Item: vSphere Data Protection Advanced (discontinued)
Rating: 9
Author: Michael Timms

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

VMware vSphere Data Protection Advanced is used mainly to create backups of virtual machines and virtual servers for disaster recovery needs. However, this is just the beginning of the capabilities that it has. Natively it can also back up virtual databases and with plugin support, it can back up Microsoft Sharepoint and Exchange servers, and SQL databases.

Pros and Cons

Maintains backups of all virtual systems for disaster recovery compliance.
Supports plugins for backups of Microsoft systems.
As with most VMware products vSphere is incredibly easy to use.

Reports are too complex, could be made clearer.
The interface could be simplified.
Backups of physical servers take a very long time.

Return on Investment

Virtual machines and servers are backed up and secure
DR compliance is met
Multiple platforms backed up to a central location

Alternatives Considered

CloudBacko

CloudBacko is the only similar product that I have used, and while it worked by backing up my virtual machines to Google Drive, VMware vSphere Data Protection Advanced not only backs up the virtual machines, buton databases, physical servers and more, and backs them up to a centralized location, and has 24/7 live support.

Other Software Used

VMware Player, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Application Server, Microsoft Application Virtualization, Microsoft Azure

Likelihood to Recommend

VMware vSphere Data Protection Advanced is well suited for a thin client environment, and/or an environment that runs multiple virtual servers. It is also well suited for an environment with disaster recover requirements that require backups of everything. vSphere is very expensive, so it would probably not be a very good choice for a startup that could use a cheaper alternative in the beginning, or a physical machine environment.

Backs up virtual machines, and so much more

Overall Satisfaction with VMware vSphere Data Protection Advanced