Having a system that helps us manage backup and file restoration in a simple and reliable way is essential for the smooth operation of a company. A possible failure or incident can wipe out critical data and resources of your business in the blink of an eye.
Among the various options available in the market, today we will talk about Unitrends Backup Software. In this analysis, we will cover everything from its features to its price and alternatives to assess if this is, for us, the best way to manage backups.
What is Unitrends Backup and Recover?
Unitrends Backup Software is a backup tool that allows us to automate, manage, and recover information from our infrastructure, both on physical and virtual servers. The software's ability to perform backups of physical machines and the virtual environments running on them, along with its automation and reporting tools, are indeed its most prominent features.
With functions such as data deduplication and real-time report generation, we can optimize the use of our storage — one of the most expensive elements in a backup infrastructure — and ensure operational continuity for the company at all times. And all of this from its unified management system.
Although automated processes and versatility in protection are excellent, it is also true that cloud backup options could improve. Additionally, opinions about its customer service are varied. Some users are not entirely satisfied with the response speed of technical support, especially in critical situations.
If we compare this platform with other competitors like Atempo, Backstone or Veeam, we can see that each option has its nuances. However, Unitrends’ focus on environments with local or hybrid infrastructures makes it a very interesting solution.
Want to try it yourself? With Unitrends Backup Free Edition, we have a 30-day trial. Want to delve deeper into the tool? Let’s start by seeing what makes it so special.
Key Features of Unitrends Backup Software
There is a large number of backup applications on the market. Some focus on managing the backups we perform with systems, others focus on recovery. Unitrends Backup Software offers a comprehensive approach to backups, highlighting these key points:
- Backup Automation: The main strength of Unitrends Backup Software is its automation capability. We can set all backup and recovery processes to automatic mode. Thanks to REST API and CLI support, we can even configure certain processes in response to events, so the system will respond intelligently to each situation, thus preventing future problems.
- Both Physical and Virtual Backups: Not all systems are physical in a business infrastructure. Unitrends Backup and Recovery supports backups in both physical and virtual environments and is compatible with Windows, Linux, AIX, and Unix, among others. For virtual machines such as VMware, vSphere, Nutanix AHV, and Microsoft Hyper-V, it offers options with and without virtualization agents.
- Deduplication: Unlike other solutions, data deduplication is performed at the source, destination, and/or globally. The system uses variable-length blocks, which helps us optimize storage usage and significantly reduce the space required for our backups.
- Real-Time Analytics and Reporting: The generation of reports, as well as performance analytics, storage utilization, and tracking of other key parameters, is in real time, allowing us to make quick decisions in unusual situations.
- A Centralized Management Console: Instead of having to resort to different tools and control points, Unitrends Backup and Recovery presents all information and management in a single location.
Pros and Cons of Unitrends Backup
Unitrends Backup Software is a data protection tool very different from other solutions on the market. Now let's take a look, to get a clearer picture, at the pros and also the cons of implementing this system in our company:
Advantages of using Unitrends Backup Software
- Intuitive and easy-to-use interface: The centralized control center allows for truly simple management with an easy-to-handle interface, regardless of our technical knowledge.
- Scalability: Unitrends Backup's data protection services are scalable, allowing addition of features such as Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS).
- Wide range of backup options: Unitrends offers multiple backup options and support for both servers with physical hardware and its own appliances as well as virtual ones, allowing adaptation of this tool to any infrastructure.
- Powerful deduplication and storage optimization: The deduplication function is key to avoid storing the same file multiple times. The reduction in storage space is huge and the benefits increase as we scale our backup needs.
- Comprehensive reports and analytics: Having the assurance that our backup software is working as expected is essential. Unitrends Backup and Recovery reports and analyses take care of this.
Disadvantages of using Unitrends Backup Software
- Limited cloud backup capabilities: Although the Unitrends system supports cloud backups, the number of cloud storage providers we can choose from could be improved.
- Technical support response at certain critical moments: The response speed of the technical support team, especially during critical moments, could be faster.
- Uncertainty in pricing model after acquisition by Kaseya: After integration with Kaseya, there is some concern regarding future license cost increases or changes in the business model.
- Not available for mobile devices: Despite integration with applications like Google Cloud or Microsoft 365, Unitrends Backup Software is not a solution compatible with mobile devices.
Who Unitrends Backup and Recovery is For
Having seen what makes Unitrends backup management tool special as well as its strengths and weaknesses, a profile starts to emerge where this system fits more naturally. Of course, any company will benefit from a backup and recovery system, but these are the ones that will notice its advantages the most:
- System administrators and IT teams who need to be able to manage backups of the entire infrastructure in a fully centralized way.
- Companies with on-premise infrastructures and data centers that require complete protection of data on both physical and virtual servers.
- Organizations in critical sectors (health, finance, government, and education) that must ensure operational continuity and protection of sensitive information at all times.
- Small and medium-sized enterprises seeking an easy-to-implement and manage solution that, without requiring large technical teams, can progressively scale as operations grow.
Why should my company use Unitrends Backup Software?
To deeply understand the capabilities of Unitrends Backup and Recovery, we have spoken with several experts in the field, as well as companies that have implemented this system in their infrastructures. From these interviews, we can highlight several reasons that have led them to use this software. The main ones are:
- Complete automation of backups: once configured, the system takes care of everything, ensuring it is always available and safeguarding our data in case we need it.
- Versatility in the protection of physical and virtual environments: many companies have hybrid environments that not all backup solutions are capable of adequately protecting.
Storage optimization through deduplication: although deduplication is a common practice in backup tools to a greater or lesser extent, Unitrends' ability to perform it at the source, destination, or globally offers very high flexibility and the expected results.
Why do some companies not use Unitrends Backup Software?
Similarly, we have gathered the reasons why some companies decide not to use Unitrends Backup and Recovery. They are as follows:
- Cloud integration that needs improvement: For those companies that prioritize a cloud backup strategy, the current capabilities may be somewhat limited.
- Perception of technical support with long response times: In critical moments, technical support assistance may not be the most agile.
Uncertainty in the pricing model after integration with Kaseya: The possible variation in the licensing model leads some companies to evaluate alternatives.
Unitrends Backup and Recovery Prices and Discounts
Unitrends does not publicly list the price of its tools nor offer personal-business plans. However, we do know that it offers different prices depending on the amount of protected TB, the usage and the additional features we want to contract. As a reference, we would be talking about around 300 or 400 € per month for the smallest implementations.
Like other solutions, Unitrends offers discounts depending on the duration we contract. If what we want is to evaluate the tool itself, the Unitrends Backup Free Edition allows us to evaluate the tool without commitment for a whole month.
Implementation, training, and documentation
The implementation of Unitrends Backup Software is quite simple. The initial setup and startup are quick and, in general, do not even require the intervention of the IT team. If needed, we will find a good amount of online documentation, tutorials, and even webinars that will facilitate onboarding for our employees.
To go further and get the most out of the tool, it is advisable to take a look at the more advanced configurations and the integrations needed with our infrastructure. Here, the support of the Unitrends technical team is our main ally.
Customer Service: How to Contact Unitrends?
Whether during the initial setup or in case of questions or issues, it is essential that we can quickly contact customer service. This service is available through phone and email and is accompanied by an extensive knowledge base.
Although some users have pointed out that support response can be slower than we would like during times of high demand, in general we have at our disposal a team committed to resolving any issues quickly and accurately.
Best alternatives to Unitrends Backup and Recovery: Veeam Backup & Replication, Atempo, and Backstone
Understanding a tool in depth also involves analyzing its alternatives. In the case of Unitrends Backup and Recovery, the three main ones are the following:
Unitrends Backup and Recovery vs Veeam Backup & Replication
Veeam Backup & Replication is a really interesting option for companies with hybrid and cloud environments. Veeam offers excellent integration with platforms such as AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. Beyond the backup itself, it includes features like Instant VM Recovery and SureBackup, which allow us to quickly recover virtualized systems, although in the realm of traditional backup, Unitrends’ solution still offers a more complete experience.
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Unitrends Backup and Recovery vs Atempo
Atempo is an interesting alternative focused on automation and the integration of backups in very large enterprise environments. It is aimed at environments with truly complex infrastructures, although its integration in hybrid or cloud environments may not be as seamless as that found in other solutions.
Unitrends Backup and Recovery vs Backstone
Finally, Backstone is another alternative that deserves our attention. With a simple interface and efficient data management on on-premises infrastructures, it is a very practical option if we are looking for a reliable and easy-to-use solution in traditional environments. Although it lacks some features found in Veeam, Backstone offers a very straightforward and usability-focused approach, making it ideal for certain sectors.
A tailored backup solution for our company's data protection
Unitrends Backup and Recovery is a reliable and versatile tool to fully protect our data. Its ability to automate backups, the variety of options for physical and virtual environments, and the capacity to audit its operation in real time provide us with the peace of mind that a system like this requires.
Although cloud functionalities and technical support agility could benefit from future improvements, its focus on on-premise protection is the most suitable for many sectors where operational continuity is essential. Not convinced yet? We always have the option to try a free version and experience firsthand its features and good results.
Beyond this, if what we want is to know that our data is safe at all times, Unitrends Backup and Recovery is truly a market benchmark. An application that, with its simplicity, gives us the guarantee that a backup system provides.
