i365, Inc., today announced a collaboration with Microsoft on development of a heterogeneous solution that will allow IT managers to extend Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM) 2010 across non-Microsoft platforms and into the cloud, using i365’s EVault data protection software and cloud-connected storage solutions infrastructure. The combined solution will be available in several configurations. The first configuration will include an appliance-based backup solution, powered by Seagate® technology, which is scheduled for delivery in first half of 2010 with the release to manufacturing of DPM 2010. This collaboration includes both technology and joint go-to-market components.

“System Center Data Protection Manager is seeing greater traction in the data protection and recovery software market as more companies standardize on it to protect their Windows-based environments,” said Laura DuBois, IDC's research director for Storage Software. “This partnership is a win-win for both companies, allowing Microsoft customers to benefit from i365's proven technology, expertise and cloud infrastructure to not only extend their data protection across non-Microsoft platforms but also into the cloud for offsite protection.”

A growing number of companies are adopting System Center Data Protection Manager as their standard for Windows backup and recovery. Yet many of these companies also run other operating systems and applications for part of their business and want a single solution that extends System Center Data Protection Manager to protect data from both Windows and non-Windows environments. This collaboration will give customers an integrated data protection environment for Windows file servers and applications, as well as other platforms and applications, such as UNIX, Linux, Novell Netware, VMware, IBM i, and Oracle. One integrated solution for all platforms enables IT teams to provide data protection and disaster recovery more efficiently and with less cost. The cloud option automatically brings the data offsite, ensuring business continuity even if a facility is damaged or destroyed.

“Our EVault technology is making cloud-based data protection an important part of disaster recovery initiatives for more customers every day, optimizing the efficiency, security, and flexibility of data transfer over the Internet. Through unique edge appliances, compression, and block level deduplication technology, we deliver the disaster recovery benefits of an offsite backup, without the costs of tapes or transfers of physical media,” said George Hoenig, vice president, product operations, at i365. “We are delighted to be able to offer these capabilities to the Microsoft customer base as a part of i365’s cloud connected strategy.”

The combined solution will also give customers the ability to protect DPM and other data in the cloud – an attractive complement to onsite backup and recovery. With immediate access to the i365 data protection cloud, DPM customers will benefit from a network of SAS 70 Type II certified, Tier 3 & 4 hosting facilities, WAN optimized backup and recovery, disaster recovery experts and processes, and a 12-year track record protecting data for over 22,000 customers across the globe.

“By working with i365, our customers will be able to extend the protection offered by System Center Data Protection Manager to both Windows infrastructure and applications, but also other platforms within the same environment,” said Vij Rajarajan, general manager, Management and Services Division at Microsoft Corp. “As a result, customers will be able to streamline the way they protect heterogeneous data, achieving more with fewer resources.”

Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager is a member of the Microsoft System Center family of management products, designed to help IT Professionals manage their Windows environment. DPM 2010 delivers unified data protection for Windows servers and clients as a best-of-breed backup and recovery solution from Microsoft, for Windows environments. DPM 2010 provides the best protection and most supportable restore scenarios for Windows environments to disk, tape and cloud -- in a scalable, reliable, manageable and cost-effective way.