Acronis Recovery is targeted primarily to SMBs and provides for them a wizard-driven backup and restore platform specifically tuned for the protection of databases and their data. Based on the vendor's True Image technology, the product is now available in versions protecting MS SQL Server DBs (7/2000/20005) or Microsoft Exchange.

The product's key feature set revolves around its wizard-driven processes; wizards enable administrators to both create and schedule a backup strategy as well as recover data from saved back ups when necessary. Additionally, a wizard is available that enables the administrator to setup the automated E-mailing of "Disaster Recovery Plans," recovery instructions that the vendor states would enable even non-DBAs to restore a DB if necessary. Using this wizard, the administrator can define both the DBs to be included in the plan as well as the recipients of the plan (their E-mails, as well as SMTP server info); with the product then automatically E-mailing the plan to the designated recipients each time it (the plan) changes.

The product leverages a client/server architecture in which a central Management Console controls the actual backup and restore activities (including all the wizard-driven operations), while Server Agents (which are deployed to and reside directly on each DB server to be protected) perform the actual collection/application of data for the backup and restore processes. The agents can be deployed remotely from within the Management Console; and the Management Console itself can be installed directly on the DB server (along with an agent) if desired. The vendor states that the Management Console can be installed on as many machines as necessary without violation of the licensing agreement (which is by server, not by Management Console).

Both point-in-time (based on rolling snapshots) and point-of-failure recovery options are available; again, both are wizard-based and are performed via point-n-click definitions. The point-of-failure recovery, in particular, requires access to and leverages the server's transaction log.

Other features of the platform include:

- Support for compression of DB images, with the vendor claiming that compressed images can be up to 90% smaller than the full DB. Three compression levels are available

- Support for the backing up of data to an FTP server

- Support for encryption of data at AES 128, 192, or 256-bit

- Support for bandwidth and CPU throttling

- An included SDK (free) allowing developers to embed core functions within their apps

Acronis Recovery is available for SQL Server or Microsoft Exchange. The SQL Server version is priced at $499/server; while the Microsoft Exchange version is listed at $999 (an SBS version is also available for $399). Volume discounts are available.

Contact Acronis for further information.

product submission by EITPlanet Staff

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