eFolder Buys Replibit: MSP, BDR Software Market Evolution Continues -

When eFolder acquired Replibit today, it signaled the latest in a growing list of BDR (backup and disaster recovery) M&A deals that are reshaping the MSP software industry.

Over the past few years, data protection has emerged as the killer application for thousands of MSPs. Sure, PSA (professional services automation) and RMM (remote monitoring and management) provided the foundation for many MSP businesses. But BDR allowed MSPs to connect the dots between cloud services and managed services -- making it easier for MSPs to describe the value of subscription-based services to customers.

BDR Mergers, Acquisitions

Even as it grows, the BDR market is shifting. The age of standalone BDR products is rapidly ending, and M&A has become the norm. Among the deals to note:

Autotask acquired Soonr in 2015, adding file sync and sharing to the company's PSA and RMM portfolio.

Barracuda acquired Intronis in late 2015, connecting the dots between security and BDR. During a recent earnings call, Barracuda CEO BJ Jenkins said the deal is performing well.

Datto acquired Backupify in late 2014, gaining cloud-to-cloud backup capabilities for Salesforce, GoogleApps and other popular SaaS applications.

Carbonite acquired EVault in late 2015, overhauled its channel team and pushed beyond consumer/small business data protection -- with an eye toward the midmarket. The early results sound promising.

Continuum acquired R1Soft in 2014, essentially marrying RMM, NOC (network operations center) and BDR solutions under a single roof. The result? Company officials decline to disclose revenue figures, but Continuum has been growing roughly 40 percent annually according to sources close to that company.

LogicNow essentially spun off from GFI Software, creating an MSP-centric company with data protection, RMM and mobile services for MSPs.

StorageCraft was acquired by a private equity firm in 2015, overhauled its executive team and announced global expansion plans.

Whom did I miss? And which M&A deals are next? We're all ears...