Carbonite's New Database Backup Service To Go Through Partners

The service is based on cloud backup technology Carbonite acquired in November 2012 when it bought Zmanda, a commercial provider of the Amanda open-source cloud backup software.

Carbonite partners can now begin offering the database backup service as an add-on option with Carbonite's top-of-the-line BusinessPremier package for small businesses. Carbonite is making the service available to its channel partners before it begins offering it directly to customers.

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"This is something our partners have been asking for," said David Hauser, senior director of channel development, in an interview. And he said solution providers' customers have been asking for it as well. "It's an area where we've had an unbelievable amount of demand."

Historically, Carbonite's channel partners have resold the company's Home, HomePlus and HomePremier file backup services for the small office/home office (SOHO) space. Last June Carbonite launched the Carbonite Reseller Program with some 2,000 resellers worldwide (most of them in the U.S.). At the same time it allowed partners to also begin reselling its Business and BusinessPremier backup services for small businesses.

Today the company's channel partner ranks have grown to more than 3,000 and the company continues to recruit, Hauser said.

The new database backup service supports a number of data sources including MySQL, the Oracle Database, and Microsoft's SQL Server, Exchange Server, SharePoint, Hyper-V and Systems State for Windows Server.

The new database backup service lists for $249 per year for an unlimited number of databases and applications. It's being offered as an add-on to Carbonite BusinessPremier, which comes with 500 GB of storage. Hauser said the company offers partners discounts of 15 percent to 25 percent.

PUBLISHED APRIL 1, 2013