If you're looking for a reasonably priced backup solution then you should definitely consider Vembu BDR
October 14, 2020

If you're looking for a reasonably priced backup solution then you should definitely consider Vembu BDR

Anonymous | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with Vembu BDR Suite

We are generally satisfied with Vembu. The product works well and its features are competitive. However, we believe that there is room for improvement: there are certain minor limitations in backup operations, and the reporting capabilities can be greatly improved. Additionally, dependability on a purely web interface can be difficult in certain scenarios. Overall, the product works well and will mature more in the future to include more capabilities and features.

Pros

  • The product works and takes backups fairly easy
  • Simple and quick to install and configure
  • Once configured, it doesn't require much maintenance
  • Generally a simple interface

Cons

  • Although its interface is simple, a web-only interface for a backup solution isn't recommended as the main interface.
  • Using PostgreSQL as the configuration DB Source is OK. But, the lack of options for the Database isn't OK. Especially on a Windows Environment, admins prefer using a centralized MS SQL Instance, and this is not possible with Vembu.
  • More work needed on SharePoint, Active Directory, and Exchange Restores. All three are critical workloads in almost any infrastructure.
  • Reporting can be greatly improved.
  • The product price and availability of a free edition is excellent with the offered features.
  • Reliability, probably the most important factor. The solution runs and works in the long run, making your investment worthwhile.
  • Restores are generally fast, a critical factor in backup solutions.
From my experience, Vembu BDR is well suited for environments where a quick, simple backup solution is needed. It's fairly easy to setup and administer, and you can get up to speed quickly. If you have a complex infrastructure with various technologies and tools, say SharePoint Server, Exchange, System Center and Other Microsoft Products, you might have some issues/limitations with restores in some of these products. If you need a free backup product, Vembu offers a Free Edition as well, and its features are compelling when compared to other competitors. Also, the lack of SQL Server support as a configuration database option might be a problem for companies with certain compliance requirements.

BDRShield Feature Ratings

Data Center Backup
8.3
Universal recovery
10
Instant recovery
10
Recovery verification
10
Business application protection
7
Multiple backup destinations
9
Incremental backup identification
9
Backup to the cloud
9
Deduplication and file compression
9
Snapshots
10
Flexible deployment
5
Management dashboard
6
Platform support
8
Retention options
7
Encryption
7

Using Vembu BDR Suite

2 - IT Operations
2 - IT Administrators/Engineers
Skills in IT Infrastructure services and technologies is surely required
  • Disaster Recovery
  • VM Replication
  • Daily Backup Operations
  • We have a backup repo onsite and we also use WAN Links to export backups to another site using Vembu
  • Replicating VMs to other sites
  • Cloud Instances Backups
  • On-Premises Backup to Cloud
I think the product will remain useful for us and as the company keeps improving features it will continue to be relevant and useful.
We don't like switching technology much and BDR solutions shouldn't be something that a company replaces every few years., that's why most likely we will keep using it.

Evaluating Vembu BDR Suite and Competitors

  • Price
  • Product Features
  • Product Usability
The most important factor was the value for the price paid. this is normally something that others lack behind in comparison to Vembu BDR, and that is probably why I would recommend it to others, the value provided outweighs the cost of the product, making it a go-for choice for organizations looking to cut cost and get fast ROI
I would probably compare and test more products, In our test we compared with only one product, but i think that our decision was eventually proper and correct.
I would however, consider bigger/wider range of features, not that Vembu BDR doesn't provide what we need, but in terms of being future proof, i would widen the range of features i am considering in the product.

Vembu BDR Suite Implementation

It wasn't difficult at all, it fact, it was mostly simple, implementation doesn't require much skills and knowledge, but the configuration part does require some skills to create the jobs and configure certain settings, overall, its an easy implementation, especially for experienced IT People
  • Implemented in-house
  • Lack of support for MS SQL Server as a configuration DB for the deployment
  • Forced use of PostgreSQL which was not preferred by the organization

Vembu BDR Suite Support

I contacted the support once, it was fairly good, no issues experienced.
ProsCons
None
None
Didn't need an exceptional support, I needed standard support and it was fairly provided by Vembu Team.

Using Vembu BDR Suite

ProsCons
Like to use
Relatively simple
Easy to use
Technical support not required
Well integrated
Consistent
Quick to learn
Convenient
Feel confident using
Familiar
None
  • Installation
  • Initial Backup Operations
  • Restore Process
  • Web Management Interface isn't something I always prefer
  • Extracting Backup Files If the Vembu Installation Fails (In case of a major disaster)

Comments

  • Bhavani Shanmugam | TrustRadius Reviewer
    Bhavani Shanmugam
    commented 5 years ago
    Thank you for your review. We are working on simplifying the application recovery process and improving reporting capabilities that will be generally available in our upcoming release Vembu BDR Suite v5.0 scheduled for December 2020. Regarding the suggestion on using centralized MS SQL Instance, we support backup server installation on Windows and Linux machines and so we use a common database - PostgreSQL for Vembu BDR Suite. We have forwarded your suggestions on the Database and User Interface to our team for adding to our roadmap. For any queries, kindly get in touch with our team through vembu-support@vembu.com.

More Reviews of BDRShield

  1. Home
  2. Data Center Backup Solutions
  3. BDRShield Reviews
  4. User Review of BDRShield