Vembu Acquires Cloud Nucleus to Expand Cloud Backup Services

Vembu Technologies, which promotes an online backup service to MSPs, has acquired Cloud Nucleus, a data protection software developer. Plus, we’re hearing rumblings about several other managed services-related deals that are expected to impact the industry over the next few days.

But first, the deal at hand: Vembu Pro is an online backup service available exclusively through MSPs and other types of channel partners.  Vembu also offers StoreGrid Service Provider Edition, which partners can host on their own. Cloud Nucleus develops StorCube, a software-based disk backip and disaster recovery solutions.

Based on feedback from MSPs, Vembu was looking for technology or a company that offered near continuous backup support, support for virtualized environments and bare metal recovery capabilities. Cloud Nucleus fit that description. As part of the deal, Cloud Nucleus CEO and Founder Srivatsan Venkatesan joins Vembu as vice president of product management for storage products.

Vembu plans to release a new version of its StoreGrid software platform in October 2011, equipped with Cloud Nucleus’ CDP solution. The pricing for Vembu’s solution — $30 per year for a desktop backup and $60 per year for a server backup — will remain the same, according to Vembu Manager of Product Marketing  Lenin Srinivasan.

“We’ve never changed our price,” Srinivasan said.” This is something we want to give to our channel partners that will strengthen their offering. Usually, if SMBs want these features they have to pay a huge price. Our price point is suited to the SMB sector, and with the addition of Cloud Nucleus’ technology, MSPs and SMBs will be able to compete with enterprise-level solutions.”

Cloud Nucleus also brings more channel partners to the table. In total, the two companies will have more than 3,000 VARs and MSPs throughout Asia Pacific, Europe and the United States.

Elsewhere, we’ve heard about two other pending M&A deals in the managed services market. Those deals could be announced within the next few days.

Additional insights from Joe Panettieri.