Datto SIRIS vs. Unitrends

Datto works well for smaller shops that just need something that will work without needing a great deal of day to day work on it. I only login to the device periodically to see where we stand on space and occasionally when we need to restore something. The offsite datacenter backup which is hosted by Datto works well for us particularly as we do not have our own offsite tech to use. In larger departments other solutions will possibly win out based on required features and setups but for the 1-10 man IT departments the Datto solutions fit in well.

Incentivized

Application restorations will be tested fully automatically
and measures what the actual recovery time is and what the recovery points are.
It's analysis compliance with service-level agreements and also identifies any potential
threats to data recovery. If the system identifies an issue, then it will
notify the user and will recommend steps for correcting those issues. Unitrends Data Center Backup and Recovery provides fully automated and customizable dashboards which require less
administrative interaction on a day-to-day process.

Incentivized

• Backups: Datto does what it's supposed to do, backing up data from servers (and workstations, if need be), and then syncing that data to the cloud.
• Initial setup: Initial setup is pretty straightforward, in most cases the agent installs remotely from the device.
• UI: The UI is fairly straightforward and intuitive, at least for IT professionals. It is not difficult to find things or figure out what settings do what.

Incentivized

• The setup of the device is very straightforward and simple. It's not confusing when configuring the backup device.
• Adding assets to the system is very easy. The Unitrends agent that enables the backup of devices is simple to install. Once it is installed, you move on to creating a job for backing up the asset, which is also simple to setup.
• Looking at the whether backup jobs are successful has a well laid out UI. You can filter by almost anything you want to find specific jobs or assets to check on the backups that were made.

Incentivized

• VMware integration for backups is only at the host level, not vCenter, so you can't see all VMs from one place to select them for backup. You've gotta add each host individually and then pick from the list that populates from each individually.
• The system is appliance-based, so when you run out of local space on the appliance, there's no expansion without buying a larger appliance. You either cut back on your backups to use less space, or you open your wallet.

Incentivized

• When attempting to do a restore, it is a bit clunky on the process. While when it is completed it does work, but kind of confusing, especially on your first attempt.
• We had to back up not only AD servers, mixed environment of stand-alone and VM's we also still had Netware servers that required a backup. It was a bit more tedious setting the Novell servers up for backup. A cleaner install for Netware would be nice, but not sure how big of an issue that will be since it is less used (Netware).
• Unitrends and VMware work well with snapshots, but it needs to be emphasized that in some instances you need to REMOVE any existing snapshots of a server before you do different tasks, or it will not work at all.

Incentivized

I trust the product and service and am satisfied with the direction of the company

Incentivized

I am 100% likely to renew my Unitrends support and keep my appliance. I don't see any products that have come close to being able to do the on-prem and cloud backups with the ease of Unitrends. This is a great tool and I can't imagine someone wanting to implement anything else.

Incentivized

Usability is great. The web interface is simple and easy to use. While various options are available for client backups, it is very easy to re-use settings of the existing client, so adding new clients is a very fast process. Configuration of the agent on the client-side cannot be easier as well. Datto dashboard provides an overview of the client status, and email notifications can be configured for various events.

Incentivized

Unitrends is simpler that most other appliances but I believe there is some room for improvement. The backup wizards could be simpler and retention rates need to be easier to understand. The registration of appliances with the appliance can be frustrating. Once the appliance is setup to backup the various machines it is a breeze to administer.

Incentivized

The appliances have been there when we need them and have rarely if ever gone down. Hardware issues have been resolved quickly.

Incentivized

The hardware is adequate and speedy. The user interface responds quickly. Backups complete quickly.

Incentivized

My specific example or reason for this rating goes back to a need for support after a client on this platform has a fire. In a nutshell, Datto had no idea how to BMR the image back to the server correctly, and as a result, the RAID on the server was lost, due to the Datto BDR environment not being able to see the RAID card, and the support technician knowing how to inject drivers.

Incentivized

They're incredible, attentive, thorough. They make sure my issue is resolved and follow up. I'm usually behind on giving them a reply or an update. They have always gone above and beyond for me, and I'll continue to do the same for them.

Incentivized

It was sufficient to get started. It was not super deep. We called support often to get going.

Incentivized

We were contacted by Unitrends and they scheduled a training/install/configuration session with us. They were more than happy to answer any questions we had and we arranged an additional session with them to help us with the archiving. The implementation went very well with no major issues.

Incentivized

Datto is not as feature-rich as Veeam, but it still offers the main features in a great backups solution that will help in a recovery situation. It is mainly meant for smaller businesses, so it's not a Veeam replacement. From that perspective, Datto fills a great void in options for these clients. It doesn't have the features of Unitrends either, but I have not had great experiences with Unitrends, so I would not recommend that option. Veeam is great for larger environments, and Datto is a fantastic option for the next tier down in size.

Incentivized

While all of the products I evaluate could do the job and I have experience with them all, Unitrends' solution is just easier and more affordable. All solutions have negatives, but Unitrends' are so easy to live with that I had no reason to make a change. I'd also put their support up against anyone. You can almost always get someone if you need them, but I almost never need help.

Incentivized

Once you exceed the capacity of the appliances, you have to forklift a new appliance. This is very expensive.

Incentivized

• In most cases, Datto will provide the appliance free of charge with a 3-5 year contract which results in a modest monthly fee instead of a large initial outlay and monthly fees.
• The contract's warranty is top-notch. Failed drives or issues with the appliances are replaced/corrected with free replacements and shipping.

Incentivized

• The security of disaster recovery is important, and Unitrends Data Center Backup and Recovery helps us
• We went with cheaper alternatives for less important data
• The large cost keeps us from utilizing Unitrends Data Center Backup and Recovery in a larger capacity

Incentivized