Arctera CEO: Reinventing Backup

Summary

Arctera CEO, Lawrence Wong, focuses on expanding the company’s backup capabilities after its spin-off from Veritas. Key areas of focus include enhancing Backup Exec, their flagship product for SMBs, and developing the Arctera Insight Platform with new AI-powered features. Wong aims to solidify Arctera’s position as a major player in the data protection market.

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** Main Story**

So, Arctera, or as some are calling it “the world’s oldest startup”, is taking on a new chapter with Lawrence Wong at the helm. Fresh off their split from Veritas back in November ’24, it sounds like they’re laser-focused on squeezing every bit of value out of their existing product lineup, while, and this is key, building out some new capabilities. Think of it as a refresh, not a complete overhaul.

And what’s leading the charge? Two big things: Backup Exec, their SMB data protection workhorse, and the Arctera Insight Platform – which, by the way, is their newly polished data visibility tool, now sporting some integrated AI smarts.

Backup Exec: Still the Main Attraction

Backup Exec. It’s their on-premises data protection and recovery solution. It’s made for both physical and virtual environments. And honestly? It’s the heart of Arctera right now. They’re not just letting it sit; the company’s pouring resources into making it even better. Take Backup Exec 24 for instance. It’s the newest version, and it’s got simplified licensing – instance-based and capacity-based options – that, to me, makes it a lot more attractive and, more importantly, affordable for SMBs. It’s not just about backup, though. It’s about restore services, beefed-up ransomware protection (which is crucial these days, right?), and easier management.

Honestly, the reviews are solid. I was chatting with a colleague about it and we agreed that the value proposition is strong: simple licensing, comprehensive features, all working together.

Arctera Insight Platform: Seeing Your Data Clearly

But it doesn’t stop with Backup Exec. They’re also putting serious effort into the Arctera Insight Platform. Remember the Data Compliance Platform? Well, this is it, all grown up and rebranded. It’s all about bringing together data auditing and compliance monitoring into a single, unified platform.

And get this, the platform connects to over 120 content sources – WhatsApp, WeChat, Teams, Slack, iMessage, you name it. So, are you managing compliance across all those different platforms?

However, the real kicker, in my opinion, is the Generative AI assistant. It’s designed to cut through the noise and streamline compliance tasks. Think quick document summaries, key topic extraction, sentiment analysis…all powered by AI. I mean, what’s not to like? Plus, they’ve added an AI token wallet (for keeping tabs on AI usage) and SCIM-based user provisioning. I think it’s a pretty solid move.

That being said, they’ve also revamped the UI. Streamlined workflows, slicker dashboards, and simplified reporting – it’s all about making the user experience smoother and more efficient, and that’s important.

Arctera: Eyeing Growth

Wong calls Arctera a “growth company,” and that’s a phrase that’s stuck with me. They’re hunting for opportunities to grow, to expand. While the immediate game plan is to make the most of what they have, you know, Backup Exec and the Insight Platform, they’re keeping an eye on what’s next.

And with 1,500 employees spread across 35 offices globally, they’ve got the infrastructure to back up those ambitions, or so it would seem. Combine that with a customer-first approach and a dedication to innovation, and, yeah, Arctera could definitely be a force to be reckoned with in the data protection space, and I think you’ll agree. It’s February 16, 2025, as of today, and based on what I see, Arctera is definitely one to watch, though of course things change.