Backup software is designed to duplicate vital data in the event of emergencies such as an accident, natural disaster, hard drive failure, or user blunder. Software applications that manage the process of backing up and restoring files, folders, hard drives, databases, and even entire network servers are also called disaster recovery tools. Show more Backup software is chiefly used to keep a backup of important data residing on servers and computer hard drives. It can be utilized for individual computers as well as a company’s computers, servers, and networking devices. Backup software for individual users backs up selected operating system files and other critical data on the same computer/hard drive. Start by checking our leader MSP360 Managed Backup, and other recommended solutions in this category. Show less
In order to come up with this list of best Backup Software we have researched 498 different systems currently present on the market, contrasting their features, ease-of-use, customer service, available integrations with other systems as well as mobile device support with our exclusive SmartScoreTM rating system. This list has been created by Louie Andre, our software expert dedicated to the Backup Software category.
CloudRank™ system is a unique algorithm that our research team uses to evaluate Backup Software solutions in a detailed and accurate way. The Winter 2022 edition of the ranking was prepared by Louie Andre, our leading expert in the field of Backup Software, who has authored 1380+ product reviews in this category. The goal of CloudRank™ is to present an unbiased, multi-layered perspective on Backup Software, considering a wide range of metrics and factors, and educating potential customers about both opportunities and challenges associated with each piece of software.
In order to achieve full objectivity the position in our CloudRank™ is based on:
We’ve calculated a score for each product based on the average experience shared by our users in their product reviews and arranged the list in three tiers. You can see the methodology below on how the calculations were made.
Regardless of their tier, all products included in our CloudRank™ are popular, quality products considered top-performers by our team of experts. Make sure you read a more detailed review of each solution to find one that will work best for your specific needs and budget.
Show lessMARKET POSITION
A score between 1 and 10 based on popularity and market reach of each product.
TOTAL score
A score between 1 and 10 based on the average of our Expert Score and User Score.
Market Position
A score between 1 and 10 based on popularity and market reach of each product.
Total Score
A score between 1 and 10 based on the average of our Expert Score and User Score.
CloudRank™ tier
Based on product's total score.
Rising Star
Contender
Front Runners
Here is a list of all 25 Backup Software solutions evaluated with our CloudRank™ analysis. We have compared their features, user satisfaction, market presence and other key factors in an in-depth analysis you can find below:
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Our report covered 25 most popular products from the Backup Software category. We’ve analyzed their features, performance, integration, customer support, pricing, and several other key buying factors and combined it with feedback from user reviews to come up with the current list of best solutions:
Coming out on top of our CloudRank 2022 list is powerful backup platform VMWare vCenter Server. The system is popular for its ability to simplify the deployment of virtual servers while allowing users to manage them from a single solution. It provides businesses with the flexibility that they need in managing their teams and workflows, providing them with clear visibility over their operations.
Garnering excellent ratings in user reviews, features, and mobile support, VMWare vCenter Service is indeed the best solution of its kind to date. It’s also known for its ease of use and customer support. No wonder it has become the go-to backup solution for both mid-sized businesses and enterprises.
Looking at the features of VMWare vCenter Server, we can see that it has passed our expert evaluation with flying colors, getting high scores in features like privacy and control, versioned backups, differential and incremental backups, and access to open files. It likewise got great ratings when it comes to helping companies fulfill business goals.
Organizations stand to benefit from VMWare vCenter Server’s host of features. For instance, the platform is capable of managing 1,000 host profiles easily. For good measure, it also lets users link up to 10 servers, which roughly translates to managing 30,000 machines worldwide. However, the clincher is its backup services, which ensures that no file is lost without having to pay for a third-party backup service.
Most users of Backup Software solutions confirm that in most cases these tools allow them to reach the following business goals:
The Winter 2022 version of the report includes a total of 25 Backup Software products that were compared and analyzed by our team. We selected them based on the following factors:
Artificial intelligence (AI) is seen to make further rounds in the development and design of datacenters. AI’s benefits to the backup software industry cover a multitude of processes but it is expected that AI will distinctly impact datacenters, which can see as much as a 40% reduction in energy use. Other foreseen benefits include the distribution of workloads to servers, improved security and more robust data analysis.
Source: Blueshift
Designed byManual backups are seen to become a thing of the past as more and more companies turn to cloud-based backup solutions. Organizations have been adopting SaaS backup software as reflected by the fact that 84% of companies claim to have a multi-cloud strategy. This development stemmed from the increasing threat of security breaches, which automation is seen to curb. Through automation, daily backups can be scheduled, which can be conducted in different locations. This also allows users to quickly and efficiently restore data lost from natural disasters.
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%Source: Bettercloud
Designed byWith companies’ adoption of a service-level approach to data backup management, most backup methods are no longer dependent on physical infrastructure. Businesses are seen to prioritize data protection, hence their constant search for new backup technology. To achieve such, most organizations are forecast to have centralized systems, which can better protect data by aligning their backup processes with service level agreements. But this is not to say that cloud backup is completely safe as there are SaaS security concerns that users must be aware of before diving in.
You need to use a good backup software to keep a copy of your important files in case of hard drive failure, system crash, or other mishaps. But how do you select a suitable system from the numerous available programs? We have prepared this buyer’s guide to prime you on the main features and factors to look for in your search of the best backup tools.
We recommend you start your search for the best backup software platforms by using the free trial plans or demo offered by leading backup software providers. This will enable to check out each system’s features free of cost, do a comparison of different tools and gauge which one fits your needs. You can check whether following popular systems offer a free trial: Carbonite, Veritas NetBackup, NetApp Backup and Recovery, Code42 CrashPlan, and Acronis Backup and Recovery. These applications have high rankings in our backup software reviews, so try them out.
There are three common types of backup software technology:
Our detailed comparisons indicate that the following features are commonly found in backup tools:
Verification mode
Network administrators have to tackle the challenge of corrupt backups. To avoid corruption, good backup systems use a checksum process that ensures backups are performed without errors. This process checks a file thoroughly before and after a transfer. If the bits of a file match after the transfer, you can be assured the backup file is not corrupted.
Backup scheduling
This feature helps you schedule file backups during business downtime. You can schedule file backups on important drives that are not used during usual business hours. Backup scheduling feature is thus a big help for the network administrator and the company.
Security
It is risky to have your backup in a single location as the data could be stolen. A quality backup system secures the backups to safeguard corporate and personal data. Security is implemented both in the software as well as the backup directories. Only the administrator should be able to access the software. To increase the protection, you can select a backup app that encrypts data.
Remote Backup
Even if users are nowhere near their office computers, they can still execute backup actions remotely. Through this feature, teams with geographically distributed workers can keep data centralized at any time.
Deduplication continues to grow
Companies use increasing amounts of data which shrinks backup windows and forces the firms to continuously increase backup hardware. The way out is to reduce the amount of data that needs to be stored. Data deduplication is a data optimization technology that helps to manage data growth and reduce expenses. This technology is becoming widely used as it helps to tackle rapid data growth which increases costs and makes backups more complicated.
Automated storage tiering is becoming popular
Backups not only provide protection against calamites, they also reduce the clutter in high-speed systems which improves performance and reduces storage costs. You don’t have to dump all your data in a backup app, as you can use storage tiering for the same purpose which also keeps your data available at all times.
Protection of services is getting priority
With the widespread use of cloud computing and virtualization, backup strategy is no long centered around physical infrastructure. Companies are using a service-level approach and adapting their backup operations to meet the need for technology and business service continuity. Data protection management is becoming more centralized to align more closely with a company’s service level agreements (SLAs) for protecting its products and business service.
Ineffective data backups
You need to ensure that data backups are performed and completed successfully. Otherwise, you may be left with corrupt or incomplete backup files which can prove disastrous when you access them in the event of an emergency.
Takes a lot of time
If you use tape backups, then you need to execute full backups once a week. This means large backup volumes and long backup windows which can consume a lot of time.
Technology obsolescence
With advances in technology the app you used to backup your data can get lost if there is a disaster, theft, etc. This means you need to replace it with a current platform. The issue here is whether the new solution is compatible with the tapes that store your important data.
Backup software can be pretty pricey but you can gain significant savings if you have a long-term contract with the vendor. You can opt for annual payments, bi-annual subscriptions, or three-year plans. On that note, you can expect to pay up to $10,000 a year for premium services. However, if your business is small and cannot spare a budget for this, you can still look at freemium or forever free solutions.
You may be wondering about what you need a backup software for. Even if you are confident about the security of your data, you would be well advised to look into what this type of software solution brings to the table. That is because information loss can occur anytime and you need to have backups of your files to get your business up and running again after the fact. Still not convinced? Take a look at these statistics:
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To select a suitable SaaS provider you need to consider important criteria such as privacy and security, support and service, and transparency.
Find out if the vendor can be trusted with data security and privacy. Do they have systems in place to safeguard your sensitive information and data? Find about the security procedures they use. This is an important aspect of a SaaS system that cannot be over-emphasized.
It is important that the provider offers reliable support to resolve any issues quickly. Ask your potential vendors the following queries: Do they offer consulting and training services to assist your employees to utilize the solution efficiently? Do they have an online support center that has valuable articles and training resources? What channels of support do they provide? Do they monitor concerns till they are resolved? Is customer satisfaction measured?
Does the SaaS provider conduct their business in a transparent and open manner? You can find out by asking them for references you can contact. Talk to existing customers of the solution to find out about the quality of service provided. Does the vendor make public the algorithms they employ in the program? Ask these questions to find a SaaS provider whom you can trust with your confidential customer and business data.
The best backup software is VMWare vCenter Server. With this at your disposal, deploying virtual servers is not just possible but also simplified and efficient. Managing it is even seamless because you can put it in a single location.
Additionally, even if you are not near your office computer, you can still set it up remotely. With this functionality, you can access platforms with ease. If you are worried about security while doing it, you can rest assured that the Linked Mode has stringent security measures.
Moreover, VMWare vCenter Server has reliable backup services. You can save on costs this way since you do not need to sign up for a third-party service or platform.
A backup software is designed to ensure that a business has duplicates of its files in the event of a security or server issue. However, that is not its only advantage. Below are additional benefits of a backup system:
Though a backup software helps create redundant copies of files, it does have features that make it more sophisticated than an ordinary backup process.
Though it sounds complicated, backing files up can be done in a snap. But there are solutions that go above and beyond and make it more painless.
Backup software is generally costly. However, there are vendors that offer free services with fewer capabilities and smaller storage space, which may be ideal for individuals and small businesses.
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