Iosafe brings disaster-proof storage to the UK

US firm ioSafe is bringing its line of disaster-proof storage hardware to the UK, enabling both business and consumer customers to ensure they do not lose their data in the event of a fire or other incident.

Available now through resellers such as Misco and Amazon, the ioSafe line includes fireproof and waterproof storage appliances, as well as ruggedised portable hard drives designed to survive crushing pressures and a drop from up to 20 feet.

Described by the firm as "an aircraft black box for your data", the ioSafe models are recommended for use as a back-up device rather than primary storage, and are aimed at small-to-medium businesses (SMBs) and consumers.

In addition, ioSafe backs up its kit with a data recovery service, claiming a success rate of over 99 per cent at retrieving customer data from a failed or damaged drive.

Iosafe's products consist of the Solo external hard drive and Rugged Portable mobile hard drive lines, which connect to a host system via USB or eSata ports.

The Solo models ship in a weighty enclosure that makes them fireproof, protecting the hard-disk inside against temperatures up to 800 degrees centigrade for up to 30 minutes. However, they are also waterproof, to survive the effects of the flames being extinguished.

"Most of the damage inflicted to IT equipment in a fire is actually caused by the water used to put out," ioSafe chief executive Robb Moore told V3.

"Thanks to the waterproof membrane we use, you could throw the unit in the ocean, and the drive inside wouldn't get wet," he added.

The Rugged Portable models are not quite so flameproof owing to their more compact size, but can withstand over two tons of pressure, thanks to their titanium enclosure, and a drop from 20 feet, or immersion in 30 feet of water for up to three days.

Moore said that ioSafe's products offer the best protection a small business can afford.

"There is a lot of interest around cloud storage now, but most businesses prefer to keep their data close to their chest," he said. "Once you start talking about gigabytes of data, it can take a long time to upload."

Each ioSafe drive is covered by a one-year warranty and one year of Data Recovery Service. This covers customers for one incident if data needs to be recovered from the drive for any reason, and can be extended beyond the first year for an additional fee.

Pricing starts at about £170 for a Rugged Portable with 250GB capacity, and about £250 for a business-grade SoloPRO with 2TB capacity.

Iosafe said it plans to introduce furhter models with high-speed Thunderbolt connectivity later in the year.