Trend Micro — the anti-virus and security software provider — is preparing a push into the online backup market. Long term, Trend Micro intends to help VARs and MSPs profit from managed security and managed storage. But short term, Trend Micro’s storage efforts will start in the consumer market with so-called SafeSync technology. Here’s the strategy.
Simply put, SafeSync is designed to synchronize online cloud storage and backup across multiple computers. SafeSync is the first offering to emerge following Trend Micro’s buyout of humyo, the online data and storage company.
SafeSync works through browser, a PC client, or even as a ‘virtual drive’ when offline, and Trend Micro stresses the point that multiple computers can share and sync the same data. For example, Trend Micro says a family member using SafeSync can stream an HD movie directly from the SafeSync account, without having to wait around for “downloads and bulky e-mails.” There are also the obvious benefits backup and data recovery since SafeSync will continually backup selected files and folders and replicate any changes made on a local machine.
To get more insights I spoke with Mark Beyer, a marketing consultant at Trend Micro (previously CMO and co founder of humyo) and Brian Katzen,product manager at Trend Micro. Beyer and Katzen say Trend Micro will launch SMB solutions based on humyo in early 2011. The SMB offering will focus more on backup rather than synchronization, they indicated.
First Moves
In the meantime, SafeSync offers some clear benefits for consumers and even small businesses, both Trend Micro representatives assert. Katzen calls SafeSync a…
“Groundbreaking offering. [With other solutions] each PC is required to buy the backup solution and data is independent of each other. You can’t interact. We think of (SafeSync) as backup 2.0. We’re going to disrupt the market because none of the backup 2.0 or sync companies offer unlimited sync for 60 bucks. All the other sync companies charge a lot of money for a small amount of storage.”
Katzen says some companies offer multiple computer sharing, but no automated syncing (e.g. DropBox), while other companies offer synchronized backup that’s only available to one machine at a time (e.g. Carbonite). Both Beyer and Katzen says Trend Micro is looking to apply the backup technology to iPhone and Android devices in the near future, but right now SafeSync focuses on a simple app for accessing files in the cloud.
You can get your hands on Safe Sync globally soon, but US customers can get it now and at the promotional price of $59.95 a year with unlimited GB of storage space.
This blogger thinks it’s not a bad idea for a small company of 5-10 people, but you can weigh in with comments.
Bigger question at hand: is Trend Micro on the cusp of something big, or is this just an easier way of sharing and backup that people have done with an existing combination of tools?
Sign up for The VAR Guy’s Weekly Newsletter; Webcasts and Resource Center; and via RSS; Facebook; Identi.ca; Twitter and VARtweet.
Read More About This Topic
Share This Post
Tags: dropbox | Trend Micro
Interact: Add a Comment | Trackback Link | Permalink
Subscribe: RSS Feed
Don't miss Charlene O'Hanlon's weekly columns...
Safe Sync doesn’t offer anything new though, they’re pretty much offering exactly the same thing that the leading providers like mozy, sugarsync and elephantdrive offer. In fact safesync sounds a lot like sugarsync and the logo is similar too.
Safe Sync is one of the worth serving online backup and sharing software. We are yet looking for a discount offer or cupon code to have the facilities for more deep trial store data over 25 gb
No doubt it is most cost saving online backup found on the net with all facilites – sharing
Hey, I just saw they are offering a 50% discount and I immediately booked it (22 December, no guarantee this will be around forever):
36 USD or so, including vat!
Here is the link: https://safesync.com/j/Nkegxo
Consider DropBox is 200 USD per year for 50 GB…
I loved humyo but it was twice as expensive as the current offering which has “unlimited storage”. To say I never got beyond 60GB on my humyo account, no matter how hard I tried
Enjoy, Titus
Titus: The VAR Guy appreciates the tip. Are you a VAR, end-customer or SafeSync/Trend Micro representative? The VAR Guy always pushes readers to disclose company affiliations.
-TVG
Hi Var Guy,
No, I am a private user and just enthusiastic about the product (currently syncing, 5 GB done already…). If I were somehow affiliated to them, I would say so (but I am not).
Hope my comment helps someone out there, as their official pricing is misleading, given the promo that nobody knows how long it will last…
Merry Christmas,
Titus
Actually licence terms limit syncing to THREE devices, which not much…
Additionally it seems that Trendmicro limits upload (unofficially) to ~300 GB.
On the other hand the price / value of Safesync is still fair.
Hi Christus,
That’s interesting, I hadn’t noticed that yet as I only sync to two devices myself (home and work pc to safesync). Recently, they did indeed send an amendment to their T&C where they state they could upload the speed for intense users.
So far, I haven’t noticed any performance differences and I have around 80 GB backed up. However, I was a little disappointed of the idea that my uploads will be throttled.
Anyway, for the moment there is not performance issues (actually the upload used my full 1 MBit bandwidth which was cool).
Cheers, Titus
I’ve been a customer of Trend’s SafeSync since late last year because I wanted an extra degree of safety with my precious family photos. During the pairing process, their system systematically deleted all my files leaving the directories and thumbs files. When I noticed early this spring, I immediately called their help desk and was informed that they dont support this system and referred me to an email support desk. Long story short, I sit here 8 months later frustrated beyond belief with dimming hopes that I can get back unreplaceable digital photos of my family & kids going back nearly two decades. They refuse to talk to me on the phone hiding behind emails asking the same redundant questions then going silent while I continue to pay for the service as my only chance to recover the files. Based on my experience, I absolutely CAN NOT recommend this service.