Introduction
Hello, and welcome to our article on the best virtual machine backup software for 2021. Whether you’re an IT professional or a business owner, backing up your virtual machines is crucial to ensuring the security and availability of your data. In this article, we’ll be exploring the top 5 virtual machine backup software solutions available on the market today. We’ll be comparing features, ease of use, and customer support, to help you make an informed decision for your business. So, without further ado, let’s get started!
The Importance of Virtual Machine Backup Software
Before we dive into the top 5 virtual machine backup software solutions, let’s discuss why it’s important to have such software in the first place. Virtual machines are becoming increasingly more common in today’s digital landscape. They allow businesses to operate multiple operating systems and applications on a single physical machine, improving flexibility and efficiency. However, this also means that all that data is stored in one central location, making it vulnerable to accidents, failure, and cyber-attacks. Without proper backup, vital data can be lost, leading to downtime, reputation damage, and financial loss.
That’s why virtual machine backup software is essential. It provides an automated, secure and reliable way of backing up your virtual machines. In the event of a disaster or data breach, you can quickly restore your data and minimize downtime. So now that we understand why it’s important let’s take a closer look at the top 5 virtual machine backup software solutions.
Top 5 Best Virtual Machine Backup Software
Software Name |
Features |
Price |
Free Trial |
---|---|---|---|
Veeam Backup & Replication |
Instant VM Recovery, Encryption, Compression, Replication |
$1,200 per CPU socket |
30-day free trial |
Acronis Backup |
Universal Restore, Deduplication, Encryption, Cloud Storage |
$69 per year per device |
30-day free trial |
VMware vSphere Data Protection |
Incremental Backups, Encryption, Replication, Compression |
$1,095 per CPU socket |
60-day free trial |
Altaro VM Backup |
Full VM Backup, Granular Restore, Replication, Cloud Backup |
$515 per host per year |
30-day free trial |
Carbonite Backup for VMware |
Automated Backup, Granular Recovery, Encryption, Compression |
Contact sales for pricing |
30-day free trial |
Veeam Backup & Replication
Veeam Backup & Replication is a comprehensive virtual machine backup software solution that offers instant VM recovery, encryption, compression, and replication. It’s a popular choice among IT professionals and businesses alike due to its ease of use and rich feature set. With Veeam, you can schedule automated backups, monitor backups, and quickly restore data in the event of a disaster. It also provides support for virtualized environments such as VMware and Hyper-V, making it a versatile choice for most businesses.
Features
Veeam Backup & Replication offers a range of features, including:
- Instant VM Recovery: Restore VMs in minutes, minimizing downtime.
- Encryption: Keep sensitive data safe and secure.
- Compression: Reduce storage space and bandwidth usage.
- Replication: Replicate VMs offsite for added protection.
- Automated Backup: Schedule regular backups with ease.
- Monitoring: Monitor backups and get alerts for issues.
- Virtualized Environment Support: Supports virtualized environments such as VMware and Hyper-V.
Price
Veeam Backup & Replication is priced at $1,200 per CPU socket. However, pricing can vary based on factors such as the number of VMs and the size of the infrastructure. Veeam also offers a 30-day free trial, so you can try it out before committing.
Customer Support
Veeam has a comprehensive customer support program, including phone and email support, online forums, and a knowledge base. They also offer training certifications for IT professionals to help them make the most out of the software.
Acronis Backup
Acronis Backup is another popular virtual machine backup software that offers universal restore, deduplication, encryption, and cloud storage. It’s known for its ease of use and fast backup and recovery times. With Acronis, you can back up your virtual machines to any storage device, including local, network, and cloud storage. It also provides support for virtualized environments such as VMware and Hyper-V.
Features
Acronis Backup offers a range of features, including:
- Universal Restore: Restore to dissimilar hardware with ease.
- Deduplication: Reduce storage space and bandwidth usage.
- Encryption: Keep sensitive data safe and secure.
- Cloud Storage: Back up your data to the cloud for added protection.
- Automated Backup: Schedule regular backups with ease.
- Monitoring: Monitor backups and get alerts for issues.
- Virtualized Environment Support: Supports virtualized environments such as VMware and Hyper-V.
Price
Acronis Backup is priced at $69 per year per device. However, pricing can vary based on factors such as the number of VMs and the size of the infrastructure. Acronis also offers a 30-day free trial, so you can try it out before committing.
Customer Support
Acronis has a comprehensive customer support program, including phone and email support, online forums, and a knowledge base. They also offer training certifications for IT professionals to help them make the most out of the software.
VMware vSphere Data Protection
VMware vSphere Data Protection is a virtual machine backup software solution designed specifically for VMware environments. It offers incremental backups, encryption, replication, and compression. It’s known for its ease of use and fast backups and recovery times. With VMware vSphere Data Protection, you can back up your virtual machines to any storage device, including local, network, and cloud storage.
Features
VMware vSphere Data Protection offers a range of features, including:
- Incremental Backups: Back up only the changes made since the last backup.
- Encryption: Keep sensitive data safe and secure.
- Compression: Reduce storage space and bandwidth usage.
- Replication: Replicate VMs offsite for added protection.
- Virtualized Environment Support: Designed specifically for VMware environments.
Price
VMware vSphere Data Protection is priced at $1,095 per CPU socket. However, pricing can vary based on factors such as the number of VMs and the size of the infrastructure. VMware also offers a 60-day free trial, so you can try it out before committing.
Customer Support
VMware has a comprehensive customer support program, including phone and email support, online forums, and a knowledge base. They also offer training certifications for IT professionals to help them make the most out of the software.
Altaro VM Backup
Altaro VM Backup is a virtual machine backup software solution that offers full VM backup, granular restore, replication, and cloud backup. It’s known for its ease of use and affordability, making it a popular choice among small and medium-sized businesses. With Altaro VM Backup, you can back up your virtual machines to any storage device, including local, network, and cloud storage. It also provides support for virtualized environments such as VMware and Hyper-V.
Features
Altaro VM Backup offers a range of features, including:
- Full VM Backup: Protect entire VMs with ease.
- Granular Restore: Restore individual files and folders if needed.
- Replication: Replicate VMs offsite for added protection.
- Cloud Backup: Back up your data to the cloud for added protection.
- Automated Backup: Schedule regular backups with ease.
- Monitoring: Monitor backups and get alerts for issues.
- Virtualized Environment Support: Supports virtualized environments such as VMware and Hyper-V.
Price
Altaro VM Backup is priced at $515 per host per year. However, pricing can vary based on factors such as the number of VMs and the size of the infrastructure. Altaro also offers a 30-day free trial, so you can try it out before committing.
Customer Support
Altaro has a comprehensive customer support program, including phone and email support, online forums, and a knowledge base. They also offer training certifications for IT professionals to help them make the most out of the software.
Carbonite Backup for VMware
Carbonite Backup for VMware is a virtual machine backup software solution that provides automated backup, granular recovery, encryption, and compression. It’s known for its ease of use and affordability, making it a popular choice among small and medium-sized businesses. With Carbonite Backup for VMware, you can back up your virtual machines to any storage device, including local, network, and cloud storage.
Features
Carbonite Backup for VMware offers a range of features, including:
- Automated Backup: Schedule regular backups with ease.
- Granular Recovery: Restore individual files and folders if needed.
- Encryption: Keep sensitive data safe and secure.
- Compression: Reduce storage space and bandwidth usage.
- Virtualized Environment Support: Supports virtualized environments such as VMware and Hyper-V.
Price
Contact sales for pricing information.
Customer Support
Carbonite has a comprehensive customer support program, including phone and email support, online forums, and a knowledge base. They also offer training certifications for IT professionals to help them make the most out of the software.
FAQs
1. What is virtual machine backup software?
Virtual machine backup software allows you to automatically and securely back up your virtual machines to ensure that your data is protected in the event of a disaster or data breach.
2. What are the benefits of using virtual machine backup software?
The benefits of using virtual machine backup software include minimizing downtime, protecting sensitive data, and ensuring business continuity in the event of a disaster or data breach.
3. How does virtual machine backup software work?
Virtual machine backup software works by automatically creating incremental backups of your virtual machines, storing them securely, and providing a way to restore them quickly in the event of a disaster.
4. Which virtual machine backup software is the best?
The best virtual machine backup software depends on your specific needs and requirements. In this article, we’ve reviewed the top 5 virtual machine backup software solutions.
5. How much does virtual machine backup software cost?
Pricing for virtual machine backup software can vary widely depending on factors such as the number of VMs and the size of the infrastructure. Check with each vendor for specific pricing information.
6. Can I try virtual machine backup software before buying it?
Most virtual machine backup software vendors offer a free trial period to allow you to try out the software before committing to a purchase.
7. Does virtual machine backup software work with all virtualization platforms?
No, virtual machine backup software is designed to work with specific virtualization platforms such as VMware and Hyper-V. Check with each vendor to ensure compatibility with your specific platform.
8. How often should I back up my virtual machines?
It’s recommended to back up your virtual machines at least once a day. However, the frequency of backups will ultimately depend on your specific needs and requirements.
9. Can I restore individual files from a virtual machine backup?
Yes, most virtual machine backup software solutions allow for granular recovery, meaning you can restore individual files and folders if needed.
10. Can I back up my virtual machines to the cloud?
Yes, most virtual machine backup software solutions allow for backup to cloud storage for added protection.
11. How long does it take to restore virtual machines from backup?
The time it takes to restore virtual machines from backup will depend on the size of the VM and the storage medium used for backup. However, most virtual machine backup software solutions offer fast recovery times to minimize downtime.
12. Can virtual machine backup software be automated?
Yes, most virtual machine backup software solutions allow for automated backup scheduling, meaning backups can be performed without manual intervention.
13. Is virtual machine backup software easy to use?
Most virtual machine backup software solutions are designed to be user-friendly and easy to use, even for non-technical users. However, some solutions may have a steeper learning curve than others.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many virtual machine backup software solutions available on the market today. Each has its own unique features and benefits, making it important to carefully consider your specific needs and requirements before choosing a solution. In this article, we’ve reviewed the top 5 virtual machine backup software solutions, including Veeam Backup & Replication, Acronis Backup, VMware vSphere Data Protection, Altaro VM Backup, and Carbonite Backup for VMware. We hope this article has provided you with the information you need to make an informed decision for your business. Remember, backup your virtual machines regularly to ensure the availability and security of your data.
Take Action Now
Don’t wait until it’s too late to back up your virtual machines. Choose one of the top 5 virtual machine backup software solutions today and rest easy knowing your data is protected. Check out the free trials, compare the features, and select the one that suits your business perfectly.
Closing / Disclaimer
In conclusion, we hope this article has provided you with useful information on the top 5 virtual machine backup software solutions available today. However, please note that this article is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as professional advice. Always consult a qualified professional before making any decisions regarding your business operations. We also make no warranty or representation, express or implied, about the accuracy, completeness or appropriateness of the information contained herein. Use this information at your own risk.