With an array of new features, Veritas Software Corp. recently released its latest version of Backup Exec for Microsoft Corp.’s Windows Servers.
Veritas’ Backup Exec is a network back-up and restore solution designed for workgroup environments in the SMB and remote office space. The software copies data from Windows-based servers and restores the information in the event of a failure.
The newest version, Backup Exec 9.0, offers enhancements focused on reducing downtime and data loss including an “Anywhere Internet” Web-based console that allows administrators to manage back-up and recovery from any Internet-connected device, anywhere in the world.
Mark Bregman, executive vice-president of product operations at Mountain View, Calif.-based Veritas, said the new software release can be installed in 10 minutes and has the look and feel of a Windows screen, which is particularly handy in remote offices where there may not be a full-time IT administrator.
Chris Varner, manager of information services at DDJ Capital Management LLC in Wellesley, Mass., said he received his copy of Backup Exec 9.0 a few days ago and is so far impressed by the improvements in user-friendliness over Version 8.6, which he is currently running to back up his Windows NT and Exchange servers.
“Visually, the interface is quite different,” Varner said, adding that he likes the new software’s task bar, which runs along the left-hand column of the dashboard display.
“Depending on where you are in the system, it’s contact-sensitive,” he said. “If you’re in a job listing, you get options relative to that section. It makes it easy to see all the things you’re able to do when you’re in that particular section. You don’t have to constantly go up to the file, edit or view sections to pull down things.”
Veritas said it has also accelerated the back-up and restore of Exchange environments by 88 per cent over the previous 8.6 version.
The software offers the ability to perform incremental Exchange backups, meaning that it can be set to back up only new e-mails instead of entire databases. In past versions of Backup Exec, administrators were required to back up the entire database, where now a single employee’s calendar or mailbox can be restored separately.
“These mailboxes in Exchange grow sort of without bounds, and when you want to do a backup, you don’t want to back up the whole mailbox when all that’s changed is the mail that came in yesterday,” Bregman said.
In addition to faster backup and installation features, the Mountain View, Calif.-based company also announced support for all Microsoft server platforms including the much-anticipated Windows Server 2003 and .Net server. As well, big-league vendors including Cisco Systems, Hewlett-Packard Corp. and Dell Corp. are currently all working with Veritas to bring their respective customers high-availability access to data.
Veritas’ Backup Exec 9.0 for Windows Server is available now and pricing starts at US$795. For details, visit the company online at www.veritas.com.
– With files from IDG