Author: Abel Guzman

Categories
MPLS

How to get a MPLS line to China

What is MPLS?

MPLS ( “Multiprotocol Label Switching”) is a protocol to transfer data between specific physical locations, usually over a dedicated telecommunication network which is separated from the Internet.

More specifically, a physical fibber or copper will be installed to your required offices and plugged into your network to enable interconnectivity.

Why do companies need MPLS?

The advantage of this type of solution is a guarantee on performance compared to regular Internet service. The metrics measured for performance are latency, packet loss, bandwidth and uptime, and more defined service level can be guaranteed for specific applications.

MPLS is also much more secured as it is built on a separated infrastructure from the Internet.

Companies are usually using this service for critical applications that are centrally managed and accessed by all their branches worldwide. It could be ERP applications for manufacturing and retail industry, finance applications, and IT departments in any industry enforcing Remote Desktops or Citrix to access the company centralized resources.

These type of applications need a very high level of service to ensure the correct operations of the company at all time.

Case Study

Learn how Softnet solved one customers latency problem, where the customer was regularly experiencing a very unstable connection affecting their business communications and operations:

Why not just use Internet ?

Companies normally use VPN over Internet to enable interconnectivity between offices and exchange data securely at a much cheaper and in a more flexible way than MPLS.

Why not just keep using this solution ? In high developed countries, Internet has become so fast and stable it satisfies every industry.

Here are 4 points that MPLS not only makes sense, but is an only option for a stable connection: 

1. Remote areas

Some areas are simply too remote with too few people to justify the cost of a cable infrastructure for an Internet provider. A fiber solution is just not economical enough, so only 4G solutions are available.

2. International bandwidth cost

For some countries, it can be very costly for Internet providers to buy international bandwidth to access other Internet exchanges. The carrier would be forced to a practice called “overselling”: Piling many customers on a small a bandwidth pipe. For example, the provider would buy 100Mb/s of international bandwidth, and resell 10Mb/s bandwidth to 100 or 1000 of their customers.

3. Censorship

Some countries such as mainland China would also censor their Internet: block specific content, protocols (https or VPN).

4. Routing and latency

With Internet, it is also not possible to decide which way your traffic goes. Operators would probably route your traffic via their cheapest international link, which might not have the best latency for your application.

FIND OUT YOUR LATENCY

Interested to learn what latency you would get between your offices? Sign up for MPLS newsletter and receive latency report between 14 most common cities.

This report is provided by Softnet- our trusted MPLS partner between Europe and Asia

Who offers MPLS services :

MPLS services are offered by Telecommunication companies who own a fiber or copper network in a country. These companies usually partner with other carriers to cover any location globally.

There are also 2 Tier carriers, who build their own network over Tier 1 carriers network and resell services with additional values such as redundancy with different providers, wide coverage globally etc.

Who offers MPLS in Mainland China?

The telecommunications industry in China is dominated by three state-run businesses: China Telecom, China Unicom and China Mobile.

There are also Tier 2 privates carriers with license to operate and sell in China, none of them can be foreign owned and have to be 51% Chinese owned.

How to buy MPLS in China ?

MPLS services can be purchased in China from any carrier with license… but also overseas from any global carriers with agreements with one of the big 3.

1

1. Inquire your carrier of choice and specify your requirements :

  • Your office addresses/countries to interconnect
  •  Bandwidth required

2

The carrier will reply you with:

  •  A quote
  •  A SLA (latency, packet loss, uptime metrics)
  •  The type of technology they would use to access your network (Fiber, copper etc).
  •  The Installation time : It can take from 4 to 12 weeks to install in China- The contract : mostly 3 years contract

3

Review

  • Make sure of the exit and penalties in case the metrics are not respected.

​

The new regulation regarding VPN in mainland China

New regulation is first a hunt on local companies reselling VPN services to outside of China. These services are used to bypass the GFW and mostly sold to end users.

The regulation also focuses on Tier 2 companies using local resources to resell network services such as MPLS but don’t have any license. It is actually an enforcement on Tier 1 companies to require proper paperwork to all their local Tier 2 customers.

This regulation only concerns local companies and cannot impact any business/contracts outside of China.

Categories
Cloud in China

How to sync Dropbox with NiHao Cloud

How to Sync NiHao Cloud with other Clouds

This video tutorial shows you how to sync NiHao Cloud with other cloud storages like Dropbox, Google Drive or Microsoft Onedrive. Essentially, you can sync any folder or file that’s stored on your laptop or other cloud platforms to NiHao Cloud, and transfer it worry-free from and to Mainland China.

Team Package Users

We understand that you’ve grown accustomed to the existing cloud platforms, where most of your files are shared with the majority of your team members. However when it comes to file syncing with Mainland China, NiHao Cloud’s professional services come in handy.

NiHao Cloud allows you to update files on your preferred cloud platforms, and automatically syncing the changes with your China-based colleagues, partners, or clients on NiHao Cloud. Vise versa, whatever changes to the file China side has made will instantly show on documents stored on your preferred cloud platforms.

Get Your Team on NiHao Cloud

Sync Files with your Team and Clients in China

Individual Package Users

Individual package users are also able to sync files from other cloud platforms to NiHao Cloud. However different from team package users, who have access to all the updates in NiHao Cloud libraries, individual package users need to generate a download link of the up-to-date version file, and send it to colleagues, partners or clients within Mainland China.

Categories
NiHao Cloud

How NiHao Cloud Complies with GDPR

How NiHao Cloud Complies with GDPR 

Update: The latest updated version of this article is here on our new website.

​Disclaimer: This post does not serve as legal advice and should be considered only as guidelines in your GDPR or China cyber-security planning. You should work with your legal counsel to make the right decisions based on your business needs and circumstances.

​What is GDPR?

General Data Privacy Regulation, or GDPR, takes effect on May 25, 2018. The legislation will have a big impact on the way marketers approach their work and the way organizations obtain, store, manage or process the personal data of EU citizens. Even though NiHao Cloud stores its user data outside of the EU, the new law still applies to us, and thus our services comply with GDPR regulations.

How we keep your data safe

​Data security has always been the top priority for NiHao Cloud. When designing, deploying and maintaining our network, services and applications, we strive to offer solutions that meet the industry’s strictest privacy regulations. Here is how NiHao Cloud is compliant with GDPR:

1. Infrastructure:

We choose the biggest and most secure hosting partner AWS (Amazon Web Services) to setup NiHao Cloud platform. We ensure a maximum security of you personal data by utilizing AWS tools and services in areas that are applicable for NiHao Cloud. Your data is secured by AWS and their GDPR ready compliance certificates:Learn more on how Amazon AWS helps us conform GDPR:

2. NiHao Cloud Service:

NiHao Cloud only collects essential data to provide professional services for our users/customer. This includes users ID/name, email address, device type & IP. This data can be seen by every organization administrator, as required by GDPR.

When users delete their accounts from NiHao Cloud and unsubscribe from marketing mailing lists, NiHao Cloud does not keep email addresses for any further use.

3. List of Vendors

NiHao Cloud has carefully chosen 3rd party marketing and support vendors that comply with GDPR.

  • NiHao Cloud Website: NiHao Cloud website is built on Thrive Themes, a 3rd party web page building tool that is compliant with GDPR. Learn more on their website
  • NiHao Cloud Support & Chat: NiHao Cloud uses support & chat system provided by Zendesk. Learn more about how they abide by GDPR on their website :
  • NiHao Cloud Mailing Notifications: NiHao Cloud uses Drip to send important notifications regarding service and educational or promotional emails. Learn more on how Drip conforms GDPR via their website.

Recommended Resources

Below are a few links for you to assess your own company policies regarding general data collection:

Read the official guidelines here.

This Hubspot post is a good “in normal English” summary of what GDPR means for online marketing.

This post goes deeper into what compliance means under different scenarios, specifically for marketing automation.

Categories
NiHao Cloud

Why businesses choose NiHao Cloud to transfer files to China

Why Businesses Choose NiHao Cloud to Transfer Files from/to Mainland China

The existence of China’s Great Firewall and VPNs has become a globally well-known fact.

For a few international conglomerates with deep pockets, they can afford to drag MPLS lines all the way to China. However for the rest majority, this might not be optional.

International small & medium businesses that have Chinese partners or clients, which is inevitable these days, need a simple and easy solution to share files and collaborate.

In this article we want to demonstrate why businesses choose NiHao Cloud to solve their problems.

1. NiHao Cloud Works in Mainland China Without VPN

Thanks to NiHao Cloud’s engineering sorcery and its expertise in China IT, the services are accessible in mainland China without needing VPN service.

With loads of uncertainties of which VPN services are authorized to run or how long they will last, NiHao Cloud simply takes the high road of not involving itself in the VPN “drama” and not stepping on the government’s toes.

Our server is located close enough to China, but at the same time remote enough to grant global accesses. We focus on nurturing these routes and connections, which stand out from cloud providers in the market.

 

Try NiHao Cloud today

Sign Up Today and get 2 GB Free Storage

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NOW

 

2. Speedy File Access Worldwide

NiHao servers are located in Asia Pacific, meaning users within Asia and Australia have the fastest connection. However thanks to our infrastructure partner – AWS (Amazon Web Services), your files can travel fast enough to America and Europe. We are also planning to replicate content across the globe, so you may get instant access to the files from the nearest data center in the near future

3. Organized & Easy Way To Share Files

Sharing a download link to the file might be the easiest way for communication these days. Adding a password or expiration date to the link invites extra protection to sensitive information.

On top of link generating services, NiHao Cloud has three major functions to guarantee a smoother and more efficient file-sharing experience.

Shared Libraries

Imagine if you have a client in Mainland China and you have to constantly send them the latest  updates of work. You can simply create a shared library on NiHao Cloud with the clients, where the latest updates can be seen from both sides simultaneously. You can also categorize the files using sub-folders to create a neat virtual work space.

Groups

In addition to categorizing files using folders in “Library”, NiHao Cloud’s “Group” function also offers you the chance to categorize user groups.

 

You can create groups by office departments or a specific team and project, and invite members accordingly.

Libraries created within the group are accessible to all group members whenever needed.

The “Group” function greatly expedites office work flow, as it eliminates back and forth file sending, reduces traffic load in office and keeps all files synced orderly with all team members.

Sync with Other Clouds 

 

For those in the West who have grown accustomed to Dropbox or Google Drive, and for those in China who’s been using Baidu Cloud all along, NiHao Cloud offers its specialized cross-border file sharing solution, as a result of years’ study on how to improve communication from and to Mainland China.

Through only a couple clicks, NiHao Cloud instantly and automatically syncs with existing files stored on other cloud platforms, only this time you’re able to share them through the Wall smoothly.

4. File Locking

To avoid confusion cost in file updates, member of a certain library or group is able to lock the file while he/she is working on it. Unlocking it when he/she finishes allows other members to modify the file.

5. End to End Library Encryption

NiHao Cloud allows you to encrypt libraries of sensitive files. Other members will need to possess password to the library in order to access or modify the files.

6. Admin Panel & Data Security

Each group on NiHao Cloud platform has at least one admin to supervise all the libraries. And to combat any possible data loss, NiHao Cloud grants the admin a few rights:

  • Admin has right to recover deleted files.

Admin is able to see snapshots of all the files that have been modified or deleted. With a click of the button, admin can recover deleted files in no time.

  • Admin has right to set user status

Admin is able to limit a certain user’s access to “Read Only”, or even deactivate and delete a certain user.

7. Multiple Admins

 

NiHao Cloud allows you to allocate work and responsibilities by delivering administrator rights to other group member. There is no limit to the number of admins within a group.

8. Interface in 26 Languages

Language is step one in cross-border communication. Thus NiHao Cloud created its interface in 26 languages, including English and Mandarin, to make sure the user knows exactly which button to click on the platform.

9. Bilingual Help Center​

To assist users best apply all the powerful tools of NiHao Cloud, we provide written, video and online instructions in both English and Mandarin.

  • EnGLISH
  • CHinese

Summary 

NiHao Cloud is a simple yet powerful tool to share files all around the world. We are the expert when it comes to global collaboration involving colleagues or clients in Mainland China. NiHao offers enterprise file sharing solutions varying from small teams to big organizations.

Let us know what you think about this article in the comments below.

Still not convinced?

See what our customers have to say:

Join NiHao Cloud

No More Bricks in the Wall!

Categories
NiHao Cloud

How to share libraries, create groups & more on NiHao Pro

All you need to know quick guide to professional version of NiHao  

In this video you can quickly learn how to share libraries to other users,  create relevant groups and how manage user access rights. 

If you have any questions you can check out more on “All Admin needs to know” on our knowledge base. 

You can let us know what you think about this video or NiHao Cloud in the comments below. 

Categories
NiHao Cloud

We just launched Free version of Nihao

We just launched “Nihao”- Dropbox, Box & Wetransfer Alternative for China

Having troubles sending personal videos back home? 

Getting frustrated sharing large-size files with the team overseas? 

Feeling desperate with VPNs failing one after another?

Sign up for VPN free file transfer – it’s FREE. 

Who are we? 

German-made IBB China has been taking on IT challenges in China for more than 15 years. As VPN blockage in the country becomes increasingly problematic for international businesses, IBB is proud to launch its subsidiary company Nihao Cloud, with the brand-new VPN-free file-sharing services.

Categories
Great Firewall of China

How the Great Firewall of China works- all you need to know

How the Great Firewall of the Chinese Mainland works- all you need to know

UPDATE: This article is outdated. The new version is on our NEW website here.

In this article, I would like to explain how Chinese Mainland is controlling their Internet.

As I would call it, Chinese Mainland is running a “Mainland Intranet” which is protected by The Great Firewall of China (GFW).

Mini Office Firewall

We can compare this with your office or home where your router protects your computers. The router has local “Parental” like settings that gives access to the Internet but it also controls or blocks websites with possible harmful content. That’s how some companies block Facebook during office hours.

Bigger Router- Bigger Wall

The GFW works similar but on a much larger scale. Instead of just dealing with your small office, the GFW is filtering all the traffic going in and out of Chinese Mainland.

I will explain how Internet Traffic works in a short and simple way and no you don’t need to be a geek to understand it.

​

Understanding Internet Traffic Rules

So how does an actual E-Mail gets sent or received over the Internet? How can we browse websites or stream movies?

For the data to travel fast back and forth it has to follow Internet traffic rules. Using these rules all the data gets delivered in little IP packets. So lets imagine we want to look at a funny cat video on Youtube. We click to load the video, Youtube server dissembles that video into thousands of little packets and sends it to your laptop. Then these packets get reassembled back into a video again. This happens very fast.

All you need to know from this, that all Internet Traffic travels in little packets.

IP Address

So how did Youtube know where to send those little packets? On the Internet every destination: computer, website or cellphone has to have an IP Address to send and receive data on the Internet. Google for “my IP” and you can see your own IP address. IP addresses are a bunch of numbers because computers can then convert them into 1’s and 0’s but we need domain names so we can memorise it.

Otherwise, instead of nihaocloud.com, you would see 52.79.32.36. Not the most memorable web address right?

Whats is DNS?

For the “Internet” to understand those Domains names, we have Domain Name Service (DNS). DNS servers translate domain names back into an IP address that.

(nihaocloud.com → 13.124.52.38). There are thousands of those DNS Servers that translate Domain Names into IP Addresses.

OK, enough of dry and boring theory and back to how does the Great Firewall of China and how it works.

DNS Spoofing

The first and most efficient way to block websites is by DNS spoofing or “DNS Cache Poisoning”.

So let’s go back to our cat video. When we type youtube.com on the browser, DNS Server receives a request to check what youtube.com means and send you to the right IP address. This process happens to any Internet communication like web browsing etc.

Any DNS requests for websites outside of Chinese Mainland will be taken to a Deep Package Inspection (DPI) by the GFW. This means, that each little IP Package will be opened and checked for the content like a customs control.

If any pattern found in that Package matches unwanted content a bogus IP Address will be returned and the Website will not open …

Thats why if you are in China and try to reach Youtube.com you will receive this website:

VPN & Encrypted Traffic

Even though GFW knows that this traffic is encrypted but it can only can guess what is inside. Here lies the biggest opportunity to get the traffic across the GFW. Now GFW is UNCERTAIN, whether this is a simple Youtube access which can be blocked, or this is the most important connection for the financial transactions where by cutting this connection could cause huge damage to the economy.

 

UNCERTAINTY- that’s the biggest headache for the GFW.

The keyword here is “Collateral Damage” which could be caused by blocking encrypted packets. This Collateral Damage has to be kept to a minimum.

So what is the GFW is doing with this?

The keyword here is “Collateral Damage” which could be caused by blocking encrypted packets. This Collateral Damage has to be kept to a minimum.

As we can imagine the staff behind the GFW are not stupid and came up with an “Active Probing” mechanism. The GFW is now looking for the encrypted traffic and guessing the encryption / VPN Protocols.

Then a Probing Server at GFW takes encrypted packets and forwards the Package to the receiver then waits for the reply. From those replies, the GFW can decide what to do with that Package, drop it or let it go through.

So to sum it up the GFW is working in 2 ways:

 

DNS Poisoning

 

Active Probing

One more interesting thing to know is that different networks in Chinese Mainland are running through different filtering. While public Networks like China Unicom or Telecom have strongest filters, Networks for Universities (eg the CERNet – China Education and Research Network) is filtered less harshly.

We should keep in mind that the GFW is a very dynamic animal. It is always trying to find the optimal balance between Collateral Damage and efficiently blocking the Internet. So some Services can be blocked today, but not tomorrow and again blocked the day after.

Those who live in Chinese Mainland know that during big public events or holidays the GFW is controlling much tougher than usual. Also, the GFW is learning and being constantly developed and improved. So what we understand today might change tomorrow.

All we know can be found by research and testing but nobody will explain how it really works. I would also like to mention that this article is not only based on my own 20 year IT experience in Chinese Mainland but also on a Research, presented at the annual Conference of the CCC –Chaos Computer Club Hamburg.

So there will be always a battle between the GFW and VPN Providers and there will always be the problem of Collateral Damage and nobody wants to hurt the economy.

The GFW is well prepared and will always be. Also, do not forget that Chinese Mainland also has placed legal notices to fight this battle offline.

UPDATE: NiHao Cloud was interviewed by BBC Business daily, about China’s Internet Privacy Clampdown. You can listen to the full episode here.

Categories
Great Firewall of China

Now ISP cuts the Internet for using illegal VPN

Now ISP cuts the Internet for using illegal VPN

​In this video our CTO Niels brings to attention that more than few companies arround Shanghai lost their Internet connection due to use of illegal VPN’s. 

Categories
Cloud in China

China’s Public Cloud Crackdown is not Over. Update 2017

China’s public cloud crackdown is not over

Last May 2016 we tested the speed of China’s cloud providers before the big crackdown. We saw some big changes in China public cloud sector and decided to make an update. This time we got some help from daxue consulting– China market research leader to do a third party unbiased speed test. They offered us to conduct another speed test for all free cloud cloud providers in China, that do not require VPN. You can read their full guide to free Internet essentials in China, where they compared not only cloud, but also document sharing and email alternatives that work without VPN in China.

Infographics by Kevin Maher – Diatom

China’s Biggest Cloud Provider goes bust for porn, again.

​

6 Months ago Qihoo 360 Yun Pan got the best upload/download results within China and abroad and climbed all the way up to the ladder back in 2016 May, but recently it announced similar retreat message when couldn’t resolve security and legitimacy issues– illegal pornographic content on their servers.

Yun Pan 360 was offering 32TB per user for free!? Well we can only image what was happening on these servers and we can only wonder how much electricity China will save since these Tera-bytes of “exotic videos” will be wiped out. Maybe finally we get blue skies?

Instead, Yun Pan is going to concentrate to providing Cloud Services to businesses and most likely it will not recover back to public cloud service.

Cross Border Cloud to China

NiHao Cloud Share Files and collaborate with colleagues in China

Gradually cracking the rest

As predicted since last May 2016 many companies like 115 Cloud, Huawei’s D-bank, Kuai Pan, Vdisk from Weibo have already discontinued their free personal cloud services. Famous Wei-Yun from Tencent was able to hold up for extra 6 months, but as they state on their official website, will be shutting down in early 2017. Youdao cloud still appears on the list, but its not possible to use it anymore.

Seems like there will be only one feasible alternative left to China’s public to use Baidu Cloud. But surprise surprise, a new, free public cloud provider emerged that seems to be much faster than Baidu.

Infographics by Kevin Maher – Diatom

Cloud.le

​

Recently we have spotted a new Cloud Provider that we didn’t have in our previous table. According to daxue’s data cloud le downloads and uploads within China are just about the same like any other cloud provider, but what surprises us that from USA it takes only 1 min to download and 5 min to upload. Not too bad right? I know what you thinking: where is the catch? Bad news for old Yun Pan users: No videos are allowed to upload 🙁

IBB Cloud (NiHao Cloud) 

Since last May IBB I&C Technology have been receiving huge interest from many International SMBs for more secure business cloud solution. Many sign-ups and large number of customers triggered IBB to found a new and separate compnay- NiHao Cloud. 

Update: Today NiHao Cloud offers 2GB free storage and faster than before download/upload speed. You can sign up for free here

Categories
Cloud in China

3 Best IT Practices to Connect International Offices to China