Features - Storage Innovations:

CA EMPOWERS PARTNERS TO DELIVER SECURE STORAGE MGMT SYSTEMS

Computer Associates International Inc (CA) announced CA Protection Suite, a specially priced solution that provides secure data protection within customers' backup window constraints.

The new solution, which combines CA's award-winning BrightStor ARCserve Backup and eTrust Antivirus technologies, enables CA channel partners to address customers' growing need for secure networked storage systems.

"The line between storage and security is becoming less definitive; it doesn't do customers much good to have all their critical corporate data backed up if that data is subject to malware attacks," said Gertrud Pillay, director of software at PC Mall. "CA's Protection Suite provides the protection essential for business continuance without creating unmanageable backup windows in the process."

The key to CA Protection Suite's effectiveness is the integration of eTrust Antivirus' dual scanning technology with BrightStor ARCserve Backup's high-performance backup and recovery. Storage administrators often find themselves disabling antivirus functions because they slow down backup processes by re-scanning the same files over and over every time a backup is run. With CA's integrated solution the backup and recovery process is optimized to ensure security and performance requirements are equally met. For example, clean files are appropriately "tagged" to prevent unnecessary re-scanning.

"Our customers shouldn't have to sacrifice efficiency to gain security, and we certainly wouldn't ask them to compromise security in their quest for efficiency," said David Hall, CTO and senior vice president of CompuCom. "CA Protection Suite demonstrates once again that CA understands the challenges our customers face and is uniquely able to provide us with solutions that address those challenges."

In addition to CA Protection Suite, CA has created three other solution bundles that package BrightStor ARCserve Backup for Windows with appropriate agents and a disaster recovery option to protect multiple Windows servers, Microsoft Exchange servers and SQL Servers respectively.

All of the bundles, including CA Protection Suite, are available today and are priced at a 20 percent discount compared to the individual purchase of their unbundled components. Each bundle is also being offered with one-, two-, or three-year maintenance and support contracts.

"CA is committed to supporting solution providers with the technology and services they need to profitably grow their revenues -- even in today's challenging economy," said George Kafkarkou, senior vice president of worldwide channel sales and operations at CA. "We will continue to deliver solutions that empower our valued channel partners to meet the emerging needs of our mutual customers."

CA Protection Suite, which includes 10 nodes of eTrust Antivirus, has a suggested list price of only $895 in North America.