Data Backup Digest

As one of the leading names in data protection in the 21st century, it's no surprise to see Carbonite appearing in the headlines. They were a mainstay in headline news throughout all of 2018 – and it seems 2019 will be no different. In fact, Carbonite is following up on their recent acquisitions by acquiring the Webroot brand – a move that will enhance cybersecurity on behalf of their backup and recovery platform.

Specifically, developers with Carbonite will leverage their cloud-based data protection services with the cloud-based machine learning capabilities of Webroot. Not only will this create an ultra-secure, next-gen platform within the cloud, but it includes integrated ransomware protection and support for data recovery in the case of an incident.

Mohamad Ali, president and CEO of Carbonite, spoke enthusiastically about the recent acquisition by saying: "The acquisition of Webroot dramatically accelerates our progress towards becoming the leading data protection company,” said Mohamad Ali, President and Chief Executive Officer of Carbonite. “With threats like ransomware evolving daily, our customers and partners are increasingly seeking a more comprehensive solution that is both powerful and easy to use. Backup and recovery, combined with endpoint security and threat intelligence, is a differentiated solution that provides one, comprehensive data protection platform."

The latest move follows a series of acquisitions that spans the past several years. Carbonite acquired Mozzy, one of its largest and most consistent competitors in the data backup space, in 2018 as well as Double-Take Software and Datacastle in 2017. All of these moves are meant to help bolster Carbonite's service portfolio to include comprehensive data backup, high availability (HR), disaster recovery (DR), and data migration.

While it's unclear what services Carbonite will keep and which ones will go to the wayside, Webroot currently offers a variety of data protection solutions, including antivirus software, online security, WiFi security, endpoint data protection, DNS protection, and security awareness training for staff members.

It's also important to note that the recent acquisition gives Carbonite direct access to an untapped demographic. As the majority of their business currently originates from value-added resellers, or VARs, Webroot's customer base consists primarily of managed service providers, or MSPs. Carbonite will likely expand their reach throughout the industry as a result.

Mike Potts, CEO of Webroot, also spoke optimistically about the new acquisition by saying: "Carbonite and Webroot have a common focus on making data protection and cybersecurity solutions accessible and easy to use, as well as a dedication to customer success, and we are thrilled to become part of their team. Together we can deliver tremendous value to our customers and partners."

In total, Carbonite acquired Webroot for approximately $618.5 million. Founded in Colorado in 1997, Webroot has been providing endpoint and network security ever since. Mike Potts, current CEO, joined the team in 2017.

For more information on Carbonite, including news on any of their recent acquisitions or details on any of their products or services, please visit their official site at {{https://www.carbonite.com/|www.carbonite.com}}.