How do you know your data is okay? In our first blog post, we introduced ourselves to the world, described our journey, and mentioned the many problems plaguing the storage landscape today. We also shared our vision of a future where your work data is an asset rather than a burden.

But what are we doing to make this vision a reality?

At Banyan, we are developing a unified backup, storage, and sharing solution designed for large files to ensure that even when you’re dealing with massive quantities of data, your files are always protected against loss. In this post, we want to show how Banyan is accomplishing these bold ambitions to revolutionize the safety of file storage.

The Backbone of our Storage Solution

At the heart of our storage solution is a decentralized network of data centers called Filecoin. Think of it as like Airbnb, but for data.

Just as Airbnb connects people with spare space to travelers looking for a place to stay, Filecoin connects data centers with available storage capacity (known as Storage Providers or SPs) to people needing storage.

Filecoin has over 3,500 storage providers across 44 countries and boasts about 13 exabytes of available storage capacity. When you store with Banyan, we distribute your files to carefully vetted and monitored data centers owned and operated by distinct entities rather than a single central authority, ensuring there is no single point of failure.

Additionally, Filecoin has a built-in mechanism requiring storage providers to provide proof every 24 hours that the files are secure. We track these proofs, alongside information from our own monitoring system installed in each data center, so you don’t have to worry that your files are still secure. But in case you do want that extra piece of mind, Banyan users can review these proofs in our interface anytime to verify their files remain protected, unaltered, and will be available when needed.

Building on Filecoin Capabilities

We are adding additional features atop the Filecoin infrastructure to ensure the utmost protection of your data and to provide a comfortable storage experience:

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REDUNDANCY: Your files are copied to multiple providers to ensure that any issues with one provider will not affect your data — the others still have it covered.

ENCRYPTION: Your data is kept secure with our end-to-end encryption. It will be encrypted before leaving your device and can only be decrypted when you access it. No one can view your data, not even us or the storage providers.

SELF-HEALING: In monitoring Filecoin's proof mechanism, we are alerted within 24 hours of any storage issues with your files. In the rare case that a provider experiences difficulties, we promptly send another copy of any affected files to a new data center.

USER-FRIENDLINESS: Our goal is to create a user-friendly interface that feels familiar and makes accessing your files a breeze. We’ll also have tools to enable simpler, automated backups and integrations that plug into your existing workflows.

A Unique File Storage Solution

All these features create an integrated storage and sharing solution, offering complete confidence that your files will always be available when you need them. Through decentralization with Filecoin and our added features like redundancy, encryption, and self-healing, we create a seamless, secure storage experience.

This is just the starting point. At Banyan, we’re committed to listening to customers needs and continuously improving our product. We’re already working on future enhancements like novel sharing capabilities and integrations to enable a seamless transition from the services you’re already using with your files. You can rest easy knowing your data is safe and look forward to even more innovative features that align with the many ways you work with your data.

Ready for the Future of Storage?

If you are ready for complete peace of mind in storing your files, mark your calendars for our November 2023 launch and stay connected through our newsletter and social media.

If you are interested in helping us shape Banyan, sign up to join the beta test on our website! We would love to get your feedback and learn about how we can better integrate our storage with your everyday data workflows.