Quantum is aiming to make it significantly easier for channel partners to offer a backup service in the cloud powered by the company’s data protection software.
Quantum’s backup-as-a-service managed service provider (MSP) program includes an online marketing kit designed to help Quantum channel partners promote their service. And partners have the option of reselling the service under the Quantum brand.
“We really want to make it easier for partners to brand their own services,” said Eric Bassier, marketing director for Quantum Data Protection.
This approach creates an ideal platform for channel partners to remotely manage the backup and recovery process without having to necessarily send technicians to set up and configure a system, Bassier said. Instead, all they have to do is remotely install Quantum’s virtual appliance software on top of a virtual machine running on an existing server.
That approach, said Bassier, substantially reduces the amount of capital that channel partners need to put in place to support a managed backup service.
One unique attribute of the program for the channel is that Quantum is charging partners a virtual appliance licensing fee of 6 cents per gigabyte per month.
“We think service providers can charge as much as 25 cents per gigabyte per month,” Bassier said. “We think that leaves a lot of margin for the partner.
With more organizations than ever, especially in the coming era of big data, starting to rely on the cloud to back up data, Quantum executives believe that providing this service will help create new opportunities for the channel to deliver managed services.
Michael Vizard has been covering IT issues in the enterprise for 25 years as an editor and columnist for publications such as InfoWorld, eWEEK, Baseline, CRN, ComputerWorld and Digital Review.