Qumulo has just launched Azure Native Qumulo Cold (ANQ Cold), marking a significant evolution in cold file data management. Heralded as the only cloud-native file offering globally for storing cold data, ANQ Cold allows users to manage cold file data effectively and affordably at any scale. Notably, this innovative solution could be up to 90% cheaper than other cloud file storage providers making it a game-changer in the field.

ANQ Cold stands apart from other cold file storage solutions, as it encapsulates not just storage but also features all services and capabilities of ANQ Hot. It equips users with enterprise-level elements, such as cryptographically locked snapshots, quotas, file access via SMB/NFS/S3/REST, and security integrations, essentially offering a full-package storage solution. Furthermore, the scalability of ANQ Cold enables it to grow with customer needs, giving users the freedom to pay only for what they consume.

On top of all these features, the cost-effective pricing is poised to be a major draw factor. ANQ Cold is priced at a minimal $9.95 per TB per month and notably, does not impose any filesystem transactional fees. This pricing strategy brings a level of predictability in storage costs that directly benefits customers. The reliable retrieval performance and the generous provision of up to 5TB of read operations per month absolutely free, enhance ANQ Cold's appeal in the market. For disaster recovery scenarios, ANQ Cold's ability to switch quickly between cold to hot storage makes it an affordable and fast solution.

One of the most significant benefits of ANQ Cold is the eradication of the need for complex application workflow refactoring. This is a considerable advantage for organizations relying on legacy systems dependent on file. For instance, under previous systems, customers wishing to store large quantities of data in a tape archive or cold blob in the cloud needed a file gateway connected to that data. This complicated gateway system often resulted in pricey and difficult to predict costs. With ANQ Cold, customers can switch from cold to hot in an instant, scrapping the need for the expensive file-to-object gateway.

The healthcare sector stands to gain significantly in terms of application since ANQ Cold is a HIPAA-compliant cloud-native storage solution. Hospitals using Vendor-Neutral Archive (VNA) systems can affordably store large quantities of cold DICOM images while ensuring instant access and retrieval performance at par with their current primary PACS solution. Unlike other cloud-based cold storage providers, ANQ Cold's free allowance for up to 5TB of data retrieval per month makes it an economically viable solution for rapid restoration with easy data accessibility.

From a cybersecurity standpoint, ANQ Cold provides a cost-effective defence against ransomware threats. As a secure second-copy storage solution, it safeguards against data loss and ensures business continuity in the face of cyber threats. Furthermore, ANQ Cold's cost-saving benefits could potentially reduce ransomware insurance premiums.

Finally, ANQ Cold’s transparent and flexible pay-as-you-go model ensures customers pay only for what they consume. This affordability, combined with its outstanding data retrieval capabilities, makes ANQ Cold an unparalleled offering in the cloud-native file storage market. Aiming to combine cost-effectiveness, simplicity, scalability, security, and reliability in a single platform, ANQ Cold is set to revolutionise how organisations manage cold file data.