Veeam has acquired Object First, a vendor known for its pre-integrated, immutable backup appliances designed for Veeam environments. This acquisition expands options within the Veeam ecosystem but does not change strategy, partner relationships, or the business model, Veeam says. Object First was co-founded by Veeam’s founders to provide backup storage solutions specifically for Veeam environments.
Veeam and Object First’s partner programs will continue to operate separately while they develop an integration plan. Veeam emphasized its long-standing software-first, storage-agnostic approach, stating that customers will not be tied to specific hardware. Partners can still recommend the best backup target based on security needs, operational complexity, and customization requirements.
Object First’s Role in the Veeam Ecosystem
Object First has built its reputation on creating turnkey, on-premises backup appliances that provide immutable storage for Veeam. Its Ootbi (Out-of-the-Box Immutability) platform offers native S3 object storage with Object Lock enabled by default. This focus enables quick deployment, reduces operational risk, and provides strong protection against ransomware. The appliances are designed for specific use cases, shifting from general-purpose storage to dedicated backup targets.
From a technical perspective, Object First adheres to Zero Trust principles and enforces immutability via S3 Object Lock. It also includes design features that reduce the risk of accidental admin errors. The product line ranges from smaller setups suitable for edge and mid-market deployments to larger systems capable of managing hundreds of terabytes. These larger systems support scale-out options and integrate well with Veeam architectures, including Scale-Out Backup Repository configurations.
According to Veeam, Veeam Data Cloud Vault is the fastest-growing product in Veeam’s history, as it optimizes the customer experience for customers seeking a simple, secure, single-supplier experience. With Object First, the same value is extended on-premises while continuing to support an open hardware ecosystem, allowing customers to choose simplicity, best-of-breed solutions, or a mix of both based on their needs and timelines.
This aligns closely with Veeam’s role in data protection. Veeam serves as the software hub, while Object First is a well-controlled, specialized storage solution designed to reduce misconfigurations, shorten protection time, and secure backups against threats.
Immutability as a Baseline Requirement
The acquisition comes as immutability has become a standard requirement rather than a unique feature. Modern ransomware increasingly targets backup systems, making isolated, immutable backups crucial for recovery, compliance, and cyber insurance.
Veeam has been reinforcing immutability across various deployment models. Veeam Data Cloud Vault offers cloud-based backup storage with immutability enabled and enforced retention periods. Hardened Linux repositories provide an on-premises option with fixed immutability periods and a smaller attack surface. The Veeam Software Appliance further streamlines secure deployments by strengthening the control layer.
Object First introduces another on-premises option to this mix: a pre-integrated, immutable backup appliance for organizations seeking strong cyber resilience without assembling and securing separate infrastructure components. This is especially useful for mid-sized businesses that prioritize quick deployment and ease of operation over extensive customization.
What This Means for the Backup Market
From StorageReview’s perspective, this deal is less about Veeam “getting into hardware” and more about packaging cyber resilience into a repeatable, supported outcome. That said, Veeam will have to manage the optics and realities of owning a hardware appliance business while maintaining trust with its long-standing storage partners.
“Object First has always made sense because it takes one of the most failure-prone parts of modern backup architecture, the storage target, and turns it into a purpose-built product,” said Brian Beeler, President of StorageReview. “Ootbi isn’t trying to be everything to everyone. It’s designed to be the safest place for backups to land, with immutability enforced by default and fewer opportunities for misconfiguration.
“The natural concern is what happens when a software-first company owns a hardware appliance business,” Beeler added. “Even if Object First continues to operate independently, Veeam has to be careful about partner optics and potential conflicts, especially with storage vendors that have helped build the vibrant Veeam ecosystem. If this becomes a preferred or advantaged platform, the channel will notice.
“What matters is that customers still have real choice,” Beeler continued. “Veeam users can pursue immutability through hardened repositories, cloud vaulting, purpose-built appliances, or integrated stacks, depending on their risk tolerance, internal skills, and recovery objectives. We just published our ARTESCA + Veeam deep dive, another strong example of the market pushing toward pre-integrated cyber resilience. The bigger takeaway is that buyers are standardizing on outcomes, secure, immutable recovery, delivered in the simplest way possible.”
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