Cobalt Iron Compass® Named a DCIG TOP 5 Enterprise VMware Backup Solution for 2025-26

Cobalt Iron’s Compass® enterprise SaaS backup platform has been recognized as a DCIG TOP 5 Enterprise VMware Backup Solution for 2025-26. This ranking follows an in-depth review of 18 enterprise VMware backup solutions, evaluating areas like backup administration, security, recovery, and pricing. Compass stands out for its secure, automated, and AI-driven approach to data protection, leveraging its Compass Zero Access® architecture and Compass Cyber Shield® to enhance security and efficiency. It also embeds IBM Storage Protect and other technologies, delivering a comprehensive cyber-resilient backup solution for enterprises.

DCIG analysts praised Compass for its automated operations, AI-powered analytics, scalability, and unique pricing model based on deduplicated backend data. The platform proactively detects security threats, optimizes backup performance, and ensures ransomware protection across the entire backup stack. Greg Tevis, VP of Strategy at Cobalt Iron, highlighted that this recognition reaffirms the company’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge, adaptable enterprise data protection amidst evolving IT challenges like ransomware and VMware licensing changes.

Cobalt Iron Inc., a leading provider of SaaS-based enterprise data protection, today announced that DCIG has recognized the company’s cutting-edge Compass® enterprise SaaS backup platform as a TOP 5 Enterprise VMware Backup Solution for 2025-26. This prestigious recognition comes after DCIG’s comprehensive evaluation of 18 enterprise VMware backup solutions based on backup administration; configuration, licensing, and pricing; general data protection capabilities; recovery and restore; service and support; and VMware vSphere ESX/ESXi VM backup.

“Cobalt Iron distinguishes itself with its secure, automated, analytics-optimized Compass Zero Access® architecture. It embeds IBM Storage Protect and many other technologies as building blocks within its solution,” DCIG analysts Jerome Wendt, Ken Clipperton, Todd Dorsey, and Joshua Konkle wrote in the report. “Compass then builds on its technological capabilities by offering additional advanced features that enterprises expect from modern data protection solutions. For example, Compass automates the operational tasks associated with all its components. Compass also analyzes backup and infrastructure operational metadata across a protected environment. It then identifies and predicts potential security, health, and operational issues and provides steps on how to resolve them.”

The DCIG report highlights many of Compass’ key distinguishing features, particularly its robust cyber security capabilities and scalable architecture. These include:

• Automated Operations: Powers the operational tasks associated with all of Compass’ components, enhancing efficiency and reducing manual intervention.
• Compass Cyber Shield®: Provides comprehensive protection against ransomware across the entire backup stack, including APIs, user interface, backup software, catalog, networking, storage, and operating system. It incorporates AI, data immutability, and multifactor authentication, effectively eliminating nearly any possibility of Compass being compromised by cyber security threats.
• Scalability: Capable of handling hundreds of concurrent client backup or restore jobs, optimizing resources for peak demands. For client backups, Compass can support up to hundreds of threads to optimize performance.
• Innovative Pricing Model: Charges based on terabytes of protected backend data after deduplication and compression, including offsite storage of a second copy.
• AI-Powered Analytics: Identifies and predicts potential security, health, and operational issues, offering proactive resolution steps.
• Secure Architecture: Utilizes a secure, analytics-optimized Compass Zero Access architecture, enhancing overall data protection.

“In today’s evolving landscape of enterprise data protection, Cobalt Iron Compass stands out for its secure, automated, and analytics-optimized approach, offering a forward-thinking solution that goes beyond traditional backup and recovery,” said Greg Tevis, vice president of strategy at Cobalt Iron. “Our inclusion in DCIG’s TOP 5 list validates our strategy of delivering a secure, efficient, and adaptable enterprise data protection platform. Moreover, this recognition underscores our commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions that meet the complex needs of enterprises, particularly in the face of emerging threats like ransomware and changing licensing models in the VMware ecosystem.”