Object First, one of the company’s I’ve been following since I initially met them at a VeeamON event, was founded to provide the best immutable Backup solution for Veeam using Object-based storage. The company launched their solution, Ootbi (out-of-the-box-immutability), which turns one year old today. To discuss this milestone, VMblog reached out to David Bennett, CEO of Object First.
VMblog: What was the size of the first Ootbi unit sold? What motivated the first buyer? In which industry did they operate?
David Bennett: Mirazon, a Louisville, Kentucky-based managed services IT provider, purchased the first Ootbi 128 terabyte appliance. Mirazon focuses on data storage, disaster recovery and business continuity, making Ootbi a natural fit. The company was looking for a solution that effectively protected its customers’ data as well as its own environment from ransomware and other malicious attacks, but didn’t require deep security expertise and was simple to deploy and maintain over time. Ootbi eliminates the risk of backup data being deleted or encrypted by threat actors, meaning it can always be recovered. Ootbi was the only solution that provided this immutability without requiring IT or security expertise and remaining within budget.
VMblog: How has Object First evolved and grown since the launch of Ootbi one year ago? Are there any key milestones or achievements that stand out?
Bennett: Since the launch of Ootbi a year ago, we’ve partnered with 29 resellers and deployed over 80 installations. We accelerated rapidly over the course of 2023, growing bookings by over 200% comparing the first half of the year to the second half. To make that success possible, we recruited a stellar team of experts in their fields, increasing our employee count by 64%. To drive sales growth and product innovation, we recruited Andrew Wittman as CMO and appointed Eric Schott as CPO.While Ootbi was introduced in the US, we brought the product to the LATAM and EMEA markets in the past year. We also started building an ecosystem of partners across industries who are passionate about sharing their experiences of ransomware-proofing their organizations with Ootbi.
VMblog: Can you share insights into the technology that sets Object First apart in the storage industry? How has your technology evolved to meet the changing needs of clients?
Bennett: “Ootbi” stands for “out-of-the-box-immutability,” which is a primary feature of our technology. While immutability has historically been a challenging and complex system for IT teams to integrate effectively, Object First makes this technology exceptionally easy and simple to use by providing a piece of hardware that has immutability built into it without anything additional needed from the IT administrator to set up the device. Its simplicity is also what makes it so secure – there is no option for even authorized users to go into the device to delete or change data once it has been uploaded, be that on accident or on purpose if the user’s account has been hijacked.
The on-premises nature of Object First’s storage technology also meets the changing needs of the industry. Cloud storage has taken the tech world by storm over the past ten years, but the rising prices, complexities, and cybersecurity threats associated with the cloud have prompted many to look at taking their backup storage back on-prem. In fact, fulfilling Zero Trust principles for backup and recovery requires an appliance-based approach. Ootbi works well in a hybrid cloud ecosystem, allowing users to have the convenience of the cloud with the security and the peace of mind that their backup data is 100% secure.
VMblog: How do we bring Zero Trust best practices to backup?
Bennett: While well-known across the cybersecurity space, Zero Trust models have not traditionally considered data backup and recovery infrastructure. With 93% of ransomware attacks now explicitly , this is no longer an acceptable strategy. Organizations must implement Zero Trust Data Resilience (ZTDR) principles to achieve system resilience to failure and attack.
The key attributes of ZTDR are:
- Segmentation – separation of Backup Software and Backup Storage layers to create distinct resilience zones
- Backup storage immutability - ensuring data cannot be modified or deleted
- Zero access to root and OS – protecting against malicious or compromised administrators
When paired with intentional recovery testing and integrated threat detection, the ZTDR model is a productive way to bring Zero Trust best practices to the backup ecosystem. You can learn more about implementing ZTDR for secure backup storage in this whitepaper.
VMblog: Could you highlight a specific client success story demonstrating the impact of Object First’s storage solutions? What challenges did the client face, and how did Object First address them?
Bennett: Object First worked with Centerbase, a cloud-based platform that aids in managing law firms, to eliminate down time, protect sensitive data, and mitigate the financial repercussions of a potential cyberattack.
Centerbase prides itself on supporting legacy systems with the flexibility of the cloud to modernize law firms without sacrificing functionality. . Rising ransomware threats and the debilitating impact that downtime after an outage or disaster would have on their clients led Centerbase to look for a solution that would support its data recovery plan and reduce restore time from its cloud repository. After implementing , Centerbase decreased its recovery point objective (RPO) by 50%. And Ootbi’s immutable storage means Centerbase’s data is always recoverable, allowing them to avoid potential ransomware payouts that to an average of $1.5M in 2023. Centerbase also needed a solution that would easily integrate into its existing tech stack; custom-made for Veeam, Ootbi was seamlessly installed into Centerbase’s Veeam infrastructure.
VMblog: In a rapidly changing tech landscape, how does Object First stay innovative and adaptable? Are there any new features or strategies you’ve implemented to stay ahead in the industry?
Bennett: We deployed our initial version of Ootbi in beta to gather feedback from the field, making updates after listening to our customer base. It’s important to us that we provide the IT space with the functional tech they’re looking for while avoiding unnecessary complexities and gimmicks.
Our innovation and adaptability stem from a laser focus on Veeam backups. By specializing in this specific use case, we excel in understanding Veeam environments and maintaining close ties with our customers. This focus, coupled with our collaboration with Veeam, allows us to swiftly implement new features and strategies.
In the face of rising cyberattacks, our commitment to both Veeam and security ensures our solution remains cutting-edge and resilient. In essence, our agility and specialized approach make Object First a reliable and forward-thinking partner in a rapidly changing tech landscape.
VMblog: How has Object First engaged with its community over the past year? Are there any initiatives or partnerships that have contributed to a positive relationship with your clients and the industry?
Bennett: To support community growth, we’ve welcomed two new members to our team. Community Manager, Geoff Burke, is a Veeam Vanguard, Legend and will be focused on expanding Object First’s community outreach and engagement efforts. He will also be involved in blogging and other digital activities to spread the word about Ootbi’s innovative technology. Joining him is Product Strategist and Data Security Advocate, Sterling Wilson, who has spent years in technical leadership roles. Sterling will help evangelize Object First to the channel and various technical communities on data resilience.
Additionally, we enjoy starting productive conversations in the data backup and recovery industry on our social media platforms and at industry events. We often host live events on our page featuring SMEs, Veeam partners, and Object First executives. These sessions cover a variety of topics including ZTDR, object storage, current market trends, disaster resiliency, and more.
Object First actively participates in the field through events, conferences, and meetings organized by our partners and alliances.
VMblog: As Object First enters its second year, what is the company’s vision for the future? Are there specific goals or areas of expansion that you are particularly excited about?
Bennett: Amid rising demand for ransomware-proof data storage, we’re looking forward to our next phase of growth in 2024. We’re continuing to hire and elevate our brand – not only as a technology provider but as a leader in the next generation of IT.
As a 100% channel company, a big focus for the next year will be continuing to grow our reseller community. We’re bringing new opportunities for our partners, starting with a refreshed partner program. Featuring Marketing Development Funds (MDF) support, alongside sales and technical enablement for our partners. Our NFR program grants partners access to Ootbi for demos and POCs.
Participating in our Object First Partner Rewards program earns recognition for sales and technical enablement, including activities like demos, deal registration, and closed business. Our points-based system offers flexibility with a variety of rewards. Deal registration is an important element of our partner program and provides additional margin for the reseller who is driving the opportunity with their customer.
We’re eagerly anticipating the journey ahead in 2024 and are excited to welcome those who join us in our mission to provide the best storage for Veeam!
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