Staples Launches Thrive Online Backup®;
Provides Businesses with Automatic Data Protection

 

 

FRAMINGHAM, Mass., September 24, 2008 – In conjunction with the launch of Thrive Networks (see companion release “Staples Launches Thrive Networks®”), Staples today announced the availability of Thrive Online Backup, a new service that offers organizations complete and automatic backup of all their data to a secure, remote facility.


Thrive Online Backup makes it easy and economical for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to adopt the same kind of business continuity and disaster recovery plans previously available only to corporate enterprises. In doing so, Thrive Online Backup ensures that organizations’ data is protected from all forms of data loss, including hard drive crashes, accidental deletion, natural disaster, theft and vandalism.

 

“As a company, our mission is clear: to support and strengthen the financial position of each of our clients,” said Steve Costa, information technology manager of Tofias PC, ranked among the top 100 accounting firms in the nation and the second largest regional accounting firm in New England. “In order to be successful, we understand that protecting and maximizing our client data – our most valuable asset – is mission-critical to our business. Thrive Networks’s proactive and preventative approach to problem solving is something we depend on to keep our systems and network running smoothly. It quickly detects and resolves any potential issues and if problems begin to sprout, we’ll have a fix in place before productivity is brought to a grinding halt. It’s our insurance policy so that no service issue falls through the cracks.”

 

“In today’s business environment, organizations have to be prepared for all sorts of disasters – both natural and man-made – and can’t afford to fall victim to downtime,” observed Candy Murphy, vice president of Staples’ Contract Technology Solutions. “Companies may think they’re protecting themselves by backing up to tape, but studies have shown that more than a third of companies never test their backups, and of those that do, more than three quarters have found tapes that fail to restore properly. Without a proven data protection plan, they’re simply taking an unacceptable risk. By offering a solution like Thrive Online Backup, we’re putting enterprise-level protection within reach of any organization.”

 

Thrive Online Backup works by automatically copying data from PCs and servers, over a secure and encrypted Internet connection, to a remote storage facility where the data is available for immediate recovery seven days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Only new and changed data is copied, so the process is quick and consumes relatively little bandwidth.

 

 

Key benefits over traditional approaches to backup include:
  • It’s automatic – You don't need to think about or do anything to backup your data – Thrive just does it automatically.
  • It’s secure – Data is encrypted and stored securely, eliminating the potential for theft or damage.
  • It’s cost-effective – There’s no software, hardware, or media to buy.
  • It’s simple – Backup happens automatically without human intervention, and recovery of data can be done anytime, from anywhere, with nothing more than a Web browser and a connection to the Internet.

 

“Small and medium-sized business customers and suppliers are increasingly savvy, with high expectations for immediate and personalized service and support. But while expectations are rising, SMBs are also under pressure to do more with the same or fewer IT resources,” commented Jim Lippie, president of Staples Networks Services by Thrive. “With limited IT staffs and their own set of unique storage challenges, it’s really critical that they protect their most valuable asset – their information. That’s where Thrive Networks comes in – we can take all of that worry off their plates, make IT work without them having to think about it, and give them the peace of mind that comes from knowing they’re fully protected.”

 


About Staples
Staples, the world’s largest office products company, is committed to making it easy for customers to buy a wide range of office products, including supplies, technology, furniture, and business services. With $27 billion in sales, Staples serves businesses of all sizes and consumers in 27 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. In July 2008, Staples acquired Corporate Express, one of the world’s leading suppliers of office products to businesses and institutions. Staples invented the office superstore concept in 1986 and is headquartered outside Boston. More information about Staples (Nasdaq: SPLS) is available at www.staples.com.