Recognized on CRN’s 2026 Storage 100 for AI-Ready CloudFS Platform and Channel-led Growth Strategy
News Summary:
- Panzura has been named one of CRN’s “50 Coolest Software-Defined Storage Vendors” as part of the 2026 Storage 100, recognizing the company’s CloudFS platform for delivering continuous innovations in enterprise-grade hybrid cloud file services.
- Recent CloudFS innovations, including Adaptive Snapshot Retention, Prewarm Provisioning, and AI-powered UBI deliver the performance, governance, and resilience that agentic AI workloads demand while empowering the cloud administrator for reduced support calls.
- With hybrid cloud file services emerging as foundational infrastructure for AI-driven enterprises, Panzura is deepening its IT channel commitment in 2026, equipping solution providers with the enablement, certifications, and co-selling resources to capture growing partner-led demand.
SAN FRANCISCO — April 23, 2026 — Panzura has been named one of the “50 Coolest Software-Defined Storage Vendors” as part of CRN®’s 2026 Storage 100, a recognition by The Channel Company that honors the vendors bringing software capabilities, services, and cloud connectivity to storage technology. This marks the seventh consecutive year that Panzura has been included among the Storage 100.
Panzura’s selection highlights recent innovations to the Panzura CloudFS hybrid cloud file services platform, including providing a foundation for agentic AI by making project metadata and version history accessible without requiring separate data lakes or costly rip-and-replace migrations.
The CRN 2026 Storage 100 list spotlights companies advancing innovation, delivering cutting-edge technology, and supporting high-impact strategic partnerships. As part of the Storage 100, CRN recognizes the 50 Coolest Software-Defined Storage Vendors for their advanced software capabilities, seamless cloud integration, and leadership in storage services.
“Every Panzura CloudFS innovation is built with partner delivery and services in mind. This recognition from CRN reflects what CloudFS delivers in the real world — one authoritative source of project data that ties together every document, insight, and decision, giving our customers complete confidence in the most valuable data assets. Our IT channel partners are how that promise reaches enterprises worldwide, and our investment in their success is inseparable from our own,” said Karthik Ramamurthy, CEO, Panzura.
CloudFS delivers a unified namespace that eliminates legacy data silos and reduces infrastructure costs across global offices with real-time collaboration and global file locking that eliminates version conflicts. The platform brings together integrated data governance, data loss protection and recovery, and AI-enabled project intelligence, all from a single platform.
Panzura’s recent CloudFS releases, culminating in CloudFS 8.7, reflect a sustained investment in making the platform ready for the AI enterprise. Adaptive Snapshot Retention introduces node-specific snapshot policies that reduce global metadata overhead and align data gravity with operational responsibility, lowering infrastructure costs as deployments scale. Prewarm Provisioning ensures teams arrive at new locations with their full dataset ready on day one, while File Lock Release empowers the cloud administrator, giving them the ability to resolve file-access bottlenecks in minutes rather than hours. Together, these advances deliver the architectural performance, governance, and operational control that agentic AI workloads demand at scale.
CloudFS now integrates AI-powered User Behavior Intelligence (UBI) with profile visualization to detect anomalies and protect sensitive data before incidents occur, with security logs syncing directly to SIEMs including Splunk Cloud. CloudFS also holds FIPS 140-3 certification, validating its encryption and key management to the highest federal standards.
Panzura remains committed to the success of its IT channel partners, treating every advance in CloudFS as a growth opportunity for the solution providers who bring it to market. Panzura is investing in deeper partner enablement, technical certifications, and co-selling resources to help partners build durable practices around hybrid cloud file services, particularly in verticals where AI readiness, data governance, and unstructured data growth are driving new enterprise budget. As demand for AI-ready file services accelerates, Panzura’s channel strategy is designed to help partners lead the conversation, not follow it.
“We’re proud to recognize the companies on this year’s Storage 100 for their deep commitment to partnering with the channel to deliver truly transformative storage solutions. These vendors continue to push meaningful innovation in storage while evolving partner strategies that drive success across the entire channel ecosystem,” said Jennifer Follett, Vice President, U.S. Content, Executive Editor at CRN, The Channel Company.
The complete 2026 CRN Storage 100 list is available at crn.com/storage100.
About Panzura
Panzura empowers modern enterprises to unlock the full potential of their unstructured data, aligning it with strategic business goals. Our solutions ensure data visibility, accessibility, and control, seamlessly preparing organizations for a digitally transformed, AI-driven future. With Panzura, organizations can enhance data resilience, optimize costs, and deliver data instantly to users and processes – anywhere, anytime. Discover how Panzura can drive your success at panzura.com.
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