HPE Fortifies Backup Software in Battle Against Ransomware

Given the recent rash of ransomware attacks, businesses are finding that now is a good time as any to reevaluate their data backup strategies.

Nearly a third (32 percent) of organizations have been hit by ransomware, found a study from Imperva. Costs accrued by downtime were described as the biggest business impact of a ransomware infection for a majority (59 percent) of respondents.

This week, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) Software is giving security-conscious organizations new reasons to consider its Adaptive Backup and Recovery Suite by adding additional protections that keep backup data safe. It’s a collection of data protection products that includes HPE Data Protector, Backup Navigator, Storage Optimizer and VM Explorer.

In Data Protector version 10, for example, HPE has implemented an “advanced security model” that enhances reliability and protects communication between its various components. It gains new secure peering and port consolidation features that make it tougher for attackers and unauthorized users to gain access to backup data. An updated interface includes with a new dashboard, telemetry gathering module and scheduler offer improved, high-level visibility into the state of their backups.

Storage Optimizer 5.50 now uses a metastore security group system for enhanced security and reporting, along with tighter, more efficient permission-assignment capabilities. The software also offers improved integration with NetApp, SharePoint 2016, Windows Server 2016 and other third-party platforms, claims HPE.

Helping administrators quickly address issues that affect their data backup environments, HPE Backup Navigator 9.60 includes intelligence and automation features that describe problems in detail and offer recommendations. Finally, HPE VM Explorer 6.5 now provides an HPE StoreOnce Catalyst integration and supports the company’s Catalyst Copy backup and replication technology.

Taken altogether, the products that make up HPE’s Adaptive Backup and Recovery Suite can help businesses avoid costly downtime due to breaches and other mishaps, according to HPE. Citing estimates from IDC, the IT solutions provider reminded that unplanned application failures can come with a price tag of $100,000 per hour.

“IT managers are under pressure to ensure more secure backup and faster recovery to reduce the downtime that leads to higher costs and risk,” said Stephen Spellicy, vice president of product management, Information Management and Governance at HPE Software. “The new innovations around the HPE Adaptive Backup and Recovery Suite enable IT staff to mitigate operational concerns, while providing streamlined processes, automation, and secure communications to better managing today’s digital environments.”

Pedro Hernandez is a contributing editor at Enterprise Storage Forum. Follow him on Twitter @ecoINSITE.