History 2005: Overland Software into D2D-Backup Multiple Sites

It hasn’t been easy for Overland Storage in its efforts to leave backup on tape and diversify towards D2D backup software.

There’s still the sensitivity of OEMs to deal with, especially HP, which is not eager to see its vendor become a competitor, not to mention the touchiness of backup software companies (Veritas, Legato, etc), privileged partners with which Overland must get along if it wants them to continue to write drivers for its tape automation products.

Take the example of the new Multi-SitePAC software recently put on the market, particularly indicative of Overland’s tricky positioning. This software can be installed on REO D2D backup appliances only, and no other appliance or backup devices – nor on any server – which has the advantage at least of making it independent of existing backup software. This solution mirrors backup data on disks in virtual tape format, but also replicates their catalog from remote sites to a central REO for consolidation and archiving on disks or tapes. Because the data reside in 2 places, Multi-SitePAC ensures BC enabling near instantaneous recovery from either the remote or the central appliance.

Before data are transferred using the iSCSI protocol, they are compressed (but not encrypted} for faster transmission. Thus it’s no longer necessary to manually transfer tape cartridges, for a significant gain in time, even if we also expected additional snapshot and replication functions.

“We are careful with our customers and OEMs,” explains Overland VP and CSO Michael Kerman.

The new software can only manage Overland’s REO, nearly 400 units of which the company has shipped for total sales of close to $3 million. Multi-SitePAC is priced at $1,395, $1,995 and $2,995 for the REO 1000, 4000 or 9000 units respectively, from 750GB to 8TB depending on the models.

Three year maintenance contracts run $599, $899 and $1,349, respectively.

This article is an abstract of news published on issue 206 on March 2005 from the former paper version of Computer Data Storage Newsletter.