Scalable-storage and data-security company Imation Corp. (NYSE: IMN) introduced purpose-built backup appliances designed to enable small and midsized businesses (SMBs) to safeguard their information with multiple levels of data protection from a single backup infrastructure. The DataGuard Model R4 and Model T5R appliances use hard drives, removable RDX disk cartridges, replication and cloud storage to deliver data protection for budget-conscious businesses. The appliances are available through Imations network of channel partners.
Using DataGuard R4 or T5R appliances, SMBs can replicate data to a second DataGuard appliance at another site or to store off-site on RDX removable disks. DataGuard appliances also integrate with existing backup and disaster recovery infrastructure, including most backup applications. In addition, onsite copies are designed to enable fast full restores to meet recovery-time objectives and off-site copies help ensure quick disaster recovery.
Imations DataGuard appliances are at the forefront of addressing the major concerns that SMBs have about protecting their data, said Jerome Wendt, lead analyst and president at storage analyst and consulting firm DCIG. By enabling users to take full advantage of the backup infrastructure they currently have in place, Imation provides a media-agnostic solution for users to solve their backup challenges of today while acting as a bridge to protecting and storing their data in the cloud tomorrow.
DataGuard R4 and T5R appliances are compatible with many cloud-storage APIs, including those from Amazon S3, Dropbox and OpenStack-based cloud providers. Once a cloud backup is seeded by shuttling RDX cartridges, DataGuard supports remote backups, and SMBs can automate protection since data backup to cloud storage is performed without any human intervention once it is initially configured.
Cloud is very compelling, but the initial data transfer to a cloud service encounters very real limitationslarge amounts of data and limited bandwidth, said Ian Williams, vice president of global marketing and product management at Imation. This initial transferknown as cloud seedingcan take weeks over an Internet connection, depending on the data footprint. Imations DataGuard appliances eliminate this issue, as customers can physically transport an RDX cartridge to a cloud provider for initial seeding, and integrated software manages periodic checks to ensure the cloud backup is current.
Many SMBs are intrigued by cloud computing and understand the cost and operational efficiencies that cloud storage can deliver, but struggle to incorporate cloud into their existing backup infrastructure, said Bill Schilling, director, scalable storage marketing, Imation. Imations DataGuard solution offers a gateway to the cloud, enabling SMBs to easily protect their valuable data.
The company also recently launched Imation LTO Tape Libraries and also provides Imation InfiniVault multi-tiered data-archive appliances and Imation RDX removable hard-disk storage.