Vendors attempt to crack SME market with joint end-to-end backup offering

CommVault and Network Appliance (NetApps) have joined forces in an attempt to crack the SME market with a joint end-to-end backup offering.

The vendors have signed an agreement to deliver CommVault’s Galaxy Express Backup and Recovery software with NetApps’ StoreVault S500 all-in-one network storage appliance.

Sajai Krishnan, general manager of StoreVault, said in a statement: “Providing our SME customers with a backup solution that includes critical network data management protocol support will deliver tremendous added value for both SME customers and our channel partners.”

Both vendors have claimed that the product partnership will improve the backup processes for cost-sensitive SMEs and allow them to backup data in an assortment of network storage environments that consist of multiple operating systems, protocols and networks.

CommVault has also claimed that SMEs will be able to expand their backup systems as their businesses grow. A licence key will allow users to access enterprise-level protection from CommVault’s Galaxy Backup and Recovery technology.

Annie Rickard, marketing manager at VAR 2e2, told CRN that the package’s price is important.

“2e2 already has partnerships with NetApps and CommVault,” she said. “We use their ranges in many of our solutions. This package may be of interest to our customers, but it depends on the pricing levels.”

The partnership also comes hot on the heels of NetApps’ recent announcement that it intends to gain market share at the expense of rivals EMC and Hewlett-Packard (CRN, 18 May).

Two years ago, CommVault announced plans to expand its reseller base by partnering with VARs that specialise only in data management, following the release of its Java-based browser suite, QiNetix (CRN, 15 November 2004).