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Symantec Backup Exec 12 Windows Servers PC Review - www.impulsegamer.com -

Installation 8.7
Ease of use 8.7
Usefulness 9.0
Value 9.0
Distributor: Symantec
Review Date:
May 2008
Reviewer:
Howard Bourke

8.8


Symantec Backup Exec 12 Windows Servers

The ultimate backup software returns for server based environments in Symantec's Backup Exec 12 for Windows Servers that is also a world first with the product being certified by Microsoft itself to provide the utmost quality assurance, adding to the professionalism of the product that Symantec is also known for.

Symantec have also upped the ante against their competitors by integrating the product with ThreatCon, Enterprise Vault and the Symantec Protection Network, making this one of the most definitive backup solutions to date.

It should also be noted that this review briefly touches the power of this software suite and we at impulsegamer hope that it will give the user a brief review on the power of this software package. For more details, we strongly suggest you visit the official Symantec webpage of this product.

Key benefits

Delivers market-leading Windows data protection with more than 1.5 million customers globally

  • Provides new optimized backup and recovery for Microsoft Windows Server 2008

  • Offers unmatched data protection of leading Microsoft applications, including Exchange 2007

  • Provides scalable data protection for non-Microsoft servers through high-powered remote agents

The backup procedure of Backup Exec 12 for Windows Server has been optimized considerably for Windows based systems and we tested this with Microsoft Exchange and our SQL Server that was considerably faster than previous incarnations and similar products available on the market at the moment. The restore process has also been optimized for a faster end result, ensuring that the user or users have a flawless experience. We'll talk a little more about this later on our "network".

Recovers critical data in seconds with patent-pending Granular Recovery Technology

  • Restores individual Exchange messages, folders, and mailboxes (eliminating mailbox backups)

  • Restores Active Directory users, user attributes, and properties without multiple reboots

  • Restores individual SharePoint Server documents in seconds

The installation for Windows Backup Exec 12 for Windows Servers was a breeze and on our newly built server (ironically it crashed last month due to a hard drive failure), the product simply auto-installed with a bare minimum of user input. This of course is dependent on your network and software installed on your systems. For more experienced server administrators, the program offers a plethora of tweaks and settings, ensuring that your network is fully covered by this comprehensive software package.

The interface of Symantec Backup Exec 12 has been slightly modified since its predecessor and for those new to the world of system administration, they should have no issues whatsoever at using this program with a multitude of computers connected to it. There are also a variety of backup options for the user, even some basic wizards to assist with the overall process of the backing up.

My favourite aspect of Backup Exec 12 for Windows Servers is the Granular Recovery technology which is easily allows you to restore "active users" through just a few clicks of the mouse, ensuring a faster result. The patented Granular Recovery technology from Symantec has been exclusively designed for Microsoft products that include Exchange, Active Director, SharePoint Server and SharePoint Services which allows for easy data recover of individual files, users or a mixture.

Simply by creating a recovery point, you can then open this recovery point and select the documents or emails that you wish to be recovered. It's virtually that simple with Backup Exec 12 for Windows Servers. Granular Recovery Technology also reduces the amount of resources and server time for backups and supports a variety of backup media.

Offers new integration with market-leading Symantec products to secure, back up, and archive critical data

  • New Agent for Enterprise Vault provides fast, efficient backup and recovery for critical archives

  • New Symantec Endpoint Protection integration delivers up-to-the-minute security warnings and proactive ThreatCon backup protection

  • Enhanced Backup Exec System Recovery Option delivers advanced disaster recovery protection—and now supports Microsoft Server 2008

  • New Symantec Online Storage integration provides a secure, easy-to-manage offsite storage option

Symantec have also successfully incorporated their Endpoint Protection Integration into this product that allows user to receive almost "live" updates of security threats through the Symantec Backup Exec console and with Symantec ThreatCon, it provides the user with another level of data integrity and protection which assists in preventing "corrupted" information being backed up.

As online backups become more popular in both Australia and the globe, Symantec provide the user with a relatively inexpensive solution of storing your precious information. Through the Symantec Protection Network (SPN), it gives the user an easily managed "off-site" hard drive that is not only secure but also encrypted for maximum security.

This of course is dependent on your internet connection, however for larger businesses, this should be no issue whatsoever and does provide the user with a viable option when compared to local media. Definitely one that should be investigated,

Symantec's Backup Exec 12 for Windows Servers not just supports the Windows family of operating systems but also the Macintosh O/S from 10.3 to 10.5, Linux, UNIX, including a wide plethora of media formats, networks and servers, ensuring that this program is the true definitive backup software available. Even those still using tape backups will be pleased to know that the software can easily be configured for this media.

The software was also tested on our small network that contained our trusty Microsoft Server 2008, four desktop PC's (3 Vista, 1 XP), two Macs (10.5) and three laptops (Windows XP). The tests included backing up entire network drives and also mailing settings. We noticed the speed improvement over its predecessor that made restoring an easy process. Although our network is quite simplistic, understand that this software can be used with quite large organizations and this review only briefly touches the power of the program. With granular technology, restoring user settings was a breeze.

In conclusion, Symantec Backup Exec 12 for Windows Servers is a very powerful program that contains a multitude of software options in the world of backups. The price is justified as it offers the user(s) everything they need to successfully backup their servers and connected network computers ensuring that this is one of the most powerful backup software programs ever made. Amazing!

Data Sheet: Backup and Recovery

Symantec Backup Exec™ 12 for Windows® Servers

• Windows Server 2003 x64 Editions

• Windows Server 2003

• Microsoft Windows 2000 Server (with SP4 and Update Rollup 1 for SP4)

Supported clients

• Microsoft Windows Vista

• Microsoft Windows XP

• Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional

Supported Internet browsers

• Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or later

• Service Pack 1 is required for SQL Server 2005 Express

Supported processors

• Intel Pentium, Xeon, AMD, or compatible

Memory—Backup Exec Media Server

Note: RAM requirements may vary depending on the operations performed, the options installed, and the specific computer configuration.

• 256 MB RAM (required)

• 512 MB RAM (or more, for better performance)

Memory—Backup Exec CASO Server

Note: RAM requirements may vary depending on the number of media servers being supported.

• 512 MB RAM (required)

• 1 GB RAM (recommended)

Virtual memory recommendations

20 MB above the Windows recommended size for total paging file size (total for all disk volumes)

Disk space

Note: Disk space requirements may vary depending on operations performed, the options installed, and the specific system configuration. Backup Exec database and catalogs require additional space.

• 696 MB (typical Installation)

• 805 MB (includes all options)

Other hardware

• Network interface card or virtual network adapter card

• CD-ROM drive

• Mouse (recommended)

• Modem supported by Microsoft Windows (optional, for pager notification)

• Printer supported by Microsoft Windows (optional, for printer notification)

Storage hardware

Symantec Backup Exec requires at least one storage media drive and/or single-drive robotic library and the appropriate controller card. Removable storage devices and nonremovable hard drives can also be targeted for backups.

Note: Support for a single robotic library drive is available when you purchase Symantec Backup Exec. To enable support for additional robotic library drives, you must purchase Backup Exec Library Expansion Option.






 
 



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