ANTenna Blog -- Storage

Yesterday, CTERA Networks launched its CloudPlug and C200 "cloud attached storage" devices, and today i365 debuted its EVault Offsite Replication Storage Service. Both offerings illustrate the trend toward combining onsite and cloud-based storage and backup into hybrid solutions for small and midsize companies.

Choosing between onsite and offsite storage backup can be difficult for SMBs who need fast access to their data as well as secure offsite back and recover, but are short on money and resources.

According to i365, A Seagate Company, the hybrid approach gives companies the benefits of offsite backup without forcing them to build and maintain their own data center.

The EVault Offsite Replication Storage Service mirrors onsite backups to the i365 Cloud.The company says the i365 Cloud comprises a "network of Tier III and IV SAS 70 Type II certified data centers" with "state-of-the art data-protection infrastructure."

The hybrid part comes in because in addition to a managed service, i365 also offers the service as a cloud extension of the customer's own internal infrastructure. That lets companies manage their remote storage themselves, even as it resides virtually within the i365 Cloud.

Offsite backup can run into bandwidth issues, but i365 says its EVault Software uses client-side quick file scanning, delta processing, and compression to make data transfers as efficient as possible.

Replicating data to the i365 Cloud takes just 3 steps, the company says:

1. Install EVault agents and Plug-Ins on each system to be protected


2. Work with the i365 team on initial setup


3. Replicate the vault to the i365 Cloud.

Not surprisingly, the EVault Offsite Replication Storage Service also integrates with other i365 Cloud services, such as EVault Remote Disaster Recovery Service.

More From bMighty:

• Slideshow -- 7 Backup Risks Your Business Can't Afford To Take -- And How To Avoid Them
• i365 Launches EVault "Plug-n-Protect" Appliance
Mid-Market Heroes -- 'Big Boy Technology' For Disaster Recovery Helps Snag New Business
• For Disaster Recovery, Size Matters -- And So Does Virtualization

CTERA Networks, meanwhile is a new company founded just last year to address cloud attached storage -- devices that combine shared storage, online backup, and folder synchronization. The CloudPlug and C200 are CTERA's first products, both designed to seamlessly combine fast, local network-attached storage (NAS) with always-available online backup via CTERA's Virtual Cloud Drive.

The CTERA C200 is a two-bay network storage appliance that includes automatic online backup. Both SATA drives in the RAID-capable C200 are hot-swappable, and the unit supports Gigabit Ethernet. Once installed, the C200 performs file sharing and folder synchronization across the local network, does automatic online backups and restores data snapshots, and offers secure remote access to files. The $499 C200 includes ayear of online backup.

The CTERA C200 offers bandwidth throttling,
backup sets, encryption, and multiple
restore options.

For smaller offices, the CTERA CloudPlug is a small plug-computing device that turns a USB or eSATA hard drive into a network-attached storage (NAS) device with integrated online backup -- all managed online. Powered by Marvell Sheeva technology, CloudPlug with 1 year of 10GB online backup service costs $199.

The small CTERA CloudPlug is for small offices.

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