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CharTec made a name for itself in hardware as a service, through which managed service providers would essentially provide equipment and support to end users on a subscription basis. And one technology that stands out in its portfolio is backup and disaster recovery (BDR), a solution based on hardware, software and services.

But many end users and MSPs have perfectly good storage appliances that don’t need replacement. So rather than passing by those opportunities, CharTec is offering its BDR software to support and manage these legacy boxes.

The idea is elegantly simple: Solution providers can replace an existing on-premise solution or service provider with CharTec software. The MSP or reseller has all the management functionality currently available with the CharTec platform without the cost or hassle of ripping and replacing a functioning appliance. The only limitation is the legacy appliance must run Windows Server 2008 R2, have a minimum of 8 GB RAM and 64-bit processor.

The CharTec service starts at $79 per month and includes 100 GB of off-site storage. Additional servers cost $20 per month each.

What makes this solution interesting is the disruption to competition without the disruption to the end user. CharTec sites the flight of customers and MSPs from Zenith Infotech’s channel ranks as an example of how this offering will keep end users’ data backed up without sacrificing the existing equipment. However, the company says they’re also seeing displacement opportunities with other legacy solutions.

The software offering makes even more sense considering the extended life expectancy of servers and storage arrays. Since the 2008 recession, businesses have stretched the service life of networked equipment, keeping some appliances in use well beyond their planned service life of three years. The average service life of a server nowadays is steadily creeping toward five years.

For CharTec partners, decoupling the BDR software from hardware and still being able to deliver it on a subscription is a perfect Trojan horse sales opportunity. Solution providers can sell the software/service offering integrated on legacy equipment. When the hardware eventually comes out of service, they gain the opportunity to upsell on CharTec equipment.

Furthermore, the software offering gives solution providers the ability to decouple CharTec hardware from the sales equation when approaching customers that have standardized on another hardware brand. Some end users simply want to remain a Hewlett-Packard or Dell shop regardless of the value or quality of white boxes offered with services.

Backup and disaster recovery solutions are hot in the channel and, in particular, the managed services segment. Channelnomics will have more analysis on the BDR trend in the near future. The CharTec software program is a good example of a vendor working to leverage every opportunity in this potentially high growth technology.

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Lawrence M. Walsh is CEO and president of The 2112 Group, a technology business advisory service that specializes in optimizing indirect channels and partner relationships. He’s also the executive director of the Channel Vanguard Council. He is the former publisher of Channel Insider and editor of VARBusiness Magazine. You can reach him at lmwalsh@the2112group.com.

On Twitter:
Larry Walsh:@lmwalsh2112 | Channelnomics: @channelnomics

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