SAN DIEGO, Dec. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Arkeia Software, a leading provider of fast, easy-to-use and affordable network backup solutions, today announced the availability of a no-cost virtual appliance designed to back up virtual machines. The new Arkeia Virtual Appliance Free Use Edition bundles software to implement a robust backup solution that enables enterprises with VMware to extend improvements in hardware operating efficiency to data protection while saving time and money.

The Arkeia Virtual Appliance Free Use Edition delivers Arkeia Network Backup software on a backup-optimized Linux operating system packaged in a VMware virtual machine, providing users with all the necessary components required to protect a small virtualized environment. Perpetual licenses are included at no cost for disk-based backups of two virtual machines. The Arkeia Virtual Appliance can be deployed in both VMware ESX and ESXi virtual environments and can be upgraded to protect larger VMware environments.

The Arkeia Virtual Appliance Free Use Edition includes the following perpetual licenses and support for Arkeia Network Backup 8.1:

• 1 Arkeia Backup Server (a virtual appliance) for VMware ESX or ESXi,
• 2 Arkeia Backup Agents for two virtual machine clients for file-level backup of guest machines (e.g. Windows servers and desktops, Linux, BSD),
• Disk backup with up to 250GB capacity,
• Technical Support via on-line forums, knowledgebase, and wiki.

"Virtualization creates opportunities for cost-savings and increased flexibility. Virtualized deployment of backup servers represents low-hanging fruit on both fronts," said Bill Evans, CEO of Arkeia Software. "Backup servers are ideal for virtualization because they are usually under heaviest load at night, when most other applications are lightly used. A virtual-appliance strategy also allows companies to rapidly deploy and scale additional resources on the fly as virtual environments grow and change."

Virtual Appliance for Backup Saves Time and Improves Protection

The Arkeia Virtual Appliance Free Use Edition makes it easy for companies to take full advantage of their move to virtualization. The new solution saves time, improves data protection, and makes it easy to get started with a more modern approach to backup.

Because the Arkeia Virtual Appliance Free Use Edition can be deployed with just a few clicks, companies save time by not having to deal with additional hardware, installations or upgrades of an operating system, and associated software packages. The solution is free, which means the cost barrier to protecting virtual machines has been removed, and companies can protect more data than ever before. Because the virtual appliance can easily scale horizontally and vertically, companies can grow their backup infrastructure as their VMware environments grow. Individual appliances can scale to support terabytes of backup data. Multiple appliances can be deployed rapidly as business requirements demand. All instances of Arkeia Network Backup, including virtual appliances, physical appliances, and software installations, can be centrally managed.

Arkeia Virtual Appliance Free Use Edition is available now with a verified registration at: www.arkeia.com/freevmwarebackup.

About Arkeia Software

Arkeia Software delivers fast, easy-to-use and affordable solutions for data backup and disaster recovery. The award-winning Arkeia Network Backup Suite is designed for midmarket enterprises and safeguards more than 100,000 networks for 7,000 customers in 70 countries. Arkeia's software products protect data on over 150 platforms, including virtually all Linux and Windows platforms, as well as AIX, BSD, HP-UX, Irix, Macintosh, Netware, and Solaris. Arkeia Backup Servers are deployed in three modes: as software applications, appliances, or virtual appliances. Complementary suite software includes file agents, application agents, database agents, virtual machine agents, disaster recovery agents, backup replication servers, and central management servers. Arkeia shipped the industry's first network backup solution for Linux in 1999 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.

Arkeia Software Contact
Jody Scheldt
Communications Manager
+1.760.431.1319

SOURCE Arkeia Software