Recommended Free Tools
Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Cohesity’s headline-making $250 million financing was announced on June 11, 2018—not recently. It was a Series D round led by SoftBank Vision Fund, bringing the company’s reported total funding at the time to $410 million. Investors were betting that Cohesity could simplify the messy, expensive systems enterprises use to back up, recover and reuse data.
That distinction matters: Cohesity was not pitching itself as a replacement for every company’s live storage. Its original focus was the sprawling collection of backup copies, archives and other “secondary data” that organizations keep alongside production systems.
The short version
Founded in 2013 by Mohit Aron, a co-founder of Nutanix, Cohesity was an enterprise technology company focused on data protection and secondary data management. Its 2018 pitch was to bring backup, archive and related workloads onto a scale-out platform instead of leaving them scattered across separate products and consoles.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallThe investment thesis was that enterprises had a large, recurring need to protect growing volumes of data, and that a platform able to consolidate backup systems might also support recovery, analytics, testing and cloud workflows. The thesis had potential, but the financing itself was not proof that Cohesity would replace every incumbent or that consolidation would be easy for customers.
#1 Best Overall
- Easily store and access 2TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
What “secondary data” means
Primary data is the information a business actively uses: live databases, production applications and working files. Secondary data consists of additional copies and datasets maintained for purposes such as backup, disaster recovery, archiving, compliance, software testing and analytics.
Those copies are essential, but they can multiply. A business might keep one copy for quick recovery, another at a separate site, long-term archives for compliance, and additional copies for developers or analysts. Over time, the copies can sit in different systems, managed by different teams.
That is the “data silo” problem Cohesity targeted. Separate backup products, media servers, storage targets, tape archives and cloud services can mean separate administration tools and policies. Duplication can consume capacity, while fragmentation can make it harder to find data or restore it quickly. Cohesity argued that secondary data could account for as much as 80% of enterprise data; treat that as the company’s estimate, not a universal industry measurement.
What Cohesity’s product did in 2018
Conceptually, Cohesity offered software running across a distributed cluster. Customers could expand capacity by adding nodes, while using a shared management layer for backup and related secondary-data workloads. The company described support for physical servers and virtual machines, as well as connections spanning data centers and public or private clouds.
Rank #2
- 【Versatile Storage Expansion – For Gaming, Work & Everyday Use】 Running out of space on your PS5 or Xbox Series X/S? This external hard drive lets you store and play PS4 / Xbox One games directly, instantly freeing up your console’s internal storage for next‑gen titles. At the same time, it handles work file backups, media libraries, and cross‑device data transfers with ease. One drive, all your needs. *（Note: PS5 / Xbox Series X|S games cannot be run or stored directly from the external hard drive. However, by offloading your PS4 / Xbox One games, you can free up valuable space for newer titles.）*
- 【Patented Silicone Sleeve – Data Protection You Can Count On】 Worried about drops? We’ve got you covered. The patented built‑in silicone sleeve acts like a shock‑absorbing armor, cushioning your drive against bumps and falls. Whether it’s important work documents, precious family photos, or hard‑earned game saves, your data deserves this level of protection.
- 【Plug & Play, Compatible with Computers & Consoles】 No complicated setup—just plug in and go. Works seamlessly with Windows, Mac, and Linux computers, as well as PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Process files at the office, back up data at home, or enjoy gaming in your downtime—one drive handles all your devices, simply and hassle‑free.
- 【USB 3.0 Ultra‑Fast Transfer – No More Waiting】 Tired of watching progress bars crawl? With USB 3.0 speeds up to 5Gbps, large files transfer in seconds. Whether you’re moving work documents, transferring hundreds of gigs of games, or backing up a year’s worth of photos, you get more done in less time.
- 【Sleek, Lightweight, and Ready to Go】 Weighing just 0.16 kg—lighter than a can of soda—this compact drive features a stylish mirror‑and‑frosted finish. Toss it in your bag and go, whether you’re heading to the office, visiting a friend for a gaming session, or giving a presentation on the road.
The aim was broader than simply storing backup copies. Cohesity wanted organizations to manage and, where useful, reuse secondary data for recovery, archives, development and test environments, analytics and other applications. It also presented integration with existing backup software as a way to fit into established environments rather than requiring an immediate wholesale replacement.
That was an integration strategy, not a promise that every legacy application could move seamlessly. Protection methods and recovery requirements vary by workload, and any buyer would need to check support, migration effort and recovery objectives for its own systems. The original coverage described the product as a converged secondary-storage and data-management platform, not consumer-style cloud file storage. (Network World’s 2018 explainer)
Why investors saw a large opportunity
Backup and recovery are operational necessities for most large organizations. Businesses need to restore systems after failures, meet retention obligations and limit disruption. That makes the underlying spending less discretionary than many categories of software. Meanwhile, data growth and cloud adoption can add more copies, locations and administrative layers.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Cohesity’s commercial argument was that a unified platform could replace or reduce the burden of several point products. If customers adopted it for backup, the company hoped to expand into adjacent needs such as governance, analytics, development and cloud data services. That could increase the value of each customer relationship, though a broader product ambition also raises the execution challenge.
Rank #3
- Plug-and-play expandability
- SuperSpeed USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps)
Cohesity cited a potential $60 billion secondary-data market in its 2018 framing. That was its addressable-market estimate, not an independently verified measurement of revenue available to the company.
Why this company attracted the check
The funding announcement came with signs of traction, though several were company-reported. Contemporary coverage said Cohesity had more than 200 enterprise customers and had shipped production software for about two years. The company said annual revenue grew 600% from 2016 to 2017; that figure was not presented as independently audited performance.
Aron’s Nutanix background also gave investors a founder with experience building an enterprise infrastructure company. The financing brought together SoftBank Vision Fund as lead, plus participants including Cisco Investments, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital and Sequoia Capital, among others. Strategic participation from infrastructure companies can signal interest in a technology or ecosystem, but it does not establish product-market dominance; investors may have financial, channel, technology or competitive reasons to participate.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
The Series D announcement set the round at $250 million. Network World reported that the financing brought Cohesity’s cumulative funding to $410 million.
Rank #4
- MADE FOR THE MAKERS: Create; Explore; Store; The T7 Portable SSD delivers fast speeds and durable features to back up any endeavor; Build your video editing empire, file your photographs or back up your blogs all in an instant
- SHARE IDEAS IN A FLASH: Don’t waste a second waiting and spend more time doing; The T7 is embedded with PCIe NVMe technology that brings fast read and write speeds up to 1,050/1,000 MB/s¹, making it almost twice as fast as the T5
- ALWAYS MAKE THE SAVE: Compact design with massive capacity; With capacities up to 4TB, save exactly what you need to your drive – from large working files to game data and everything in between
- ADAPTS TO EVERY NEED: Whether using a PC or mobile phone, count on the T7 for extensive compatibility²; It’s a true team player when it comes to heavy-duty application usage or file-saving
- HI RESOLUTION VIDEO RECORDING: Record Ultra High Resolution (4K 60fs) videos directly onto the T7 Portable SSD with your favorite camera or mobile devices; Supports iPhone 15 Pro Res 4K at 60fps video and more³
What the $250 million was meant to fund
The clearest stated purpose was global expansion. A company scaling an enterprise platform internationally may need more sales coverage, channel relationships, customer support and implementation capacity. Product development, cloud integrations and localization could also be practical priorities as it expanded, but the available 2018 reporting does not establish how much of the round was allocated to any of those specific uses.
In other words, the round was growth capital for extending the business and its reach, not a disclosed budget earmarked for a particular product feature or acquisition.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.The trade-offs behind the platform pitch
Consolidating tools can make administration simpler, but it can also increase dependence on one vendor. A broad platform does not automatically cover every specialized database, SaaS application, endpoint or legacy workload an organization relies on. Migration can be complicated, and theoretical feature coverage does not show whether a system will meet a particular recovery-point or recovery-time objective.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsBackup is useful only if the organization can restore the right data reliably. Buyers evaluating a data-protection platform should test full and granular restores, database consistency, application dependency order, identity restoration and recovery from an isolated copy. They should also consider whether recovery remains possible if the normal management plane is unavailable.
Best Value
- 【Upgraded version】 - The mirror logo strip is combined with the striped non-slip design. The rounded corners of the shell are more suitable for holding. The strips play a heat dissipation function to ensure a stable and fast transmission process.
- 【Ultra-thin and quiet】 - The motherboard adopts JMicron 578 noise-free solution, giving you a quiet working environment. Lightweight and portable size designed to fit in your pocket for easy portability.
- 【Ultra-Fast Data Transfers】 - Pairing this external hard drive with JMicron 578 solution USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 interfaces enables blazing-fast data transfer. It boasts theoretical read speeds of up to 125MB/s and write speeds of up to 103MB/s.
- 【Plug and Play】 - With no software to install, just plug it in and the drive is ready to use.The hard disk chip is wrapped with an aluminum anti-interference layer to increase heat dissipation and protect data.
- 【What You Get】 - 1 x Portable Hard Drive, 1 x USB 3.0 Cable, 1 x User Manual, Gift-type shell packaging ,Three-year manufacturer's warranty and free technical support services.
Cost comparisons need to include more than a license or capacity quote: retention, hardware refreshes, support, professional services, cloud egress and long-term storage can change the economics. Deduplication and compression results also vary by workload and policy. These are general evaluation issues for this kind of platform, not claims that a specific Cohesity deployment will produce a particular saving or outcome.
What happened after the 2018 round
Cohesity raised another $250 million in a separate Series E round announced on April 9, 2020. The company said that round valued it at $2.5 billion and brought total funding above $650 million. Those figures belong to the 2020 financing, not the 2018 Series D. (Cohesity’s Series E announcement)
The company’s scale and positioning changed substantially after that. On December 10, 2024, Cohesity announced completion of its combination with Veritas’ enterprise data-protection business, adding products including NetBackup, Veritas appliances and Alta data-protection offerings. The combined company now emphasizes data security, cyber resilience and AI-related data management rather than describing itself only as a young storage startup. Its transaction materials reported more than $1.6 billion in pro forma revenue and $1.3 billion in ARR on a fiscal-year basis; those are company-announcement figures. (Completion announcement; transaction announcement)
Current AI and security messaging describes a direction and set of capabilities, not an automatic guarantee against ransomware or data loss. Resilience still depends on architecture, isolated copies, access controls, policies and tested recovery processes.
Bottom line
Cohesity raised $250 million in 2018 because investors saw a chance to turn fragmented enterprise backup and secondary storage into a broader, scalable data-management business. The money was explicitly tied to global expansion; the underlying bet was that a unified platform could win a place in a large, mission-critical market and grow beyond backup. That bet explains the size of the financing, but it does not mean every enterprise needed to consolidate onto Cohesity—or that the investment guaranteed success.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
