Originally reported by TechRepublic (April 2020). Source attribution: techrepublic.com.
Overview
Edge-to-cloud file services provider CTERA has released two DevOps-focused tools: the CTERA Software Development Kit (SDK) for Python and the CTERA Ansible Collection. Together, these tools are designed to allow enterprise IT and DevOps teams to automate the provisioning and management of hybrid cloud storage services across globally distributed topologies — covering thousands of edge locations, applications, and users — with minimal code.
Why This Matters for Enterprise DevOps
The adoption of DevOps practices in large enterprises is largely driven by the need for faster application deployment cycles and automated, repeatable IT processes. Distributed workforces — a trend accelerated significantly by the COVID-19 pandemic — have increased pressure on IT teams to deliver remote file services reliably, quickly, and at scale.
According to a Gartner forecast cited by CTERA, by 2022 more than 70% of enterprises would rank building flexible, adaptive infrastructure among their top infrastructure and operations (I&O) goals — up from fewer than 20% in 2019. Whether or not that precise figure has been borne out, the directional shift toward automation-first infrastructure is well established.
The CTERA Python SDK
The CTERA SDK wraps the platform’s existing REST API functionality and exposes it as a native Python library. This approach removes the need for developers to parse raw API documentation or write low-level HTTP handling code. Key capabilities include:
- Automated provisioning: Spin up and configure storage resources across multiple cloud providers with a few lines of Python.
- Performance monitoring: Retrieve storage infrastructure metrics such as deduplication savings, local cache status, and per-user storage utilization.
- Global file system KPIs: Monitor server health, metadata capacity, inbound and outbound traffic, edge filer connection status, and the number of active user sessions.
- Scriptable integration: Embed SDK calls directly into existing automation pipelines, CI/CD workflows, or standalone management scripts.
Because the SDK abstracts API complexity, teams without deep API development expertise can still build automation around CTERA’s platform. This lowers the skill barrier for infrastructure automation tasks that previously required dedicated integration work.
The CTERA Ansible Collection
For teams that prefer a declarative, agentless automation model, the CTERA Ansible Collection delivers an Infrastructure as Code (IaC) approach to managing file services. Ansible Collections package reusable roles, modules, and playbooks into a distributable unit, making it straightforward to incorporate CTERA management tasks into existing Ansible-based workflows.
The key benefit here is that operations staff can automate IT processes — such as deploying edge filers, configuring shares, or managing user quotas — without writing custom scripts or learning a proprietary API. Standard YAML-based playbooks describe the desired state, and Ansible handles the execution.
The CTERA Enterprise File Services Platform
Both tools sit on top of CTERA’s broader Enterprise File Services Platform, which is designed to replace legacy on-premises file storage (such as NAS appliances) with a cloud-powered global file system. Core architectural elements include:
- Edge filers: Physical or virtual appliances deployed at remote sites that provide local file access performance while synchronizing data to a central cloud back-end.
- Endpoint clients: Software clients that give individual remote users access to the same global namespace.
- Multi-cloud support: The platform can run against public or private cloud infrastructure, avoiding vendor lock-in at the storage layer.
This hybrid architecture enables centralized data governance and management while preserving edge performance — a common requirement for multinational organizations with latency-sensitive workloads.
Availability
At the time of publication (April 2020), both the CTERA DevOps SDK and the Ansible Collection were made available on GitHub under an open source license. Teams evaluating these tools should check the CTERA GitHub organization directly for current repository status, licensing terms, and compatibility information, as these details may have changed since the original announcement.
“CTERA stands ready to support enterprise DevOps and the critical role these teams will play in an increasingly distributed post-COVID-19 era. Our new offerings close the gap between centralized IT and remote users by enabling faster, agile deployment of storage services that drive user productivity and ensure business continuity.”
— Aron Brand, CTO, CTERA
Key Takeaways
- The CTERA Python SDK abstracts REST API complexity, enabling storage automation with minimal development overhead.
- The CTERA Ansible Collection supports an IaC approach for teams already using Ansible for infrastructure automation.
- Both tools target distributed enterprise environments with large numbers of edge locations and remote users.
- The platform supports multiple cloud providers, giving organizations flexibility in their storage back-end choices.
- Both tools were released as open source on GitHub as of April 2020.