Backup/recovery and archive specialist Quantum added specialized software for protecting data in virtual machines in its DXi and StorNext product lines when it acquired Pancetera Software on June 14.
The $12 million transaction comprised $8.4 million in cash and $3.6 million in Quantum common stock (approximately 1.2 million shares), Quantum said.
Keeping control of and protecting data running on virtual machines in a diversified IT system is a difficult chore, to say the least. Pancetera claims its software lowers both the complexity and cost of managing and protecting data in virtual server environments.
Virtual machines tend to multiple quickly over time–depending upon workload needs–and are often problematic to control. Thus, an increasing number of large enterprises are looking for more automated help in this area.
Server virtualization provides significant economic and flexibility benefits, primarily because fewer servers are needed to handle standard workloads. However, virtualization has created new problems connected to data storage; this includes both primary storage and backup systems.
Virtual machines contain large amounts of redundant data, and most backup applications store this data many times over, which can lead to a huge waste of storage and server resources. This lengthens backup windows and consumes unnecessary network bandwidth and power from the walls.
Quantum’s deduplication feature will work with Pancetera’s data management software to save only necessary files and blocks and make them immediately available to any user in the system when needed.
Pancetera is already compatible with Quantum’s DXi disk backup and deduplication products. Quantum said it plans to further integrate the technology into its longer-term roadmaps for both DXi and its StorNext high-performance file sharing and archive products.