Verizon Sharpens Focus On Hybrid Cloud With New Actifio-Powered Cloud Backup Service

Verizon is introducing a new flavor of cloud backup, powered by data virtualization provider Actifio, aimed at businesses that are adopting a hybrid IT environment.

The latest cloud backup service -- Verizon Premise to Cloud Backup -- uses Actifio's copy data virtualization platform to let businesses move and store data across virtualized infrastructures, including third-party public cloud and co-location facilities, the customer's premises and the Verizon cloud, according to Verizon.

Initially, the backup service won't be available to the channel. Verizon partners will have access to the service later this year, according to Dan Jablonski, Verizon's director of cloud and IT solutions.

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Basking Ridge, N.J.-based Verizon is already working with other data management vendors for different customer use cases for its existing cloud backup solutions.

The latest offering, powered by Actifio, gives partners and their end customers more choice, said Paul Vuoso, vice president of technology for Clinton, N.J.-based RDS Solutions, a telecommunications solution provider and Verizon partner.

"For these types of applications, we welcome as many products in the portfolio as possible, because customers have different requirements/preferences," Vuoso said.

The offering is well-suited for small and midsize businesses and midmarket customers who are adopting hybrid cloud solutions with gusto, Jablonski said.

"This is a great way for these companies to diversify how their data is kept and stored," he said.

Verizon exited the public cloud space when it decommissioned its public cloud platform in April. The telecom giant has since been focusing its energies on private and hybrid cloud solutions.

"The hybrid IT market is the market that Verizon is interested in servicing," Jablonski said. "That's the areas we are going to continue to invest in."

The Actifio-powered backup service will help customers manage their data and build applications faster, and will give data availability a boost, he said.

"We as providers need to offer CIOs the platform they need to run their workloads, as well as the services on top of the backup platform," Jablonski said.

Verizon customers can access the cloud backup solution via the existing customer portal. Using the platform, customers can back up their data in its native form so it can easily be restored, said Brian Reagan, vice president and global managing director of consulting for Waltham, Mass.-based Actifio.

"It's about bringing your data to the place it's going to be most meaningful when you need it," Reagan said. "Not everything belongs in cloud -- it tends to be very workload-specific and clouds aren't created equal."

While the initial use cases will be around data protection and disaster recovery, customers will be able to move data for a wide variety of purposes -- like testing and development to help businesses move faster, Reagan said.

Verizon Premise to Cloud Backup service will be available to customers in June in North America, with availability in Europe and Asia-Pacific by the fall, according to Verizon.