Note: This blog was originally published in October 2025 when Data Rooms was introduced. It has been updated to reflect the next evolution, Data Activate.
Key Takeaways
- Data Activate is part of Commvault’s next-generation AI capabilities – alongside AI ProtectandAI Studio – announced to help organizations activate AI safely, govern AI agents,andbuild agentic workflows from Commvault Cloud.
- Data Activate is designed so that you can transform backup data into trusted, AI-ready assets while also helping you maintain governanceandcompliance.
- The offering bridges data protectionandAI activation without creating new security risks or requiring another platform.
- It integrates with existing AI ecosystems like Microsoft AzureandSnowflake using open standards such as Apache ParquetandIceberg.
- Built-in governance helps enable protected data curation, classification,andsharing within a zero-trust architecture.
- By activating historical data, organizations can help accelerate AI innovation, analytics,andcompliance workflows safely.
AI innovation depends on data – but not just any data. It depends on trusted, governed,andaccessible data. Yet for most enterprises, the data that could fuel AI lives deep within backups, scattered across environments,andwrapped in compliance constraints. That’s where Commvault’s Data Activate offering, previously known as Data Rooms, comes in.
Accelerating AI, Safely
Data Activate is one of three AI capabilities Commvaultannounced as part of its next-generation AI platform – alongside AI ProtectandAI Studio. As organizations race to adopt AI, many are running into a fundamental challenge: their data is fragmentedanddifficult to use. According to a recent survey, 68% of organizations cite data silos as their top concern.
Commvault’s Data Activate offering helps transform backup data – one of the most completeandtrusted datasets an organization owns – into AI-ready assets. Data Activate helps enterprises safely connect their data to AIandanalytics platforms, without creating new risks or complexity.
Unlike earlier bulk export approaches, Data Activate can regularly publish updated datasets, making it easier to keep AI pipelines in sync with the most current trusted data. Teams also can identifyandexclude sensitive data – such as personally identifiable information – before activating datasets for analytics or model development.
The Data Activate offering is not another AI platform. It’s the bridge between data protectionanddata activation, designed to make your existing AI investments work fasterandsafer. It does this by creating governed, policy-controlled “rooms” inside Commvault Cloud – spaces where data can be classified, curated,andshared with AIandanalytics tools without leaving the protection boundary.
Listening to Customers: No More Platform Proliferation
We heard customers loudandclear: You don’t need another AI platform. You need a protected, simple way to use the data you already maintain – across the AI toolsandecosystems you’ve already chosen.
That’s why Commvault built Data Activate to integrate with partners like Microsoft AzureandSnowflake using open-standard formats such as Apache ParquetandIceberg. This helps you keep your data portable, policy-compliant,andready for activation – wherever your AI strategy takes you.
Turning Data Protection into Data Activation
With Data Activate, authorized users can discover, classify,andprepare data directly from backup repositories – across on-premisesandcloud environments. Built-in governance helps maintain control, allowing only approved datasets to be shared, with automated classification, sensitivity tagging, redaction,andaudit trails applied every step of the way.
Data Activate acts as a governed, policy-controlled workspace inside Commvault Cloud – where data can be curatedandmade available to AI or analytics tools without leaving the protection boundary. This governed design provides a protected bridge between backup dataandactivation workflows, helping organizations unlock their information for innovation while being able to maintain complianceandcontrol.
Data Activate can help you:
- Accelerate insights: Quickly findandexport historical data in AI-friendly formats to train models or power analytics.
- Simplify operations: Eliminate brittle ETL pipelines with automated data discoveryandcuration.
- Maintain compliance: Keep governance intact with policy-based controlsandtraceability from backup to activation.
Trust as the Foundation for Responsible AI
In the rush to adopt AI, trust often becomes collateral damage. According to a recentstudy, roughly three-quarters of surveyed IT leaders said that using AI could make their organizations more vulnerable to cyberattacks. That’s why Commvault built Data Activate within Commvault Cloud’s zero-trust architecture, complete with encryption, RBAC,andcompliance support.
By combining data protection, governance,andactivation in one platform, Commvault enables enterprises to accelerate AI innovation without compromising data security, compliance, or control.
Accelerate Innovation Without Adding Risk
Commvault’s Data Activate offering helps organizations move faster by making data safely accessible to the tools that drive their business forward – from AI model training to analytics, eDiscovery,andcompliance support automation. Because when backup data becomes usable data, enterprises unlock years of historical intelligenceandcontext that most AI models simply don’t have.
As Pranay Ahlawat, Commvault’s Chief TechnologyandAI Officer, said: “Organizations are beginning to realize that their historical data is more than just insurance – it’s a powerful, untapped strategic asset. With Commvault Data Activate, enterprises can confidently export their secondary dataandharness it with the AI platform of their choice to unlock new opportunities for intelligence, innovation,andbusiness growth.”
Why It Matters Now
Commvault’s Data Activate offering redefines what’s possible for enterprises that want to innovate responsibly. They make it possible to move from protecting data to activating data – safely, flexibly,andat scale.
In short: Commvault isn’t building another AI platform. We’re building the foundation that lets every AI platform work better – because when data is protected, trusted,andready for activation, innovation happens faster.
FAQs
Q: What is Commvault’s Data Activate offering?
A: Commvault Data Activate is a capability within Commvault Cloud that helps enterprises safely discover, classify,andactivate backup data for AIandanalytics. It supports open formats like Apache IcebergandParquetandis built on a zero-trust, governed architecture for controlled, self-service data access.
Q: How does Data Activate differ from other AI data solutions?
A: Most AI data prep tools work only on live or production data, creating complianceandcost challenges. Data Activate works from backup data – data that’s already protectedandgoverned – bringing a unique balance of accessibility, compliance support,andtrust. It’s built into Commvault Cloud’s policy-controlled environment, so it’s part of a unified cyber resilience platform. Data Activate also regularly publishes updated datasets – rather than relying on one-time bulk exports – helping keep AI pipelines current without manual intervention.
Q: What benefits do organizations gain from using Data Activate?
A: Organizations can accelerate AIandanalytics insights, simplify data operations by reducing ETL complexity,andmaintain compliance through automated classification, tagging,andauditing processes.
Q: How does Data Activate support data securityandcompliance?
A: Data Activate operates within Commvault Cloud’s zero-trust architecture, applying classification, redaction,andaudit-friendly controls automatically. It helps maintain data privacy, traceability,andcompliance throughout the data lifecycle, aligning with internalandregulatory governance standards.
Q: What types of AI or analytics platforms can connect with Data Activate?
A: Data Activate integrates with leading cloudandAI partners such as Microsoft AzureandSnowflake, supporting open-standard data formats like Apache ParquetandIceberg for maximum flexibilityandportability.
Q: Why is this offering important for enterprises today?
A: As organizations accelerate AI adoption, Data Activate enables them to responsibly unlock the value of historical, protected data – fueling innovation while helping maintain trust, compliance,andcontrol.
Vir Choksi is Principal Product Marketing Manager at Commvault.


On the topic of market disruption and innovation, we have made a few major announcements leading up to the conference.
Screenshot: Installation details for the Commvault Cloud Data Connector in the Microsoft Sentinel Content Hub.
Screenshot: The detailed analysis of the Commvault Security Investigation Agent being run on a host that is part of an investigation.