Disk-based all-in-one backup appliances provider Unitrends announced the launch of Release 5, the latest version of its all-in-one backup appliance software.
Featuring a new adaptive deduplication data reduction capability, vStorage-based (VDDK) VMware ESX and ESXi Backup, and a new implementation and features associated with its D2D2D (Disk-to-Disk-to-Disk) archiving subsystem, the company said Release 5 helps further optimize backup and disaster recovery processes for more than 100 different versions of operating systems and applications.
Release 5 offers features such as a new archiving system for D2D2D that supports all of the features of Unitrends’ past archiving systems and adds increased performance and capabilities for appending archives, a new SQL Server backup option for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2005 that utilizes the VSS backup foundation Microsoft offers and a vStorage API-based VMware protector that offers direct support from Unitrends appliances for VMware ESXi 3.5 and ESXi backup 4.0 as well as VMware ESX 3.5 and ESX 4.0. VMware has announced that future versions of VMware won’t support VCB.
Release 5 also features a hybrid compression/deduplication data reduction mechanism that adapts dynamically to reduce the storage footprint of the content it is protecting while mitigating the overhead, high costs, and slow recovery times associated with deduplication implementations. Called Adaptive Deduplication, this storage-based deduplication technique is designed to work with high efficiency on affordable hardware platforms, the company said.
Generally available this month, Release 5 is offered for all current generation Unitrends backup appliances. Pricing for Unitrends appliances starts at $2495 ($75 per month for a three-year lease). The appliances feature the company’s No Limits data protection licensing, which allows users to store as much on the device as they wish until the physical capacity is full.
“At Unitrends, delivering affordable, easy-to-use data protection solutions with enterprise-class features for the heterogeneous SMB environment is our core mission,” said Mark Campbell, chief operating officer for Unitrends. “With the availability of Release 5, we have expanded on this mission with compelling features for data reduction, VMware protection and true rotational archiving. This, combined with our integrated, simple and elegant interface, gives users the single-pane-of-glass management they need for the reliable protection of all their operating systems and applications.”
Unitrends uses a common backup and recovery engine for providing protection for more than 100 different versions of operating systems and applications. This means it can support Microsoft Windows and Exchange, Microsoft SQL, Microsoft Hyper-V, VMware, Sun Solaris, Novell OES, Novell Netware, Novell GroupWise, Novell eDirectory, Linux, FreeBSD, Apple MacOS X, IBM pSeries/AIX, HP HP-UX, SCO UnixWare, SCO OpenServer, IBM iSeries/OS400, and SGI IRIX on notebooks, PCs, workstations, and servers and on DAS, NAS, or SAN storage – all using one backup appliance. A virtual appliance free trial is also available for download via the company’s Website.