By Symantec Guest Blog 2

VARs can have mixed feelings about cloud computing. On the one hand it offers many opportunities for new business, but on the other there’s the question of which offerings will work with a customer’s current solutions. For Symantec partners, Backup Exec.cloud is a perfect example of how to effectively offer a cloud-based backup solution when customers already have an on-premise backup solution.

Because every business is unique, each will have varying needs when it comes to protecting information. For those businesses that prefer to keep data onsite and have enough IT resources to do so, locally deployed software might be their preferred backup method. Those that have fewer IT resources or don’t want to be a system integrator may opt for an all-in-one backup appliance that delivers backup software and storage device in one. And, cloud-based solutions might be better for smaller businesses with no dedicated IT support.

Branch Office Data Protection

While Symantec’s on-premise backup solutions are ideal for deployment in a headquarters location, more and more companies are setting up multiple, small offices and allowing some of their employees to work remotely. And yet a mobile salesman’s laptop is as much in need of backup as a CEO’s desktop machine. This is where Backup Exec.cloud comes in.

On-premise tools are limited in their ability to back up remote workstations, but cloud-based solutions are designed to be deployed anywhere users can access the Internet. Symantec’s Backup Exec.cloud has been designed for easy and fast deployment, and it allows users to keep their information safe without the need for constant support from IT. There’s no need to purchase or install appliances. Users can even recover their files on a self-serve basis.

That flexibility and ease of use makes it ideal for a business with a mobile workforce or a small remote office. Another advantage offered by Backup Exec.cloud is that subscribers aren’t charged per user, but they are only charged for the total amount of storage they use.

Evolving Backup Conversations

Your customers know that they need to back up their data, and they also know that they’re probably not doing as well as they should be. And with many of your customers already using Backup Exec, Backup Exec.cloud is a simple upsell and it can work alongside their current solutions or as a standalone solution.

john eldh symantec channel chief

John Eldh is VP of channel sales for the Americas, Symantec Corp. Monthly guest blogs such as this one are part of Talkin' Cloud's annual platinum sponsorship.