Iron Mountain Protects both SaaS Applications and Data with new Escrow Service
Small and Medium Software as a Service Providers can use SaaSProtect to Build Customer Trust
BOSTON - April 23, 2007 -Iron Mountain Incorporated
(NYSE:IRM), the global leader in information protection and storage
services, today announced the general availability of SaaSProtect
Escrow Service™ to safeguard Software as a Service (SaaS) applications,
the data that runs those applications, and the associated customer
data. SaaSProtect Escrow Service protects the subscribers of SaaS
applications in the event of problems with the SaaS provider,
significant outages, or other service interruptions. It also gives SaaS
providers a way to build trust with their customers. Iron Mountain
Digital, the technology arm of Iron Mountain and the founder of the
technology escrow industry, is the first company to combine automated
data backup and rapid recovery with technology escrow for a complete
SaaS protection solution.
Iron Mountain's SaaSProtect Escrow Service is designed to help
mitigate risks associated with entering into a relationship with
small-to-medium sized SaaS providers. According to Gartner, the market
for SaaS applications will grow from $6.3 billion in 2006 to $19.3
billion by 2011, with most of those dollars going to new entrants,
rather than established software vendors.
Executive Director of The Common Application, Inc. Rob Killion, is
implementing Iron Mountain's SaaSProtect Escrow Service for the next
version of the Common Application Online®, a non-profit site that lets
students apply to more than 300 colleges and universities using one
common application over the web. Killion states, "The primary benefit
is the security that we get. We know that if catastrophe strikes -
either catastrophe in terms of a business relationship going bad or a
natural or personal catastrophe - there is a 'plan B' that we can avail
ourselves of quickly and securely with Iron Mountain, and that's
something we haven't had before."
In the SaaS delivery model, software applications run by an outside
provider are accessed over the Internet, cutting IT infrastructure and
management costs and facilitating quicker deployment. SaaS deployments
also introduce new risks. According to Forrester Research, "Application
implementation, technology, and operational risks may be mitigated
through the use of a SaaS solution. However, vendor, application, and
business continuity risks may be increased." SaaS subscribers can
leverage Iron Mountain's SaaSProtect Escrow Service as part of a "best
practice" business continuity strategy.
In the SaaS environment, SaaS subscribers don't have actual software
that they run in production, so issues like vendor bankruptcy are one
concern, but there is also a real threat from extended service outages.
With SaaSProtect Escrow Service, applications are protected with both
source code and object code deposits. This provides all the components
necessary to recreate the live production environment for the
application - either on the customer's premise or at a fail-over site -
and to restore service to end-users.
In addition, customer data, which typically resides with the SaaS
provider, is protected through Iron Mountain's LiveVault® online data
backup and recovery solution within the SaaS application. Backups are
performed automatically and continuously over the Internet, and data is
moved off-site to a remote and secure Iron Mountain data center,
without manual IT intervention. Iron Mountain's SaaSProtect Escrow
Service is the first complete escrow protection strategy that
incorporates the application source code and maintenance materials,
object code, and live customer data backup.
Features and benefits of the SaaSProtect Escrow Service include:
- Protection for both SaaS subscribers and providers - Subscribers
protect their investments in SaaS applications while SaaS providers are
able to offer buyers peace of mind
- Escrow for both the source code and object code enables users to get up and running quickly
- SaaS-specific "demand" release conditions allow immediate access to applications and data
- Verification testing provides assurance the application can be re-built quickly
- Proven online, automatic data backup and recovery through LiveVault safeguards data
- Iron Mountain Connect™ Escrow Management Center offers easy online access and real-time management of escrow accounts
About Iron Mountain Digital
Iron Mountain Digital is the world's leading provider of data
backup/recovery and archiving software as a service (SaaS). The
technology arm of Iron Mountain Incorporated offers a comprehensive
suite of data protection and e-records management software and services
to thousands of companies around the world, directly and through a
world-wide network of channel partners. Iron Mountain Digital is based
in Southborough, Mass. with European headquarters in Frankfurt,
Germany. For more information on Iron Mountain Digital's Intellectual
Property Management services, visit www.ironmountain.com/ipm.
About Iron Mountain
Iron Mountain Incorporated (NYSE:IRM) helps organizations around the
world reduce the costs and risks associated with information protection
and storage. The company offers comprehensive records management and
data protection solutions, along with the expertise and experience to
address complex information challenges such as rising storage costs,
litigation, regulatory compliance and disaster recovery. Founded in
1951, Iron Mountain is a trusted partner to more than 90,000 corporate
clients throughout North America, Europe, Latin American and Asia
Pacific. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.ironmountain.com.