CommVault counts on snapshot management for data protection

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "CommVault counts on snapshot management for data protection"

Wendy Haynes
6 years ago
Views:

1 CommVault counts on snapshot management for data protection Analyst: Dave Simpson 29 Oct, 2012 Taking advantage of the trend toward increased use of array-based snapshots and replication for data protection and disaster recovery, CommVault recently expanded its IntelliSnap Connect Program, adding new partners Fujitsu and Nimble Storage to its existing roster of Dell, EMC, HP, Hitachi Data Systems, IBM and OEM partner NetApp. In a related product announcement, the company launched its IntelliSnap Recovery Manager software for application-aware snapshot management of heterogeneous disk arrays. The 451 Take The increased use of array-based snapshots and replication in end users' data protection strategies is a trend that has been picking up steadily and quietly over the past couple of years. Used with or without traditional backup software, we think that this is a significant trend, and that CommVault is out in front of it (although other data protection vendors, such as Symantec and Asigra, are also making moves in this direction). CommVault's progress in snapshot management should enable the company to maintain its reputation for innovation in a data protection market that is veering more toward commodification than innovation. Context Based on data from an end-user study conducted by TheInfoPro, a service of 451 Research, enterprises are increasingly leveraging snapshots and replication as key elements of their data protection programs. In relatively rare instances, IT organizations rely solely on snapshots and replication; more often, however, they are increasingly combining disk-array-based snapshots and Copyright The 451 Group 1

2 replication with traditional disk- and tape-based backup/recovery software. Copyright The 451 Group 2

3 At least among large enterprises (those that use expensive array-based snapshots and replication), we see this is a key trend in the data protection space. However, we note that this trend has gone somewhat unnoticed because few vendors are vocal about using snapshots and replication as backup applications. Exceptions here include CommVault and its OEM partner NetApp, which have for the last couple of years been espousing the advantages of using snapshots and replication. Those advantages include better recovery time objectives (RTO) and recovery point objectives (RPO), and the related advantages of high-speed and granular recovery of data in both physical and virtual environments. Until recently, managing snapshots has typically meant relying on tools from the disk array vendors. However, those tools can be expensive, and they often require scripting by end users; they are not application-aware and are limited to the arrays from the tool vendors (in other words, they cannot be used across heterogeneous array environments, which leads to increased cost and complexity). Among array vendors, NetApp has been the most vocal proponent of using snapshots and replication for data protection. In 2011, NetApp inked an OEM agreement with long-time partner CommVault, under which the companies have integrated elements of CommVault's Simpana software with NetApp arrays and software (snapshots and replication). This, in turn, led to NetApp's Copyright The 451 Group 3

4 SnapProtect product and CommVault's renaming of its technology from SnapProtect to IntelliSnap. Meanwhile, CommVault launched the IntelliSnap Connect Program for its array vendor partners and, more recently, launched its IntelliSnap Recovery Manager software. Products and Partners CommVault's original IntelliSnap partners included all of the leading disk array vendors (and virtually all of their arrays, with the exception of EMC's Isilon and Dell's LeftHand arrays), including Dell, EMC, HP, Hitachi Data Systems (HDS), IBM and NetApp (all of which, with the exception of NetApp and HDS, compete with CommVault in the data protection arena). More recently, CommVault added Fujitsu (its ETERNUS product line) and startup Nimble Storage to its IntelliSnap Connect Program. In most cases (including the big five array vendors), CommVault develops the code that integrates its IntelliSnap software with the hardware vendors' arrays. It does this by integrating array vendor APIs into its software to execute snapshot and clone calls, indexing, re-syncs, mounts, dismounts, and other snapshot management functions. In other cases, such as with Nimble Storage, CommVault supplies APIs and SDKs that enable the array vendor to do the integration work. (In the case of Nimble, the integration work took about six months.) We expect CommVault to add other array vendors to its IntelliSnap Connect Program over the next several months. In related product news, CommVault recently released its Simpana IntelliSnap Recovery Manager (IRM) software, a snapshot management tool that works across arrays from all of the vendors in the IntelliSnap program. IntelliSnap Recovery Manager is a stand-alone product (i.e., sold separately from CommVault's flagship Simpana platform) that is priced at $10,000 MSRP for up to 25 physical servers, regardless of capacity. However, it's clear that CommVault's endgame here is to get users to upgrade to its full Simpana suite after they use IRM, in order to gain backup, archiving, e-discovery, data de-duplication, replication and reporting/analytics functionality, as well as support for additional applications, such as SAP, DB2 and Oracle databases. IRM alone supports Microsoft Exchange, SQL Server and SharePoint, as well as VMware and Windows platforms. IntelliSnap Recovery Manager is designed to replace vendor-specific point products and to provide a single means of managing snapshots across heterogeneous arrays, as well as to eliminate the need for users to write scripts. IRM will be sold primarily through CommVault's channel partners, as well as through VARs that sell disk arrays from CommVault's IntelliSnap partners (most notably, NetApp and HDS). Copyright The 451 Group 4

5 Via snapshot indexing and cataloging, IRM enables full system restores or granular (files, messages, application data) search and restore. Prior to IRM, CommVault had recovery mechanisms for snapshots, but it required users to buy Simpana. With the release of IRM, IT organizations can continue to use their existing backup software (i.e., they do not have to buy Simpana to use IRM). Competition As we have noted in our previous reports on CommVault, the company competes primarily with established backup/recovery vendors such as Symantec, IBM, EMC, HP and Dell (because of Dell's acquisitions of AppAssure and Quest Software, although Dell continues to resell CommVault's Simpana). In virtual-only environments, CommVault goes up against vendors such as Veeam Software. As mentioned previously, no other data protection vendor comes close to the breadth of array support that CommVault has with its snapshot management software. The closest competitor (other than, perhaps, the disk array vendors that have homogeneous snapshot management tools) is Symantec, which introduced array-based snapshot and replication management in the 7.5 version of its NetBackup software early this year. However, Symantec's Replication Director is currently limited to NetApp's arrays and snapshot and replication software (although support for other vendors' arrays is coming in the 7.6 release of NetBackup in 2013). SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses CommVault's snapshot management software supports virtually all of the leading disk arrays, giving it a clear-cut advantage over competitors that support only one vendor's arrays. Symantec has a much larger installed base than CommVault, and could provide competition in snapshot management in Opportunities Threats As the use of snapshots and replication filters down to SMBs, it will enable CommVault and its channel partners to target a new set of customers for its IntelliSnap Recovery Manager software. CommVault's primary competitor Symantec is expected to announce support for more vendors' arrays (beyond NetApp) in the next release of its NetBackup software. Copyright The 451 Group 5

6 Reproduced by permission of The 451 Group; This report was originally published within 451 Research s Market Insight Service. For additional information on 451 Research or to apply for trial access, go to: Copyright The 451 Group 6

Commvault Snapshot Management Technology: Capabilities and Benefits

Commvault Snapshot Management Technology: Capabilities and Benefits Enterprises today increasingly turn to array-based snapshots and replication to augment or replace legacy data protection solutions.