Quest Development

Quest Development Corporation was a privately held software-development company established by serial entrepreneur Kevin Azzouz at a technology center in San Luis Obispo, California. The company specialized in storage management, data backup, and related utilities for personal computers and networked systems. Although Quest itself was not a major consumer-facing brand, its technology played an important role in the development of widely distributed backup products during the expansion of the PC software market. Azzouz's interest in backup technology originated in 1983, when the failure of a Rodime hard drive caused the loss of important data. He subsequently developed a storage-management and backup platform intended to protect data on personal-computer systems. After completing a functional version, Quest licensed the technology to Peter Norton Computing, where it was marketed as The Norton Backup. The technology was later licensed to Microsoft for products associated with Windows 3.1 and Windows NTBackup, giving Quest technology exposure through two influential software ecosystems. Peter Norton Computing was acquired by Symantec in 1990. Quest retained ownership of the source code it had developed, while Symantec held exclusive marketing rights under the partnership arrangements. Quest also expanded its technical portfolio by acquiring FastBack for Macintosh from Fifth Generation Systems. The transaction brought FastBack's principal author, Tom Chappell, into Quest. Relations between Quest and Fifth Generation Systems later became contentious and resulted in litigation; according to the company history, Quest prevailed after the case was dismissed following discovery. In January 1993, Quest paid Symantec to end the partnership agreements. Azzouz had disagreed with Symantec chief executive Gordon Eubanks about the appropriate strategy for establishing an industry standard as PC hard-drive capacities grew rapidly. Following the separation, Quest licensed its product suite directly to several tape-drive and optical-drive vendors. The move produced substantial revenue and demonstrated that the company could commercialize its technology through hardware-industry partnerships rather than relying on a single software marketer. The resulting revenue growth helped Quest attract venture capital. Conner Peripherals, then a major hard-drive and tape-drive manufacturer, made a significant investment and entered into an exclusive arrangement under which Quest supplied storage-management software for Conner storage devices. Quest also acquired Conner's software division. The expanded company was renamed Arcada Software, with Conner Peripherals holding a controlling interest. By 1995, Arcada's Backup Exec and broader storage-management portfolio were described as having become an industry standard across desktop and network-server environments, including Windows NT, IBM OS/2, and Novell NetWare. In 1996, Seagate Technology acquired Arcada as part of its effort to build a software business around storage technology. Kevin Azzouz became president of Seagate Software after the transaction. The acquisition marked the end of Quest's independent corporate identity and placed its technology and operating history within the larger storage-industry strategy of Seagate. Azzouz later directed development of Internet technologies at Seagate Software and subsequently joined mentor and business partner Lennart Mengwall in acquiring a controlling interest in OneWave after its initial public offering. Quest Development is therefore best understood as the predecessor organization to Arcada Software rather than as an active standalone brand.

Quest Development emerged from Kevin Azzouz's efforts to solve a practical data-protection problem. After a Rodime hard-drive failure in 1983 destroyed important data, Azzouz began developing software for storage management and backup. The resulting platform became the foundation of Quest's business. Rather than distributing the software only under its own name, Quest pursued licensing arrangements with established software companies and hardware manufacturers. The first major licensing relationship was with Peter Norton Computing, which marketed the technology as The Norton Backup. Quest later licensed the platform to Microsoft for Windows 3.1 and Windows NTBackup. These arrangements gave the company's technology broad distribution during a period when personal-computer hard drives were increasing in capacity and users were becoming more dependent on digitally stored information. Peter Norton Computing's acquisition by Symantec in 1990 changed Quest's commercial relationship. Quest maintained exclusive ownership of the source code it had created, while Symantec retained exclusive marketing rights under the partnership agreements. Quest broadened its capabilities by purchasing FastBack for Macintosh from Fifth Generation Systems and bringing principal author Tom Chappell into the organization. A dispute with Fifth Generation Systems led to litigation, but the case was dismissed after discovery, with Quest prevailing according to the company's account. In January 1993, Quest paid Symantec to terminate the partnership agreements. The separation followed strategic disagreements between Azzouz and Symantec chief executive Gordon Eubanks about how to establish a standard in a rapidly expanding storage market. Quest then licensed its software suite to multiple tape-drive and optical-drive vendors. Those agreements generated substantial revenue and helped establish the financial basis for further expansion. Quest subsequently obtained venture-capital support, including a significant investment from Conner Peripherals. Conner was a major manufacturer of hard drives and tape drives, and its exclusive arrangement with Quest enabled storage-management software to be supplied with Conner devices. Quest also acquired Conner's software division. The resulting business was renamed Arcada Software, while Conner retained controlling ownership. By 1995, Arcada's Backup Exec and related storage-management products were reported as widely established across desktop and network-server platforms, including Windows NT, IBM OS/2, and Novell NetWare. Seagate Technology acquired Arcada in 1996 as part of its strategy of growing a software business connected to storage hardware. Kevin Azzouz became president of Seagate Software. This transaction concluded Quest Development's independent corporate history and transformed its technology and personnel into part of Seagate's software organization.

• 1996

  Seagate acquires Arcada

  [1]Quest Developmenten.wikipedia.org

  Seagate Technology acquired Arcada, completing the transition of Quest's business into Seagate Software.

• 1995

  Arcada products reach broad platform adoption

  [1]Quest Developmenten.wikipedia.org

  Backup Exec and related products were described as an industry standard across desktop and network-server environments.

• 1993

  Quest separates from Symantec

  [1]Quest Developmenten.wikipedia.org

  Quest paid to end its partnership agreements with Symantec and began licensing its software directly to storage-device vendors.

• 1990

  Symantec acquires Peter Norton Computing

  [1]Quest Developmenten.wikipedia.org

  The acquisition placed Quest's Norton-related licensing relationship under Symantec.

• 1983

  Hard-drive failure prompts development of backup technology

  [1]Quest Developmenten.wikipedia.org

  After losing important data when a Rodime hard drive failed, Kevin Azzouz began developing a storage-management and backup platform.

Quest Development positioned itself as a software technology supplier for data protection and storage management, using licensing and hardware partnerships to distribute its products rather than relying solely on a direct consumer brand.

• Backup and storage-management software

  Quest storage-management and backup platform

  Quest's core software platform was designed to manage storage and protect data on personal-computer systems. It was commercialized primarily through licensing arrangements rather than a standalone Quest retail product. The technology was marketed by Peter Norton Computing as The Norton Backup and was later licensed to Microsoft for Windows 3.1 and Windows NTBackup.

• Backup software

  The Norton Backup

  The Norton Backup was the Peter Norton Computing product built from Quest's storage-management and backup technology. It represented Quest's first major third-party distribution channel and connected the company's software with the Norton Utilities product family.

• Macintosh backup software

  FastBack for Macintosh

  FastBack for Macintosh was acquired by Quest from Fifth Generation Systems. The transaction expanded Quest's coverage beyond its existing PC-oriented technology and brought principal author Tom Chappell into Quest.

• Litigation involving Fifth Generation Systems

  The acquisition of FastBack for Macintosh was followed by litigation between Quest and Fifth Generation Systems. The case was dismissed after discovery, and Quest was described as prevailing.

  Source

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• 1996

  Sell the successor business to Seagate TechnologyM&A

  Background

  Arcada had developed a broad storage-management portfolio and was part of Conner's software expansion.

  Action taken

  Seagate Technology acquired Arcada as part of its strategy to expand its software operations.

  Aftermath

  Quest's independent corporate identity ended, Arcada transitioned into Seagate Software, and Kevin Azzouz became president of Seagate Software.

  Source

• 1993

  Terminate the Symantec partnership and pursue direct hardware-channel licensingStrategy

  Background

  Quest disagreed with Symantec over how best to establish a standard as PC hard-drive capacities expanded rapidly.

  Action taken

  Quest paid Symantec to end the partnership agreements and licensed its product suite directly to tape-drive and optical-drive vendors.

  Aftermath

  The direct licensing relationships generated substantial revenue and helped Quest attract investment and expand through its relationship with Conner Peripherals.

  Source

• Acquire Conner Peripherals' software divisionM&A

  Background

  Conner Peripherals became a major investor and exclusive hardware partner as Quest's licensing revenue grew.

  Action taken

  Quest acquired Conner's software division and renamed the expanded organization Arcada Software.

  Aftermath

  Conner Peripherals held a controlling interest in Arcada, which expanded its Backup Exec and storage-management business.

  Source

• 1996

  Seagate Technology acquires Arcada Software[1]Quest Developmenten.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Leadership change

  Seagate acquired Arcada as part of its software-sector expansion, ending Quest's corporate existence as an independent organization and appointing Kevin Azzouz as president of Seagate Software.

• 1993

  Quest ends its partnership agreements with Symantec[1]Quest Developmenten.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Quest paid Symantec to terminate their partnership agreements and then pursued direct licensing relationships with storage-device manufacturers.

• Quest Development licenses its backup technology to Peter Norton Computing[1]Quest Developmenten.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Quest's storage-management platform was licensed to Peter Norton Computing and marketed as The Norton Backup.

• Quest technology is licensed to Microsoft for Windows backup products[1]Quest Developmenten.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The company's backup technology was subsequently licensed to Microsoft for products associated with Windows 3.1 and Windows NTBackup.

• Quest acquires FastBack for Macintosh[1]Quest Developmenten.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Product generation

  Quest acquired FastBack for Macintosh from Fifth Generation Systems and added the product's principal author, Tom Chappell, to the company.

• Conner Peripherals invests in Quest and supports expansion into storage software[1]Quest Developmenten.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Conner Peripherals made a significant investment in Quest, entered an exclusive software arrangement, and transferred its software division through an acquisition by the expanding company.

• Quest expands into Arcada Software[1]Quest Developmenten.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Leadership change

  Following the Conner-related investment and acquisition, the expanded company was renamed Arcada Software, with Conner Peripherals holding a controlling interest.

1. 1Quest Developmenten.wikipedia.org