A novel new use of cloud technology comes from a company called Nirvanix, which has beta'd new software that turns a standard 1 RU server into a multi-petabyte NAS device using the company's Storage Delivery Network.

The CloudNAS system attaches the local network to the cloud as Windows or Linux filers using standard network protocols. The company says that by removing the need to program to an API, the system offers a higher degree of flexibility than current cloud storage models, in that users can work with any application on the network and drag and drop files as if they were using a completely local NAS.

For admins, the system offers the ability to automatically configure storage accounts to multiple locations, removing the need for such time-consuming tasks as backup and data migration.

Bonus: The company claims its approach can deliver NAS services for about 20 percent of the total cost of ownership of a traditional system.