RollBack Rx is a snapshot-based system recovery utility for Windows machines. It allows individuals or system administrators (in the Enterprise version) to rollback their entire Windows computer to a previous point-in-time snapshot; the vendor states that such rollbacks can be performed even if Windows itself is non-responsive or will not boot (the utility is accessible prior to Windows boot up).

A key feature of the product is its limited space and snapshot creation requirements; the vendor notes that the product can store up to a maximum of 60,000 snapshots in less than .1% (one tenth of one percent) of a drive's available space. Using a technology the vendor calls "incremental mapping," indexed snapshots are written to the hard drive at the physical sector level. Snapshots can be generated on demand or on a schedule (including time or event-based schedules; i.e., save a snapshot every hour, every time the machine starts up, or every time a particular program is executed), with the vendor noting that each snapshot takes only 1-3 seconds to generate. All data on the drive is saved in the snapshot (including all data and system files), and thus a system can be restored by selecting the appropriate snapshot for restoration and then restarting the machine.

Target usages include recovery from a malicious virus attack, unrecoverable accidental deletion of data, etc. Note, however, that the snapshots themselves are stored on the same drive that is being examined; thus if the drive itself fails the snapshots will be lost.

In addition to the ability to restore backwards or forwards to a saved snapshot, the vendor also notes that the product can be used to recover deleted or corrupted files, or revert to a previous version of a file from any of the stored snapshots. Additionally, a "recover data to latest image" feature enables recovery--of data files only--following a restored snapshot, allowing the user a chance to reclaim data changes made to data files following a snapshot restore. (I.E., restoring a snapshot from last week will naturally lose any legitimate data changes you've made since that snapshot was taken. The restore feature hunts forward through the remaining snapshots to recover data files back to the most recent snapshot taken). Conceivably, you could take a snapshot of the system at the point you first notice corruption in an attempt to save the current data contents of key files before reverting to the previous snapshot.

RollBack Rx is offered in both a stand alone Pro version for individual client machines, and an Enterprise version, which adds a separate server component (the Enterprise and Administrative Console). From this server component, administrators can remotely view and manage connected clients (which themselves are running the RollBack Rx Pro client), including grouping client workstations, restoring a client (or group), snapshot a client (or group), configure RollBack Rx workstation settings, wake-up, shut down, or restart clients, browse client snapshots, etc.

The new version of RollBack Rx is expected to be available on August 21, with pricing set at $59.95 per license for the Pro version and $79.95 per license for the Enterprise version.

Visit the Horizon DataSys Web site for further information.

product submission by EITPlanet Staff

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