November 27, 2006

BIS puts trust in Pillar for high performance storage service expansion

~ storage innovator powers new data replication and business continuity offering ~

BIS, the managed solutions provider and business continuity specialist, has invested in a storage system from Pillar Data Systems. The deal will support its ever-growing on-line data backup services and will allow BIS to extend its product portfolio to include, storage and replication.

The Pillar Axiom replaces a number of systems to enable BIS to continue providing the quality of service required by its customer base, whilst enhancing the flexibility and scalability that is required for any storage provider.  Due to the success of BIS’ on-line data backup services, BIS experienced exponential growth with the volume of data it handles, and meant it was essential that a scalable and high performance storage system was found as quickly as possible.

BIS supplies services to over 300 corporate customers in the insurance, shipping, finance, media and legal industries with complete on-line backup and copies of their data remotely accessible from a virtual second storage pool. This will extend the company’s reach within these markets and strengthen its product offering with existing and new customers. This now enables BIS to provide a consolidated storage solution to assist in business continuity as a fully managed service with comprehensive service level agreements.

BIS chose the Pillar Axiom over its competitors because of the storage system’s ease of operation, reliability and low long-term cost. In testament to this, BIS will also resell Pillar’s storage system to customers that are looking for a primary storage system. In addition, it will distribute Pillar’s software management suite, AxiomONE, which brings together several administrative tools into a single, easy-to-use interface.

“Regardless of the size and type of business, everyone concentrates on major disasters like 9/11 or July 7, but it’s the day to day quiet catastrophes, like flood, fire, power, loss of staff that can really hurt a business,” said David Pyemont, Chairman at BIS. “Business continuity is about being proactive. It’s about investing in infrastructure that serves your ‘business as usual’ status as well as providing a safety net for DR scenarios. Many DR solutions are reactive and the investment made provides a low return. The Pillar Axiom has strengthened our offering. With no single point of failure, we can rely on it to support our customers whatever happens.”

“The partnership with BIS shows the flexibility of both the Axiom and AxiomONE software management suite,” said Andy Jacques, Director of Sales Northern Europe, Pillar Data Systems. “Not only will it be handling terabytes of data for BIS’ on-line backup, storage and replication services, but it will be resold as a primary data source, showing that it adapts to all businesses’ needs”.

For more information about the Pillar Axiom visit www.pillardata.co.uk/products

NOTES TO EDITORS

About BIS

BIS is a leader in providing high availability and managed integrated solutions, incorporating global network connectivity, managed co-location & hosting, online data backup, storage services and managed voice services. Founded in 1996, BIS has successfully implemented solutions for over 300 corporate customers across sectors as varied as Legal, Shipping, Insurance, Finance, Local Government and Media, including 47 of the world’s largest insurance and underwriting companies. For more information about BIS’ products and services, visit www.bis-internet.co.uk

About Pillar Data Systems
Pillar Data Systems develops storage solutions that can significantly lower total cost of ownership and dramatically increase storage utilisation rates. The company's Pillar Axiom storage solution, driven by its powerful, simple to manage AxiomONE software suite, consolidates multiple applications, tiers of storage and Quality of Service levels onto a centrally managed platform. Pillar Axiom is the most flexible, easy to manage and dynamically scalable storage system on the market today.