The realization is starting to set in. Small and midsize businesses (SMBs) acknowledge that using VMware they can consolidate their server infrastructures, optimize their hardware resources and expedite the deployment of new applications. But putting in place solutions that virtualize, protect and manage this burgeoning infrastructure is anything but a straight forward exercise. If is for this reason that CommVault is introducing a new reference architecture and VMware channel program to help SMBs accelerate and simplify the backup, management and recovery of data even as they deploy VMware in their environments.
The adoption rate of server virtualization by SMBs continues its upward trajectory. According to Gartner in 2009 only about 28% of SMBs had adopted server virtualization but by 2012 that percentage should flip-flop with 75% of SMBs expected to have adopted server virtualization.
Being a little more than halfway through 2011 it is logical to conclude that the number of SMBs is somewhere in the middle of that journey with approximately 50% having deployed server virtualization and using it daily. It is as this shift occurs that they are coming to the realization that not only is the traditional way of doing backup changing but that VMware creates an entire new paradigm as to how they should architect their infrastructure.
For example, here are just some of the new data management and protection challenges that VMware creates:
- More data to backup. VMware makes it easier to create and host more virtual machines (VMs) on a single server. These additional VMs mean more data to backup.
- Fewer physical server resources to dedicate to backup. Putting more VMs on a single physical machine creates more pressure to complete backups faster while at the same time using less server resources.
- More backup options. Backup software providers have not been standing still as SMB adoption rates for VMware have accelerated. But there are now so many options to protect their virtual environment, how does an SMB know it is getting the right solution for their environment and, if they implement it, will it scale across their environment?
It is for these reasons that CommVault today announces its new VMware channel-enablement program. The foundation of the program is based on the CommVault® Simpana® software which includes all of Simpana’s features (archiving, backup, data management, recover, search, SnapProtect(TM), deduplication) that SMBs are likely to need.
To make Simpana attractive to SMBs, CommVault is including all of these features for $25,000. This price covers 3 TBs of data on primary storage with the option for SMBs to extend the license to manage and protect additional data at $7,000 per TB.
Since this program is targeted at SMBs, the Simpana license only supports Windows and Linux out of the box. However it does include the option to economically add in some specific features an SMB may need (such as support for a UNIX OS or specific database) and a roadmap to upgrade to the full featured version of Simpana should that ever be a requirement.
The impetus behind the VMware channel focus program is that CommVault recognizes that just offering its Simpana software with all of its features at this price point is still insufficient. If SMBs really want to take advantage of all of the options that Simpana software provides for backup, data management and recovery in virtual environments, they need an infrastructure in place that works with Simpana.
This is where CommVault’s new VMware channel focus program comes into play. SMBs are more apt to take advantage of all of Simpana’s capabilities if they already have an infrastructure in place that is supported by Simpana. Further, since many SMBs are putting in place new infrastructures (storage specifically) to support their new VMware deployments, now is an ideal time for CommVault to partner with storage providers.
It is as SMBs deploy new storage systems they can simultaneously implement a data management and protection solution that can take advantage of advanced features such as snapshots that these storage systems offer.
Out of the gate the VMware channel program provides a reference architecture that illustrates how CommVault is deployed as part of a larger server and storage deployment for a VMware environment. This architecture provides much needed guidance to SMBs as to how to configure their newly virtualized environment so it does more than support than newly virtualized applications but also puts SMBs in a position where they can manage, protect and recover them day 1.
It should also be noted that SMBs are not the only ones who can benefit from this new reference architecture that CommVault is now offering for VMware channel partners. CommVault has been thinking about the challenges of deploying scalable virtual infrastructure solutions for the enterprise with reference architectures for this space as well. For this market segment CommVault has developed its VIRAL program (VMware Reference Achitecture Leaders) which you can read more about in more detail in a CommVault blog entry.
SMBs realize that going forward they need to virtualize their environment. But they are also coming to the realization that they need to manage, protect and recover the data they put into that environment and that the right time to implement that data management and protection strategy is the same time that they put their new virtual infrastructure in place. This new CommVault VMware channel focus program gives them the ability and confidence to do so at a price that is within their means.