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Acronis Backup & Recovery 10 Advanced Server - Product Review
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The following article was published by Productive Corporation to provide its customers with an additional resource in determining the right software solutions for their company's environment. Productive produces content focusing on the relevant issues of Mid-Market IT professionals to give its customers perspective on current trends. Recent topics have included patch management, hosted recovery on demand, as well the evolution of software licensing.
Acronis Backup and Recovery Advanced Server 10
Presenting a brief review for your innovative software needs.
Acronis True Image is a disaster recovery software that has proven reliable for IT Professionals since 2002. A new generation of this software has emerged - Acronis Backup and Recovery 10 - which has succeeded True Image in the realm of disk imaging. It simplifies and automates the recovery process by using patented disk imaging software and bare metal restore technologies, allowing data and deleted files to be recovered in minutes.
For IT Professionals looking for advanced protection over multiple servers or workstations, below is a review of Acronis Backup and Recovery 10 Advanced Server, addressing the product components, features, benefits, additional options, and pricing/installation options.
Key Features:
Acronis Backup and Recovery 10 Advanced Server comes equipped with numerous distinguishing features, all of which are beneficial to IT Professionals looking for the best software possible.
Centralized Management: This advanced server can easily be run from one computer. Groups of computers can also be created, by such things as OS, IP range, network, or membership. Operations on numerous computers can easily be managed by one computer.
Recovery Options: By pressing F11 during system start-up, Acronis Backup and Recovery 10 will work to recover the system from an unsuccessful boot. If a hard disk failure occurs, the system can be restored to manufacturer settings, while an exact copy of your computer's settings can be restored to a new hard drive.
Backup Options: Backups can be stored to both a local disk and a network share for added insurance. Non-essential files and folders can be eliminated from the backup process, which will save storage space and time. Data size can also be compressed, while backups can be split into volumes to fit the removable media. Backups that are no longer needed can be automatically deleted. All backup is customizable -
conditions can be pre-defined and backup events can be scheduled.
Security: Access can be assigned to different groups, ensuring that only specific users have authorized access, while a "security group" can be set up to allow certain users access to the Acronis Management Server. Backups can be protected with a password using Acronis Secure Zone. All data and network communications are encrypted by default, while all port numbers are configurable.
Reporting and Monitoring: All machines on the network can be monitored from a single screen on the central console. A server log can show all the events and activities from each monitored computer. Tasks and backups can be executed from a command-line interface. Clients and upgrades can be installed on any connected console.
Product Components:
Going hand-in-hand with the key features are additional "advanced" components, which can be used by administrators to establish further control, security, and backup options over numerous agents.
Management Console: This administrative tool allows for all computers on the network to be managed from one central computer/console. Using a direct console-agent intermediary, the administrator can create backup plans, recover data, and view all the activities of that computer. All policies and network functions are
performed from the central unit.
Bootable Components: These are the added features that allow a system to be restored from boot up, if the boot up is faulty and not completing. Reboot and all related operations are enabled, and the operating system is fully restored. This component is optional; bootable media can be used instead to perform operations that require reboot. A bootable media builder is also available.
Agent for Windows: Disk-level data protection is based on what is chosen to be backed-up. The system as a whole can be backed up, along with all the necessary information for the system to boot. Individual files and folders can be selected to be backed-up (sector-by-sector backup), while all files and folders that were backed up can be recovered. Conversion to a virtual machine is possible.
Disk Director Lite: This component is a helpful disk management utility that allows things like disk managing operations, disk conversions, volume alteration, changing a disk partitioning style between MBR and GBT, and changing a disk label to be performed using removable media.
Product Features and Benefits:
All of the features and components offered with Acronis add to the net benefit of the software to users of any kind. Whether the business is small or large, no matter where the clients are located, Acronis offers benefits that no other backup/recovery software does.
Scaled for businesses of all sizes, thousands of machines can be added under the Acronis Backup and Recovery 10 Advanced Server. Recovery is automated, using an easy-to-follow recovery pathway and interface. All backups are scheduled; time-frames, frequencies, and intervals for each type of data can be arranged. Downtime is minimized, as the entire hard drive contents can be recovered in the matter of minutes. The centralized management improves IT productivity, freeing IT personnel from repetitive tasks.
Various sizes of information can be recovered, from an entire system to a single file. Mirror backup (the direct copy of selected files and folders at a given instant) is available. Using the renowned Acronis disk imaging software, a snapshot of the disk is taken to provide information as to what activities have taken place in the network. Numerous other features, like data encryption, backup to multiple storage nodes, and centralized monitoring are included with the software .
Compared to CA ARCserve and Symantec Backup Exec, Acronis Backup and Recovery 10 is the obvious choice. The CA ARCserve family offers software that Acronis also offers, but Acronis offers it in one package under Backup and Recovery 10 Advanced Server. Backup time is greatly lessened with Acronis, as any user would concur. Acronis is also more affordable and offers more features, as well as a greater scalability for any-sized business.
Product Options:
Additional products can be bought that work directly with Acronis Backup and Recovery 10 Advanced Server.
Acronis Backup and Recovery 10 Universal Restore: This is a great option for restoring failed servers or specific consoles to different hardware or a virtual machine. Its benefits also include the ability to clone and deploy operating systems with hardware independence and the ability to migrate consoles to other locations. With Universal Restore, spare consoles will no longer be necessary.
Data Deduplication: The deduplication software works to make better use of a business' storage framework (which will help to save costs) by eliminating unnecessary backup copies.
Licensing and Pricing:
The entire Advanced Server can be purchased for $1219. From there, a license can be purchased at $853 per license. Instant electronic delivery and installation occurs upon purchase. The Universal Restore add-on costs $310 per license and the deduplication software costs $250 per license. From a business perspective, this is extremely affordable, far more affordable than other backup and recovery options. An unlimited amount of licenses can be purchased. All costs are one-time only.
A free trial of the product can also be selected if you're interested in previewing the product before committing to buy it.
Conclusion:
IT Professionals will not want to pass up this easy-to-use disaster recovery software. The Acronis Backup and Recovery 10 Advanced Server offers an ample amount of data backup and recovery tools for an infinite number of consoles, all manageable from a single, central unit. It ensures data security, protects an infinite amount of information, and offers IT Professionals advanced protection in a quick, easy-to-use format that will make the program entirely worth the money.
About Productive Corporation
Productive Corporation is a specialized software reseller that helps small and medium businesses across North America with software initiatives in security, storage, and infrastructure. We provide subject matter expertise, access to technical resources, and excellent customer service. We also strive to provide the most relevant resources for our customers.
