**Editor’s Note: Please click here for a recap of the biggest channel-impacting mergers in July-August 2016.**

StorageCraft Technology, the data backup and disaster-recovery provider, has acquired Gillware Online Backup to expand its existing cloud, recovery and backup platform.

The Gillware Online Backup service uses analytics to identify the data that should be backed up and the data that should not. The company offers cloud-based backup for individuals and small businesses.

StorageCraft only bought Gillware Online Backup. Gillware Data Recovery will remain a separate entity.

Matt Medeiros, StorageCraft’s chairman and CEO, said Gillware and his company are “leading a massive technology shift that’s going to disrupt an obsolete storage industry model.” StorageCraft has 11,000 partners.

He provided the following message to partners of both companies:

“This combination will allow you to analyze systems and data, and provide intelligent protection, access and recovery; in short, we’re putting you on the winning side of that shift. Gillware’s sophisticated data-analysis technology, combined with StorageCraft’s expanding suite of intelligent data protection solutions, positions you as a leader.”{ad}

Also, there is no disruption in current services for current StorageCraft and Gillware partners, Medeiros said.

Effective immediately, existing Gillware and StorageCraft partners will have full access to the products via the Gillware portal. All products will be available globally via StorageCraft’s partner portal in November.

“Gillware will help fuel our expansion plans,” said Marvin Blough, StorageCraft’s vice president of worldwide sales. “This one move adds thousands of customers in North America alone who are already familiar with the benefits of the combined Gillware-StorageCraft solution.”

Scott Barnes, StorageCraft’s CTO, tells Channel Partners that his company this year has launched several new programs and products, and has increased its global workforce.

“[We] … will soon be launching a new StorageCraft cloud-to-cloud solution that will initially support …

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… backup and recovery protection of applications for Microsoft Office 365, Google Apps, Salesforce.com and Box,” he said.

Early this year, StorageCraft received a $187 million investment from private equity firm TA Associates. While additional terms of the Gillware purchase were not disclosed, Medeiros said the funding for the deal did not involve debt, but comes from recent growth in operating cash flow.

“This is the first acquisition of its kind for StorageCraft,” Medeiros said. “StorageCraft is always looking to expand its (product) line both organically and inorganically.”

“Gillware and StorageCraft have been strong partners for years,” said Wes Gill, founder and president of Gillware Data Recovery. “Through this partnership, we have successfully provided a combined suite of data analytics and access products, ensuring immediate recovery. Our team of data experts is excited to join the StorageCraft family and expand StorageCraft’s platform of products.”