Synametrics Aims to Make Private Cloud Backup Easy

Synametrics Technologies aims to make it easy for channel partners to sell and use its Syncrify private cloud backup software. The New Jersey-based company typically partners with resellers that purchase the software in bulk licenses and resell to their customers and managed hosting providers that license and use the software to provide backup services to their clients.

Syncrify, introduced in 2010, is a private cloud backup software that allows multiple customer machines to back up folders/files to a central repository within its own enterprise. The multi-platform solution allows customers to access their files from anywhere at any time.  It also provides across-the-board folder synchronization and an incremental backup feature that intelligently recognizes small changes to larger projects, making backup jobs run faster.

One of the biggest benefits of the solution is that it is a private cloud backup, which is critical for medical providers and other enterprises with sensitive data, said Imran Hussain, president, Synametrics. The other big benefit is no usage fees because it is a private network, he added.

“A lot of companies end up using cloud-based backup, but they don’t know exactly where the backup files are stored, which is great for a lot of companies, but some like medical providers are reluctant to copy their data over to the cloud,” said Hussain. “We give those companies the ability to back up within their own network. The benefit is the files never go out of their network. We, as the vendor, never see their files.”

Synametrics has approximately 200 global channel partners that contribute to about 50 percent of the company’s total sales. The remaining 50 percent is derived from direct sales. Partners are either resellers that purchase the software in bulk, or service providers that use the software to provide managed hosting services. Reseller discounts are determined by the number of licenses purchased.

A lot of small companies provide network consulting to other smaller companies, such as law or medical offices, and will purchase a pack of 100 licenses at a discounted price, said Hussain. “They resell the licenses and add their consulting services on top of the license cost. Resellers are a good match because we are selling our software and they are providing their service on top of that software.”

Other partners use the Syncrify software to offer managed hosting services. In this case, Synametrics only charges the partner a one-time fee. “We give the smaller companies the ability to become a Carbonite or Mozy because they can use our software to provide backup services to their end users. However, since the service provider is providing the backup service and the company using it is copying their files to the service provider’s network, the service provider can decide on the terms, such as a usage fee.”

One of those partners is A.J. Boggs & Co., a global IT solutions and services company based in East Lansing, Mich. As a managed hosting provider, the company was looking for a backup solution that was easy to manage, easy to set up, and most importantly, was a cross-platform solution, working on Windows, Linux and Mac, said Jordan Klocko, system administrator at A.J. Boggs. “The majority of our servers are Windows-based, but we do have a number of Linux-based devices,” he added.

After evaluating at least a half-dozen solutions, the service provider selected the Syncrify software. While the biggest benefit was the cross-platform functionality, other deciding factors included the pricing structure, ease of use and security.

One big differentiator, in addition to the cross-platform, is the price structure, said Klocko. “It’s a single-time fee. There is no subscription model or recurring maintenance cost.”

Syncrify is not a hosted solution, which is another big differentiator, said Klocko. “We have a very big eye toward security, and it has been our mantra for the past couple of years. The Synametrics product allows us to use our own hardware and our own network to move and store the data.”

It’s also simple to use, said Klocko. “I looked at quite a few solutions and they were cumbersome. This has a real simple interface. You just install it, set it and forget it.”

Synametrics provides videos on its Website to help get partners up and running easily. The company also plans to launch a partner portal, or template Website, in the first quarter of 2015. The site will provide marketing and technical content that partners can use and modify to create their own Websites. This will allow their clients to access technical documents directly from them.

The company recently introduced the latest version of its Syncrify software, Syncrify Version 3.6, which adds several new capabilities. These include a plug-in for MS Exchange versions 2010 and above, a troubleshooting wizard to help users deal with connection challenges, and an automatically configuring router (UPnP support) that allows novice users to get up and running in minutes without manually changing router settings to bypass firewalls.

Gina Roos, a Channel Insider contributor, focuses on technology and the channel.