After attending NetApp’s analyst day yesterday, my thoughts turned to how NetApp has differentiated itself regarding data protection.  Most of the two- and three-letter acronym companies have a data protection portfolio that includes hardware, software, and services—with a few of these large companies scattering the technologies functionally across their organizations and oftentimes presenting a fragmented front to customers and partners. NetApp clearly has an integrated approach that deserves consideration.

IBM has its flagship TSM and TSM FastBack backup and recovery software in the Tivoli software group, its ProtecTIER disk backup target in its tape hardware division, and its online backup service in the BCRS group.  There doesn’t seem to be much coordination between these functional groups.  Similarly, HP has its Data Protector software in its Software group, its VLS and D2D backup targets in its Storage Works Division, and an online backup solution in the HP Services area.  Then there’s EMC, which has a focused BRS unit handling its Networker and Avamar backup software, as well as its Data Domain and EDL disk targets.  But the company maintains RecoverPoint CDP and replication, and Mozy online backup in organizations external to BRS (and until it recently divested itself of the technology, it had Retrospect in yet another division). Except for HP, the rationale for the way these products are overseen may have resulted from acquisition strategies, and they exist as disjointed efforts due to lack of integration.  And, as could be expected in such large companies, all of these vendors’ primary storage systems are maintained in organizations unrelated to data protection.

NetApp, on the other hand, has a more integrated approach.  Its data protection portfolio resides organizationally together; development, sales, and marketing efforts are coordinated; and positioning to clients is more unified.  This lack of organizational silos is an improvement over its competitors.  To NetApp clients, prospects, and channel partners, the result could be more clarity around the total offering, as well as more efficiency—both in the way the technology operates to protect and store data, and in operational overhead in managing the solution.  As more organizations pursue consolidation efforts and seek greater efficiency, this distinction has to become evident.

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Tags: Avamar, backup, Data Domain, data protection, Data Protector, EDL, EMC, FastBack, HP, HP D2D, HP VLS, IBM, Mozy, NetApp, Networker, online backup, ProtecTIER, recovery, Retrospect, TSM