Integration of Nimble Array With Simpana Snapshot Management

To provide enterprises more flexibility in protecting, managing and accessing
their data, CommVault Systems, Inc. and
Nimble Storage, Inc. are announcing
the integration of Nimble Storage CS-Series arrays with CommVault Simpana
snapshot management software as part of the CommVault IntelliSnap Connect
Program.

As an IntelliSnap Connect partner, Nimble Storage gains access to CommVault’s
snapshot management API’s to enable customers to extend their SAN investments
while accelerating backup and recovery performance, reducing operational
complexity and minimizing risk.

Together, IntelliSnap technology and CS-series
enterprise storage arrays provide data protection for enterprises, simplifying DR and eliminating the need for resource-intensive backups and
complex scripting. Simpana software allows
customers to recover data at a granular level such as individual files and
emails or entire applications.

The solution scales to support thousands of snapshots and integrates
application-aware protection and data deduplication for a range of hypervisors, OS and applications, including VMware, Microsoft Exchange,
SharePoint, SQL Server, Microsoft, Oracle, IBM and SAP databases and Windows,
Linux, and Unix file systems. Nimble Storage CS-Series improvements in
performance, efficiency and scalability also support longer retention periods
of months.

The combined offering is available.


IntelliSnap snapshot management replaces traditional backup and recovery traditional
backup methods are being replaced as customers demand better ways to protect
manage and access data in order to derive greater value from information.

Recent research from the Enterprise Strategy Group on Data Protection
Modernization Trends in 2012, revealed that over half (55%) of all respondents
will be enhancing or replacing traditional backup with a combination of
snapshots, replication or both, according to Jason Buffington, senior data
protection analyst.

CommVault anticipated these customer needs
and has built capabilities into its Simpana software platform that enable
customers to extend the value of existing hardware investments through industry
integration and innovation. From a single console, Simpana 9
manages hardware snapshots, catalogs the content for granular recovery, and
automates off-host, deduplicated snapshot backup to almost any storage device
or cloud storage service.

The IntelliSnap connect program is an open development program that enables
array vendors to help customers unlock and optimize their existing and future
SAN investments by enabling integrated hardware snapshot management. CommVault
provides the compatibility matrix for hardware snapshot
management without custom scripting or solution modifications and, since the
beginning of 2011, Simpana software’s IntelliSnap technology has supported nine
of the top ten best-selling storage arrays.

"As a result of our
IntelliSnap Connect Program, CommVault and Nimble Storage will make the
benefits of snapshot technology for backup and recovery more accessible and
practical for customers contending with too much data and too little time to
back up and recover it," said Jeff Echols, senior director of marketing
and business development, CommVault. "As
part of the IntelliSnap Connect Partner ecosystem, CommVault and Nimble
CS-series storage arrays provide seamless data protection for enterprises,
helping ensure their data is always available when they need it."

"Nimble’s highly efficient snapshots
have helped numerous customers circumvent the cost and complexity of dealing
with traditional backup. With the CommVault partnership, customers can leverage
the efficiency and performance of hardware based snapshots as well as benefit
from the rich management feature set of the Simpana software," said
Suresh Vasudevan, CEO of Nimble Storage.

"ESG’s research clearly
shows that IT is looking to change their strategies for data protection. With
an average of 86% backup success and only 80% of recoveries completing within
RTO/RPO SLA’s, folks have to change in order to get better results. For many,
supplementing traditional backup and recovery with snapshotting and replication
is the right approach," said Jason Buffington, senior data protection
analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group. "Considering
CommVault’s pedigree in application protection, along with its long-standing
experience of integrating with storage vendors, its introduction of the
IntelliSnap program and partnering with newer storage players looks like a
great fit for both sides."

"As a mutual customer of Nimble and
CommVault, we are very excited about the integration of Nimble snapshots with
CommVault’s IntelliSnap technology," said Matthew Anderson, IT
director for RPI Print. "This gives
us the ability to take frequent snapshot-based backups, and couple that with
the ease of use and management capabilities that IntelliSnap provides,
delivering a win-win."