Acronis & Seagate launch secure archival storage for MSPs

Seagate has announced a strategic alliance with Acronis to deliver secure, scalable archival storage solutions for managed service providers and enterprises.

The collaboration will see Acronis integrate Seagate's Lyve Cloud Object Storage, an S3-compatible platform, into its archival storage portfolio. The alliance aims to equip managed service providers (MSPs) and global enterprises with storage solutions that address the challenges brought by AI-driven data growth, tightening compliance regulations, and advancing security threats.

Security and compliance

Under the partnership, the new offering – Acronis Archival Storage – is designed for long-term, secure, and compliant storage of infrequently accessed data. This solution includes enterprise-grade security features from Seagate's Lyve Cloud, such as encryption of data both in transit and at rest, role-based access control, identity and access management, and immutability options. The platform also supports ISO 27001 and SOC 2 standards, helping organisations meet stringent data compliance requirements.

Acronis states that, unlike other storage vendors which may charge for API access and data transfer, its approach delivers a controlled and predictable cost model for archival data storage. This is aimed at helping IT leaders manage costs associated with storing large volumes of data that need to be retained for regulatory or legal reasons.

The solution particularly targets MSPs and sectors with strict compliance environments, such as healthcare, finance, legal services, utilities, and public administration.

Industry perspectives

Melyssa Banda, Senior Vice President of Edge Storage and Services at Seagate, emphasised the growing need for robust security in AI-driven environments:

"Acronis has been at the forefront of delivering innovative cybersecurity and backup solutions, including secure data management capabilities for hybrid cloud environments. By joining forces, Seagate and Acronis can leverage our combined global reach to deliver the highly secure storage solutions that the new frontier of AI requires - empowering enterprises to better protect their data from cloud to edge to endpoint."

This sentiment was echoed by Gaidar Magdanurov, President at Acronis, who highlighted the cost and compliance aspects of the solution:

"Seagate's global leadership in mass-capacity storage perfectly aligns with Acronis' goal to offer MSPs the integrated archival storage that prioritizes security, compliance, and cost efficiency. With over 60% of organizations managing over 1 PB of data, archival storage is a necessary solution to keep storage costs manageable. Our partners will be able to address the rapidly growing demand for long-term storage of data, and address compliance, legal, and security requirements of their customers."

Cost management

One of the key differentiators of the alliance is the promise of predictable costs. Many regulated organisations in sectors such as healthcare or finance are required to retain vast amounts of data for extended periods. The ability to control costs while ensuring compliance, audit readiness, and data security is a primary concern for these institutions.

Acronis Archival Storage, built on Seagate Lyve Cloud's infrastructure, seeks to offer a storage platform that maintains both compliance and budgetary discipline. The billing model focuses on transparency by removing surprise charges for API calls and data traffic, which can be significant cost drivers in other storage models.

Storage growth and market demand

The organisations note that with more than 60% of companies managing over 1 petabyte of data, according to industry metrics, the demand for effective archival solutions continues to rise. This is further accelerated by expanded data protection regulations, increased cyberthreats, and the adoption of AI workloads that drive the creation and storage of large datasets.

The partnership is intended to help MSPs enhance their storage solutions to meet these challenges. The integration with Acronis' existing platform aims to provide a seamless experience for service providers seeking to expand their archival storage capabilities in response to customer demand.

The alliance builds on Seagate's experience in providing mass-capacity storage and Acronis' background in cybersecurity and data management. The companies intend for their combined solution to address both current and anticipated storage requirements for enterprise and regulated industries.