Holy Backup, Batman!

11:15 AM - When Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) launched Windows 95 ten years ago, it brought the Rolling Stones in to sing Start Me Up.” When it launched Data Protection Manager this week, Microsoft brought in Adam West. (See Microsoft and Symantec Cut SMB Tape and Microsoft Unveils DPM .)

At last night's DPM launch, a well-preserved West, aged 75+, introduced Bob Muglia, SVP of the Windows Server Division, who then told us how serious Microsoft is about storage.

Now, we're just as nostaglic as the next guy, but it's been a while since Bill Gates was technology’s Boy Wonder. Does Microsoft really want an over-the-hill crusader as its corporate symbol?

Think about the message: Is Batman the persona of DPM, a hero who protects data like the citizens of Gotham? Can Batman thwart the Linux Penguin? Is there any resemblance between the elderly gentleman at last night's bash and Batman? Is anyone besides Bill Gates old enough to remember?

“They only got him because Gilligan was unavailable,” cracked an exec for one of Microsoft’s DPM partners, referring to the recently deceased Bob Denver.Maybe Microsoft will have its marketing mojo back when it rolls out Windows Storage Server 2003 R2, which is in beta and set for early 2006 release. (See Microsoft Storage Puzzles.)

We can't wait.

— Dave Raffo, Senior Editor, Byte and Switch