By samdizzy

CA Technologies says ARCserve, the company’s well-known backup and restore software, will be available via Microsoft’s Windows Azure cloud sometime in the second half of this year. CA and Microsoft are positioning the ARCserve-for-Azure development for channel partners — a refreshing move at a time when so many cloud companies are selling direct to corporate customers.

No doubt, the online backup and restore market is getting very crowded. Numerous cloud startups now promote backup and disaster recovery (BDR) partner programs to managed services providers and VARs. And traditional software companies are gradually pushing beyond their on-premises heritage to promote cloud alternatives. Similar to ARCserve for Azure, Symantec recently said it was preparing Backup Exec for the cloud.

Meanwhile, Microsoft is working overtime to bring more ISVs onto the Windows Azure platform. Sources say Microsoft has been providing funds — including developer support and marketing support — to help ISVs embrace Azure.

Back at CA, the software company has been overhauling its software portfolio licensing models. The goal is to give VARs and MSPs an easy path to recurring revenues. The ARCserve-for-Azure announcement reinforces that point… though I don’t have details yet about how ARCserve-for-Azure will be priced for channel partners.

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