Microsoft is announcing its acquisition of InMage, a company that specialized in recovering data after system failures. InMage also backs up and transfers data between local servers and a cloud platform.
InMage will be a valuable addition to Microsoft's Azure cloud computing system. By combining the power of cloud computing with the assurance that important data will be protected from any unforeseen events, Microsoft hopes to make Azure even more attractive for enterprise customers worldwide.
"This is a great move to meet important customer needs with the cloud as a target for disaster recovery," says IDC vice president Laura DuBois in a statement. "InMage has distinguished itself in a poorly understood and underserved market."
The ability to quickly restore data in the event of a system failure is one of the top priorities for business owners. It is also prohibitively expensive and complicated. By centralizing resources and allocating them on an as-needed basis, the new Azure Site Recovery service will not only take the work out of the hands of business owners, it will likely lower the cost of data protection as well.
Azure Site Recovery will be compatible not only with Windows, but also with virtual machines and Linux. Although often viewed as the operating system of basement computer geeks, Linux is rapidly becoming the operating system of choice for many large businesses due to its easy adaptability. Microsoft also takes a stab at VMware by noting that InMage makes it easier than ever for VMware users to permanently migrate their data to the cloud.
InMage says that existing InMage products and services will remain available for the time being. The only change being made at the present time is the integration of InMage's Scout recover service into Azure Site Recovery. Other InMage services may be added to Azure later on.
"We have always been focused on providing innovative on-premises and cloud-based business continuity solutions to our customers and partners," says InMage in a statement. "Now, as part of the Microsoft family, we have the amazing opportunity to accelerate our innovation and provide even greater value with cloud-connected solutions based on Microsoft Azure."
