At the Acronis Partner Summit India 2024, held in Mumbai, Tech Achieve Media had the opportunity to speak with Shilpa Gurjar, Assistant Vice President, and Kiran Bansode, Product Manager at DataOps. Both leaders shared insights into their journey with Acronis and how their company has grown to become a key player in the cyber protection landscape.
Shilpa, who heads the sales division at DataOps, highlighted the company’s evolution:
“DataOps is essentially an operations company for Acronis. While our association with Acronis began eight years ago, we officially launched DataOps three years ago with the sole purpose of supporting and expanding business with Acronis. Our support team is doing an exceptional job in addressing customer needs, and Acronis has been instrumental in enabling us to achieve this.”
Kiran, as the Product Manager, elaborated on his role: “I handle all product operations at DataOps, ensuring seamless connections with our partners and their customers. From addressing challenges to managing sales and operations activities, my role focuses on delivering guidance and leadership across teams. Dedicatedly, we’ve been working as Acronis distributors and cloud activators through DataOps, driving significant growth in the past few years.”
Their shared commitment to leveraging Acronis’s robust solutions has not only strengthened their customer relationships but also set a solid foundation for future growth.
TAM: How would you describe the backup and data protection services DataOps used before adopting Acronis?
Shilpa Gurjar and Kiran Bansode: Previously, we relied on manual processes provided by our partners and customers, as well as third-party tools. However, these methods often lacked consistency and ease of use. With Acronis, the experience is significantly more seamless and user-friendly. Customers find the solution intuitive and are naturally drawn to its simplicity and efficiency. The features Acronis offers are highly effective and address customer needs in a way that traditional methods could not.
Initially, our approach involved traditional tools like tape drives and hard drives for data management. Over time, we transitioned to cloud-based solutions, gradually introducing our customers to the benefits of cloud backup and hybrid setups involving both cloud and on-premises systems. This progression not only modernized our processes but also helped our customers adapt to these advancements. Acronis has played a vital role in supporting this evolution, providing robust solutions that empower customers to embrace these new technologies effortlessly.
TAM: What factors led you to consider switching from your previous backup vendor to Acronis? Can you share specific issues you encountered with other solutions?
Shilpa Gurjar and Kiran Bansode: Previously, managing backups was a hectic and labor-intensive task due to the manual processes involved. With Acronis, everything is automated and scheduled, eliminating the need for constant monitoring. No one has to worry about whether the backup was completed today.
In the past, physical intervention was required for all activities, and third-party solutions were often not an option. However, the existing methods were resource-intensive. Restarting backups would slow down the system significantly, making it a challenging task, especially for application-driven solutions where users needed uninterrupted access. Delays in such scenarios could be detrimental to companies from a revenue standpoint.
Acronis simplifies this process by offering a single platform that consolidates all backup needs. Customers no longer need multiple solutions for different requirements. Instead, they get all the features under one umbrella, which is a significant advantage. As mentioned, managing backups used to be tedious. With Acronis, we gained the ability to assure customers that they could rest easy while we handled their backup needs. The data would always be available whenever required.
Moreover, Acronis allowed us to schedule backups during non-working hours, ensuring that user productivity was never compromised. This flexibility made a significant difference, as it allowed us to maintain efficiency without disrupting business operations. This is the true beauty of the Acronis product. It simplifies operations, enhances productivity, and provides a competitive edge.
TAM: What aspects of the Acronis console make it easier to work with compared to other vendors? How has Acronis improved your team’s efficiency or data management processes?
Shilpa Gurjar and Kiran Bansode: The console is incredibly user-friendly. It’s so intuitive that no formal training is required but just a quick glance, and you can easily understand how to navigate and use it. This ease of use extends to the support team, who don’t face any challenges accessing the console.
If any issues arise, we have on-call support from the Acronis team, who are always ready to assist us. In simple terms, even a non-technical person can manage this solution effortlessly, which is a significant advantage. From an efficiency standpoint, Acronis has made a tremendous impact on our data management processes. Since it’s available 24×7, there’s no reliance on specific resources or personnel for access. Data is always available, anytime we need it, and this is a major plus for our operations.
Another standout feature of the product is its reliability. Once deployed, the challenges we encounter are minimal. For instance, on ES platforms, there are hardly one or two issues, and on Linux, it operates seamlessly. These insights highlight how Acronis has transformed our processes and delivered exceptional ease of use and efficiency.
TAM: What business or technical results have you observed since implementing Acronis?
Shilpa Gurjar and Kiran Bansode: As mentioned earlier, when a customer or partner starts using Acronis, it’s not just a one-time setup but they experience continuous improvement. As their data size grows and their needs expand, Acronis scales seamlessly to accommodate those changes. Additionally, the referral program has been a great advantage. Satisfied customers often recommend Acronis to others, which naturally drives growth for us. Every new customer we onboard contributes to further expansion, creating a positive cycle of growth.
One key benefit is that customers can focus on their core business because they trust us, which is DataOps, powered by Acronis, to handle their data backups. This alleviates their concerns while ensuring the security and availability of their data. Since we use Acronis, we are confident in the reliability of the solution, allowing us to operate without worry. Happy customers not only stay with us but also refer others to our services. This not only helps us grow but also contributes to Acronis’s growth. It’s a win-win situation, showcasing the effectiveness of the product and the trust it builds with customers.
TAM: How do you envision the partnership with Acronis growing in the future?
Shilpa Gurjar and Kiran Bansode: When we initially started with Acronis, we focused solely on classic licenses. However, over time, we transitioned into becoming a Managed Service Provider (MSP) and a cloud service provider. As a cloud service provider, we now offer not just backup services but also security, hardware inventory management, and features like remote access.
Acronis has evolved beyond just providing backup solutions. Its focus on comprehensive cyber protection has significantly enhanced the quality of its offerings. For example, when we began our journey as an MSP with Acronis, we started with just 10TB of storage. Today, we are managing 250TB of data—a significant increase in just 2–3 years. Looking ahead, our projections are ambitious. We aim to scale from 500TB to 1PB (1000TB) in the near future. To support this growth, we are planning several joint events and customer engagement initiatives with Acronis, further solidifying our position as an MSP. Currently, with 250TB under management, we are confident that we will reach 600–700TB in the coming years. This roadmap reflects our commitment to growth and the trust we have in Acronis to support our journey.