Backs up virtual machines, and so much more
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
- 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.
Cons
- Reports are too complex, could be made clearer.
- The interface could be simplified.
- Backups of physical servers take a very long time.
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.
