Quantum snaps up Symform cloud platform

Storage vendor also hires Symform's development team as it looks to develop new offerings

Quantum has acquired Symform's cloud storage services platform as it looks to build out its own cloud storage offering.

The platform developed by the previously independent Symform, is currently used by 45,000 individual users and small businesses in 170 countries.

Quantum claims it is committed to maintaining the service for existing customers, but is keen to leverage the technology to expand its cloud software capabilities and service offerings in data protection and scale-out storage.

To this end, the firm has hired Symform's development team, including CTO and co-founder Bassam Tabbara, to drive development.

The vendor claims, Symform's technology offers three main differentiators to customers: firstly a flexible option for cloud storage; secondly internet access to files from any device, anywhere; and finally web-based, centralized management of all components, thus simplifying the set up and deployment of cloud environments.

Jon Gacek, president of Quantum, said: "Quantum already provides cloud-based data protection through our Q-Cloud Protect service and other partner offerings, and we recently introduced a cloud solution for content production, packaging and distribution workflows based on our StorNext and Lattus solutions.

"The technology and talent we've acquired from Symform will enable us to augment these offerings and address a broader range of customer needs, as well as provide enhanced service options to the existing Symform user base.

"As just one example, we will be integrating Symform software and our platforms to create simple, very cost-effective cloud service options for long-term archive data and cold storage. This would complement our current StorNext-Lattus solutions which provide high performance nearline storage in a private cloud."