The cloud offers an enterprise a number of possibilities for backing up data to multiple sites.
Veeam Software, which will shortly launch version 8 of its Availability Suite of data recovery and backup applications for service providers and enterprises, said the new edition will include a capability called Cloud Connect that gives service providers a way to offer customers to directly offer secure backup to an offsite repository.
One of those planning to take advantage of it is Kelowna, B.C.-based RackForce Network Inc., with cloud hosting data centres in that city, Calgary, Toronto and Barrie, Ont. It has been using Veeam for backing up between data centres, CEO Tim Dufour said in an interview. When the new suite is available Veeam customers can back up their data to the RackForce.
While most of the company’s customers are Canadian-based, he sees the capability appealing also to some of the thousands of Veeam customers in the U.S. who want the extra security of backing up data outside the country.
“It could be very significant for us,” he said.
Veeam CEO Ratmir Timashev said Cloud Connect “enables IT to fulfill the offsite requirement without having to invest in offsite infrastructure or management, and presents new opportunities for service providers and Veeam resellers to build recurring revenue, offer additional services and establish relationships with new customers.”
Backups are sent through a secure SSL connection and end to end encryption.
A single server is needed by service providers for setup, the company said, and takes less than 10 minutes.Instead of an up-front perpetual license, service providers will pay monthly per VM licensing. Veeam customers can search for and contact nearby service providers through an integrated Web portal in the suite.
For service provider, Cloud Connect virtualizes all traffic through a single port. Customers and repositories can be managed through single console. Storage can be allocated for each customer. Cloud Connect can also scale through multiple gateways.