and Co-Founder. "We use real-time behavior analysis to stop unauthorized data extraction in milliseconds. By the time an attacker realizes they've been thwarted, we've already prevented the damage."
Brandon Graham, Director of IT and Security at ProtoSpace, emphasized the importance of this feature, particularly for protecting aerospace data. "45Drives' tools give us confidence that we're doing everything possible to protect ourselves and our clients," Graham said. "Being able to detect ransomware through real-time behavioral changes and file manipulation has been a game-changer for us." With SnapShield, ProtoSpace now has a robust predictive defense, safeguarding critical data and reinforcing their operational security and resilience.
Navigating CMMC Compliance with Open Source Solutions
For organizations working with federal agencies, compliance with the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is non-negotiable. Achieving and maintaining CMMC certification requires stringent measures to protect sensitive data, which can be a significant challenge, particularly for companies transitioning to open source platforms. Dr. Milburn emphasized that while CMMC compliance can feel like a daunting task, open source technology can make the certification process more manageable. The transparency and adaptability of open source solutions allow businesses to meet cybersecurity standards in a more efficient and flexible manner.
45Drives offers CMMC consulting services to complement their existing offerings to help their customers streamline CMMC compliance. "What people don't often realize is that open source tech can make the CMMC certification process much more accessible," Milburn noted. "It's secure, adaptable, and far more transparent than many proprietary systems." ProtoSpace, for instance, has relied on 45Drives to maintain its CMMC compliance, ensuring that it continues to meet federal cybersecurity standards. Graham highlighted that 45Drives' infrastructure not only makes it easier to achieve compliance but also simplifies the process of keeping up with evolving regulations. "45Drives' infrastructure helps us meet federal cybersecurity standards and ensures ongoing compliance as those standards evolve," Graham added.
Ceph Armor: An Innovative Approach to Storage Security
Ceph, a flexible, open source, and scalable clustered storage solution, has become popular in both commercial and academic sectors for its reliability. However, it currently lacks native block and file encryption, leaving a potential vulnerability for users with high data confidentiality needs. To bridge this gap, 45Drives partnered with the University of New Brunswick (UNB) to develop CephArmor—an innovative project that brings native object-level encryption to Ceph clusters. Led by UNB's Faculty of Computer Science, this pioneering project is a significant leap forward in securing data on Ceph clusters, adding crucial protection against unauthorized access.
CephArmor strengthens Ceph's Reliable Autonomic Distributed Object Store (RADOS) by implementing object-level encryption. This ensures data is encrypted before storage, effectively shielding it from unauthorized access. The project aims to integrate this encryption seamlessly without compromising Ceph's trademark performance and scalability, which are key reasons organizations rely on it globally.
Development and testing for CephArmor are being conducted on 45Drives' Storinator hardware, a robust commercial storage system designed for efficiency and reliability. Initial evaluations show that CephArmor maintains Ceph's high-performance standards, even with the added security layer, making it a powerful solution for organizations needing both speed and advanced data security.
Dr. Doug Milburn's comprehensive knowledge of hardware, software, and 45Drives consulting services exemplifies a forward-thinking approach to data storage strategies. As demands for security, compliance, and efficiency increase, especially in government operations, 45Drives is shaping the future of secure data storage. "CephArmor is a new security layer we're building on the Ceph platform that greatly enhances its capabilities," Milburn noted. "This advancement has made Ceph a much stronger option for government use, which is why we're seeing a surge in interest."
The Future of Data Storage: Open Source Innovation
As governments and aerospace companies continue to grapple with increasing demands for secure, scalable data storage, open source solutions are proving to be the answer. Both Dr. Milburn and Graham believe that the future of data storage lies in the continued evolution of open source technologies. "Governments and aerospace companies are recognizing that the old ways of doing things just don't cut it anymore," said Milburn. "The future is in scalable, open source solutions that are not only more flexible but also more secure."
With open source platforms like Ceph and advanced cybersecurity solutions such as Snapshield, 45Drives is positioning itself at the forefront of this revolution. Governments and industries are recognizing that proprietary systems can no longer meet the demands of the modern world. The future of data storage is in solutions that offer both flexibility and security, and companies like 45Drives are leading the way in making this future a reality.
As Graham noted, ProtoSpace is already reaping the benefits of these changes, and the company is optimistic about what lies ahead; "With tools like Ceph Armor and the support of companies like 45Drives, we're well-positioned to meet the challenges ahead."
Brendan Blowers is a tech journalist who covers cybersecurity, cloud computing, and emerging technologies in IT.
