Object First launches Fleet Manager for backup estates

Object First has launched Fleet Manager for distributed Ootbi backup storage deployments. The service is available to Ootbi users with active support contracts at no extra cost.

Fleet Manager is a cloud-based management service for organisations running Veeam environments. It is designed to give enterprises and service providers a single view across multiple backup storage clusters, sites and customer estates as operational strain grows from fragmented backup infrastructure.

Backup systems have become a more prominent security concern as ransomware groups increasingly target recovery data as well as live production systems. Object First cited Enterprise Strategy Group research showing that 96% of ransomware attacks target backup data, using the figure to underline the need for tighter oversight of distributed environments.

Fleet Manager centralises monitoring without accessing backup data itself. The service monitors telemetry only, which Object First said helps preserve the immutability of stored backups while allowing administrators to review storage use, hardware health and alerts across installations.

Built on Zero Trust principles, Fleet Manager is aligned with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's Secure-by-Design framework. It also lets users manage remote environments without switching between separate VPN connections, a process that can slow administration for service providers and large enterprises with many locations.

Operational strain

The launch reflects a wider issue in enterprise IT: backup estates now span branch offices, data centres, hybrid infrastructure and customer environments. That growth has increased the number of systems administrators must oversee and created blind spots that can complicate recovery during outages or cyber attacks.

For managed service providers, the challenge is commercial as well as technical. Supporting dozens of customer environments can raise labour costs and reduce margins if engineers must log into systems one by one to check capacity, firmware versions or fault conditions.

Danielle Ibran, Senior Research Analyst, Worldwide Infrastructure Channels and Ecosystems Program, IDC, said the market backdrop has shifted as infrastructure has become more distributed.

"Fleet Manager arrives at a pivotal moment in the market. Enterprises are operating across hybrid, multi-cloud, and distributed environments, and if you don't address this friction, you develop blind spots and increase your exposure. Whether you're an enterprise or a service provider, customers want their data to be secure, governed, and auditable, but at the same time operationally simple. For service provider partners, managing dozens of distributed backup environments, the complexity keeps adding up. With Fleet Manager, they can scale services more efficiently and improve margins. For the end customer, it's really about peace of mind. Fleet Manager bridged that gap between those expectations and day-to-day operations," said Ibran.

Channel focus

Object First positioned the service for two audiences: enterprises running backup infrastructure across multiple sites, and service providers managing several customer estates. In both cases, the emphasis is on centralised monitoring rather than direct intervention in stored backup content.

Fleet Manager includes multitenant visibility for service providers, allowing them to monitor several customer environments through a single dashboard. It also provides fleet-wide alerts and information on outages, overages and potential threats across connected clusters.

Rick Vanover, VP, Product Strategy, Veeam, linked the launch to the broader issue of business continuity and recovery.

"At the core of resilience is protecting backup data from whatever comes your way, whether ransomware, outages, or physical events. Fleet Manager stands out by bringing consistent, centralised visibility across distributed environments, giving customers and partners greater control over their backup infrastructure. That consistency is a key differentiator and a critical enabler of faster, more reliable recovery," said Vanover.

One service provider customer described the practical effect of replacing separate log-ins and VPN sessions with a single console. The account illustrates where Object First expects demand for the new service.

"As a service provider, we troubleshoot and maintain infrastructure across dozens of customer environments. Before Fleet Manager, that meant jumping on VPN, authenticating with MFA, and logging into each device individually. Now our engineers can see all clusters, all devices, in a single pane of glass without a separate VPN for every customer. It's super smooth, same experience as the local console, and it saves us a significant amount of time. Every quarter we do technology business reviews with our customers, and Fleet Manager makes it easy to pull capacity, firmware versions, and usage trends for every device in one place. Fleet Manager has made us more responsive, more efficient, and better equipped to deliver the service our customers expect," said Quinn.

David Bennett, Chief Executive Officer, Object First, said: "Resilience depends on knowing what's happening across your backup environment at all times. Fleet Manager gives enterprises the visibility and control they need to protect their Veeam backup data, while giving service providers a new way to scale operations and deliver consistent, reliable service to every customer. The result is less complexity, less risk and stronger outcomes for everyone."