Data protection and big data management specialist Quantum announced a software platform to help businesses employ cloud-based data. The new platform is centered on Quantum vmPro technology and its new virtual deduplication appliance, DXi V1000.
The all-virtual platform serves as a component of Xerox’s recently announced cloud backup and disaster recovery services. It is also the basis of a multifaceted plan to make the benefits of Quantum’s cloud-optimized technology available through other public and private cloud services this year, including new Quantum-branded offerings.
Quantum’s approach is based on the fact that most customers continue to use both disk and tape for data protection, have a mix of physical and virtual servers and are more comfortable with a hybrid cloud strategy. The DXi V1000 provides the full functionality of Quantum’s DXi-Series deduplication appliances in 100 percent virtual machine-based software. The DXi V1000 is available starting next month at a price of $2,250 per terabyte.
“When we sought a design for an efficient, flexible and optimized cloud backup and DR service beyond the enterprise, we looked for a platform that would be simple to deploy, provide best-in-class protection and balance affordability with fast recovery time,” said Ken Stephens, senior vice president of Xerox Cloud Services. “Quantum’s products met this level of sophistication, which we are able to offer as part of our cloud suite of services.”
The technology’s extensible architecture is designed for data protection use cases beyond public clouds, including regional edge-to-core replication to a physical DXi appliance and small site-to-site disaster recovery. Other features include a virtual appliance-based backup design that eliminates agents and extra servers, the ability to replicate to any DXi-Series appliance, cloud protection service or tape, a design that integrates with backup software in existing environments and data protection for both physical and virtual servers, typically 20TB to 40TB per DXi V1000.
In the next year, Quantum plans to market its cloud-based data protection to a broader range of customers. These plans will include offering Quantum’s technology platform to other public cloud providers, selling its own branded cloud services, packaging a solution for its channel partners to sell under their own brands, providing a technology blueprint for private/hybrid cloud customers and developing technology optimized for cloud-based archives.
“Over the past year, Quantum has done an impressive job extending its data protection leadership from physical to virtual environments, including cloud-based solutions,” said Jason Buffington, senior analyst with IT research firm Enterprise Strategy Group. “The combination of vmPRO and new DXi V1000 software in a highly efficient and integrated platform opens up new solution possibilities, not only for customers looking to innovate differently but also for cloud providers who are ready to offer new storage services to their clientele.”