Actifio Collaborates With IBM

Actifio, Inc., the Protection and Availability Storage (PAS) platform company, announced a collaboration with IBM Corp. to deliver new virtualized storage offerings that help service providers get their clients into the cloud.

According to market research firm IDC, public cloud services suppliers will drive 48 percent of all IT infrastructure hardware spending by 2015. However, to date, service providers and Value Added Resellers (VARs) have been unable to deliver on the promise of the economics of the cloud due to their use of traditional technologies and IT architectures that create silos of physical infrastructure and applications. By combining server, storage and data management virtualization technologies, with a purpose-built SLA-driven operational model, Actifio and IBM will be able to deliver solutions that break down the cost, complexity and operational barriers to cloud-based storage solutions.

Built around Actifio’s PAS platform and an array of IBM storage systems, the solutions will enable service providers to deliver multiple cloud services – including backup, disaster recovery, business continuity, and test and development – on a single virtualized platform while reducing capital expenses by up to 90 percent. VARs are now able to quickly deliver critical data management services at a compelling price point and an attractive cost structure.

"The combination of Actifio and IBM enables us to deliver a more robust set of cloud services to our customers," said Actifio customer and NaviSite, Inc. President R. Brooks Borcherding. "It allows us to deploy a more cost effective network, better manage our data, and deliver new self service enhancements. As a result, our customers gain increased visibility and management control over their cloud storage environments from NaviSite."

The Actifio solution can apply any combination of the following storage systems from IBM with its PAS platform: the System Storage DS3500 Express, Storwize V7000 virtualized storage system, XIV Storage System Gen3 high-end disk storage system, and the SAN Storage Volume Controller storage virtualization appliance powered by the IBM System x server.

"2012 is the year when the critical mass of technologies and market momentum comes together to deliver on the promise of the cloud. End-to-end virtualization of the IT stack delivered by the Actifio and IBM solution is key to transforming IT into a cloud service, private or public, delivered at an unprecedented low cost point," said Ash Ashutosh, Founder and CEO of Actifio. "With technology crossing the tipping point, VARs can become service providers and, along with existing service providers, deliver differentiated data management services quickly and cost-effectively, supported by IBM’s global delivery capabilities."

As a result of this collaboration, service providers can offer a range of cloud storage services cost-effectively to end-users while realizing  margins and improved SLAs associated with cloud applications.

"IBM is committed to helping our clients innovate and bring transformative technologies such as cloud to our clients to improve efficiency," said Andy Monshaw, General Manager, Global Business Partners, Mid Markets at IBM. "Today, we are expanding our offerings to support this momentum. Together with Actifio, we are delivering a comprehensive offering that will make it easier for VARs and service providers to quickly deploy cloud-based solutions and help them bring greater value to our joint clients."

The collaboration between IBM and Actifio comes at an opportune time for service providers, as well as VARs looking to become service providers, according to Steve Duplessie, Founder and Senior Analyst, Enterprise Strategy Group. "Service providers and VARs are at a critical crossroads in 2012 and 2013," said Duplessie. "They have to respond to the tide of user demand to transform IT into a service and drive down operational and capital costs. This next-generation solution brings a new wave of opportunity for the service providers to start delivering on this user demand and create a true value add."