Commvault and Microsoft Sign Agreement, Bring Metallic to Azure

Commvault and Microsoft today signed a multiyear agreement to integrate Commvault’s Metallic SaaS data protection portfolio with Microsoft Azure.

Metallic, built off Azure native service, include three services. The first is the protection of O365 environments. Another service protects end point environments. And, the third service protects data center environments like VMs, databases, and files. Metallic has three enterprise-grade products: Metallic Core Backup & Recovery, Metallic Office 365 Backup & Recovery, and Metallic Endpoint Backup & Recovery.

Commvault’s Thad Keating

“So, this is all native inside Azure for the cloud,:” said Thad Keating, vice president, Metallic go-to-market at Commvault. “This is a huge announcement about how we’re going to market together.”

The new agreement integrates go-to-market, engineering and sales of Commvault Metallic SaaS data protection portfolio with Microsoft Azure.

Metallic’s John Schwan

Metallic, a subsidiary of Commvault, was formed late last year. The new SaaS solution is offered through channel partners and targets midsize companies. The Commvault offshoot has its own leadership and channel organization. In March, John Schwan became the head of global partner sales and programs at Metallic. He is responsible for launching the partner program and driving Metallic’s growth and partner engagement.

In early June, Commvault put Manoj Nair at the helm of Metallic as general manager.

More about the deal

Here are more details about the partnership.

Integration of Metallic SaaS and Microsoft Azure – To help simplify and accelerate a customer’s journey to the cloud, the companies are joining forces to deliver solution for storing and protecting business-critical data. Metallic will enhance protection of Microsoft Office 365 data in the case of accidental deletion, corruption, and malicious attacks.

Innovation built on a long-standing partnership – This new phase of the collaboration builds on Commvault’s longstanding use of Azure capabilities including application and data migration, long-term retention, and Azure Blob Storage for its scale, durability and security. There are also plans to build a SaaS offering of Metallic Cloud Storage on Azure Blob Storage and other deep product integrations with native Azure services.

Metallic Available on Azure Marketplace – As part of the agreement, Metallic will be a featured app for SaaS data protection in the Azure Marketplace for public cloud and hybrid IT customers. Commvault will also continue to support choice for customers who request alternative clouds based on business requirements.

Partners score

Commvault’s Sanjay Mirchandani

“Today’s announcement combines two of the best enterprise cloud technologies to simplify and accelerate a customer’s journey to the cloud,” said Sanjay Mirchandani, president and CEO of Commvault. “This is a new era for Commvault and our direction is clear – help our joint channel partners and customers simplify IT with enterprise-class, proven data protection solutions delivered through SaaS and protected in the cloud. The combination of Commvault and Microsoft truly brings together the most innovative data protection and cloud technologies the two companies have to offer.”

Commvault’s recently appointed channel chief, Mercer Rowe and Metallic channel lead, John Schwan commented on the new Commvault and Microsoft partnership.

Commvault’s Mercer Rowe

Rowe spoke about three ways partners will benefit in the near term from today’s news.

Metallic’s John Schwan

Schwan addressed the benefits for partners in the U.S. and Canada where Metallic is available.

“Metallic’s story has always been attach, attach, attach. We know partners are selling Microsoft 365. We have a SaaS solution to back up and recovery that. We know partners have been selling a ton of endpoints. We have a solution that helps them back up and recover that hardware,” he said. “We also have our Core offering. So, whatever our partners have been selling and where they’ve been selling, we provide that attach opportunity.”