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Microsoft Introduces Data Protection Server

Posted on: Monday, 20 September 2004, 06:00 CDT

CHICAGO, Sept. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today at the Storage Decisions 2004 conference, Microsoft Corp. announced it is entering the disk-based backup and recovery industry with Microsoft(R) Data Protection Server (DPS), a low-cost, continuous, disk-based backup and recovery solution. Designed to address the growing need for businesses of all sizes to easily recover data, Data Protection Server will simplify and reduce the backup and recovery process. DPS is designed to provide robust data protection for the Windows Server System(TM) family, reducing complexity and improving operational efficiency for Windows(R) customers. More than 20 storage industry partners today announced their support for Data Protection Server and their intent to work with Microsoft to provide customers with a broad choice of Windows-based storage solutions.

(Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO )

"Customers are telling us that backing up and recovering their data is labor-intensive and complex. Exponential growth of business-critical data and new government regulations are increasing the cost and complexity of backup and recovery, forcing companies to rethink their data protection planning," said Bob Muglia, senior vice president of the Windows Server(TM) Division at Microsoft. "Data Protection Server has garnered broad industry support because it will help customers of all sizes shrink their recovery time from hours to minutes and drive down the cost of maintaining storage infrastructures."

Partners Demonstrate Broad Support

More than 20 industry storage partners, including backup and recovery independent software vendors (ISVs), original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and independent hardware vendors (IHVs), have announced broad support for Data Protection Server. Building on DPS, they can offer increased flexibility, value and choice to Windows customers. Microsoft DPS partners include the following companies:

-- ISVs: CommVault Systems Inc., Computer Associates International Inc.,

Dantz Development Corp., LiveVault Corp., NSI Software Inc., Quest

Software Inc. and Yosemite Technologies Inc.

-- OEMs: Dell Inc., EMC Corp., Hitachi Data Systems Corp., HP, Iomega

Corp., NEC Corp., Quantum Corp. and Storage Technology Corp.

(StorageTek)

-- IHVs: Dot Hill Systems Corp., Engenio Information Technologies Inc.,

Intel Corporation, LeftHand Networks Inc., QLogic Corp., Seagate

Technology Inc. and Sun Microsystems Inc.

"The use of disk as a data-protection medium delivers significant improvements in recovery time and recovery-point objectives, and makes possible a continuum of data recovery options spanning backup and replication," said Alex Gorbansky, senior analyst at the Taneja Group. "We view Microsoft as an important enabler for bringing the benefits of disk-based data-protection technologies to the masses."

More About Microsoft Data Protection Server

Data Protection Server allows IT administrators to easily and affordably utilize existing Windows Server investments such as the Active Directory(R) service, Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and Microsoft Windows Storage Server 2003. Microsoft Data Protection Server provides three unique capabilities:

-- Rapid and reliable recovery through use of disk-based backup allows IT

administrators and end users to recover data in minutes instead of

hours.

-- Continuous, efficient protection allows data to be backed up without

impacting IT infrastructure.

-- Integration with tape through a backup interface under development that

is based on the Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) API included in

Windows Server 2003 will allow tape backup partners to address customer

needs for backup and recovery in Windows-based environments.

Availability

Currently available in a private beta version, Microsoft Data Protection Server is scheduled to be generally available in the second half of 2005. More information on Data Protection Server is available at http://www.microsoft.com/dps . Microsoft Data Protection Server is part of the Windows Server System.

About Windows Server System

Microsoft Windows Server System is a comprehensive family of server software providing the infrastructure for IT operations, application development, integration and information work. Built on the Windows Server operating system and designed with Common Engineering Criteria, Windows Server System is focused on making it easier for IT professionals to connect and manage their IT environments. Because Windows Server System products are integrated for enhanced manageability and security, they help organizations reduce complexity and lower costs. All Windows Server System products support open industry standards including those based on XML to promote interoperability with other platforms. More information on Windows Server System can be found online at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem .

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

NOTE: Microsoft, Windows Server System, Windows, Windows Server and Active Directory are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Data Protection Server

Quote Sheet

"CommVault welcomes and embraces Microsoft Data Protection Server (DPS) as an opportunity to provide our customers with faster, more reliable, continuous, disk-based backup and recovery. DPS is an important piece of a data management solution for our customers and their data life-cycle requirements. The combination of DPS and CommVault QiNetix will provide customers with the added insurance and performance of expanded disk-to-disk media support and the unified data management (archive, backup/recovery and migration) and protection."

Bob Hammer

CEO

CommVault Systems

"With Data Protection Server, Microsoft has again responded to customers' expanding data storage needs. CA's support for Data Protection Server will enable customers to maximize the benefits of DPS with seamless integration into the enterprise environment."

Anders Lofgren

Vice President of BrightStor Storage

Management

Computer Associates

"The combination of Microsoft Data Protection Server and Dantz Retrospect 6.5 for Windows is ideal for small and midsize businesses (SMBs). An SMB can back up servers with Microsoft DPS and utilize Retrospect to protect notebooks, desktops and 24x7 applications, and easily move the data to tape for secure offsite storage."

Don Chouinard

Director of Product Marketing

Dantz Development

"Customers are starting to take a hard look at disk-based backup and recovery due to new requirements to protect critical information. Microsoft's Data Protection Server will be a good fit for mid-sized customers looking to implement fast, continuous backup in addition to their tape-based strategies."

Praveen Asthana

Director of Worldwide Marketing,

Storage Business

Dell

"Dot Hill is pleased to support Microsoft Data Protection Server for disk- based backup and recovery. Our SANnet II SATA storage systems with integrated switchless SAN technology directly connect to multiple servers, providing an easily managed, cost-effective solution for the Windows environment."

Omar Barraza

Director of Marketing

Dot Hill

"As a long-standing provider of open software solutions, we are committed to working with Microsoft in providing complete data protection solutions for our joint customers. The combination of Microsoft Data Protection Server with EMC Legato NetWorker allows customers to fully take advantage of an existing Windows infrastructure, ensuring end-to-end protection of their data, whether it's archiving the data to tape or protecting the Data Protection Server itself. Legato NetWorker's technology leadership in enterprise information protection further strengthens Microsoft's ability to meet the growing needs and demands of its customers."

Rob Emsley

Director of Information Management

EMC Software

"When combined with Engenio's modular storage technologies, Microsoft's Data Protection Server provides a simplified and cost-effective data protection and recovery solution. Data protection, in all forms, continues to grow in importance to all organizations. The combination of Microsoft and Engenio technologies will enable customers to deploy innovative data protection solutions more effectively and in a more cost-effective way."

Flavio Santoni

Senior Vice President of Worldwide

Sales, Marketing and Customer Support

Engenio

"Hitachi Data Systems is very supportive of the release of Microsoft Data Protection Server. It will enable far more businesses to benefit from enterprise-like technologies that have previously been the exclusive preserve of big business. It will help to protect and recover data more simply and rapidly in the event of data corruption and reduce the overall cost of doing business. This is something Hitachi Data Systems has been helping enterprise businesses do for more than 25 years and will continue to do with Microsoft. Hitachi Data Systems firmly believes in bringing this kind of technology to all levels of businesses."

Steven J. TenBarge

Vice President, Infrastructure Product

Management

Hitachi Data Systems Corp.

"Rapid data volume growth and new and more stringent data retention requirements are adding to the complexity, time and cost associated with data backup. HP welcomes the opportunity to work together with Microsoft to address customers' data backup needs and provide customers with dependable, affordable, disk-based backup and recovery solutions that seamlessly integrate with industry-leading HP ProLiant servers and HP StorageWorks solutions supporting existing Windows infrastructures."

Frank Harbist

Vice President and General Manager,

Storage Software and Infrastructure

HP

"Our customers report that effective data protection and recovery today is more difficult and costly than they would like. Microsoft Data Protection Server and the Intel Xeon processor-based platform promises to provide a solid foundation for scalable, cost-effective data protection storage solutions."

Jeff Richardson

Director, Enterprise Platform

Solutions Division

Intel

"Microsoft Data Protection Server fits in well with Iomega's REV technology strategy to provide our customers with ever-increasing capacities for dependable disk-based backup and recovery solutions. We believe that the Data Protection Server will be an enabling technology for the next generation of robust backup appliances Iomega will deliver in 2005."

Wayne Arvidson

Director of Professional Storage

Services

Iomega

"We see strong demand for a disk-to-disk-to-tape solution in the midmarket, and an easy-to-use solution such as Microsoft's Data Protection Server is the right fit for the segment. Data Protection Server combined with LeftHand's iSCSI SAN will provide customers with a flexible and scalable solution to address unpredictable backup storage requirements using affordable, standards-based components."

Tom Major

Vice President of Marketing

LeftHand Networks

"Microsoft's entry into disk-based backup validates what industry analysts and companies like LiveVault have been saying for years: Tape backup is unreliable and burdensome and gives companies a false sense of security that their data is protected and restorable. Now companies can look to Microsoft for a disk-based solution that removes the daily headaches of tape-based backup, and look to LiveVault to make sure that their data is electronically and automatically stored off site, completely recoverable in case of disaster."

Bob Cramer

President and CEO

LiveVault

"We see a growing demand for disk-based backup solutions and believe that Microsoft's effort would provide customers with a new solution for easier backup and recovery. Together with NEC's high reliable and high-performance storage product, iStorage, NEC will continue to provide storage solutions that add value through our strategic alliance with Microsoft."

Yasuo Iwaoka

Executive General Manager, Computers

Software Operations Unit

NEC

"The introduction of Microsoft Data Protection Server is significant for data protection and NSI Software because DPS adoption will drive broader market understanding of the value of business data. Working with Microsoft, NSI is building upon the solid foundation DPS provides by using NSI technology to extend replication and failover solutions that increase high availability and recoverability for data-intensive organizations."

Don Beeler

CEO

NSI Software

"As a pioneer and market leader in providing disk-based enhanced backup systems that easily integrate with tape, Quantum is committed to providing customers with highly reliable backup, recovery and archive solutions that meet demanding requirements for data integrity and availability. We look forward to working with Microsoft to address customers' data protection challenges."

Lew Frauenfelder

Senior Vice President and General

Manager, Storage Devices Business Unit

Quantum

"Like Microsoft, Quest recognizes that efficient data management, backup and recovery are critical issues. Our Quest Consolidator complements Microsoft Data Protection Server by identifying the network files that should be stored there and keeping track of DPS capacity over time to ensure that available disk space is never an issue."

Aggie Haslup

Vice President, Product Management and

Marketing, Windows Management

Quest Software

"Seagate is recognized for delivering leading-edge innovation and reliability in its storage products. We believe the features Microsoft has built into this robust recovery product will enable our OEM customers to further exploit the advantages of our disk technologies in keeping data available. Seagate understands the opportunities that Microsoft Data Protection Server offers to enhance the capabilities of hard disk drives and our ability to deliver higher value to the industry and marketplace."

Steve Sicola

Vice President of the Advanced Storage

Architecture Group

Seagate

"At StorageTek, we see continuous data protection emerging as an important consideration for our customers. A backup and recovery solution that combines Microsoft Data Protection Server with StorageTek's tape, disk, networking and other information life-cycle management software is a significant step toward increasing the simplicity, reliability and recoverability associated with data protection, seamlessly integrating within a customer's existing Windows infrastructure."

Jon Benson

Vice President, Automated Tape

Solutions

StorageTek

"Backup today is time-intensive and complex. Ever-increasing business- critical data and new compliance regulations are requiring businesses to store more data, making the backup and recovery process even more important. This announcement illustrates that both Sun and Microsoft are working together across the Sun storage product portfolio, including the Sun StorEdge 6000 and 3000, to provide customers with a broad choice of innovative, low-cost and interoperable data protection solutions."

Rich Napolitano

Vice President, Storage Systems Group

Sun Microsystems

"As Microsoft Windows Server continues to grow as a dominant platform for business-critical, 24x7 applications, the need to protect and rapidly recover data in these environments grows too. With Yosemite's focus on the small to medium-sized enterprise (SME), Microsoft's Data Protection Server is a strategic cornerstone for us to deliver scalable, yet simplified data- protection solutions for the Microsoft SME customer."

Kevin Reinis

CEO

Yosemite Technologies

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGOAP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Microsoft Corp.

CONTACT: Kelly Perkins, +1-503-443-7000, or kellyp@wagged.com, or RapidResponse Team, +1-503-443-7070, or rrt@wagged.com, both of Waggener Edstrom,for Microsoft Corp.

Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/

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