Synology Active Backup Suite vs. Datto SIRIS

1 - Great as a backup device, as part of an overall backup strategy. 2 - Really good for small businesses as it's a very capable box and can be a DHCP server, VPN server, File Server and more.

Incentivized

Datto works well for smaller shops that just need something that will work without needing a great deal of day to day work on it. I only login to the device periodically to see where we stand on space and occasionally when we need to restore something. The offsite datacenter backup which is hosted by Datto works well for us particularly as we do not have our own offsite tech to use. In larger departments other solutions will possibly win out based on required features and setups but for the 1-10 man IT departments the Datto solutions fit in well.

Incentivized

• intuitive UI for both managing backups and restore jobs.
• Compression and deduplication, to reduce to storage needs and costs.
• Easy to install and setup backup agent on windows, linux and of course synology

• Backups: Datto does what it's supposed to do, backing up data from servers (and workstations, if need be), and then syncing that data to the cloud.
• Initial setup: Initial setup is pretty straightforward, in most cases the agent installs remotely from the device.
• UI: The UI is fairly straightforward and intuitive, at least for IT professionals. It is not difficult to find things or figure out what settings do what.

Incentivized

• Can't think of any currently.

Incentivized

• VMware integration for backups is only at the host level, not vCenter, so you can't see all VMs from one place to select them for backup. You've gotta add each host individually and then pick from the list that populates from each individually.
• The system is appliance-based, so when you run out of local space on the appliance, there's no expansion without buying a larger appliance. You either cut back on your backups to use less space, or you open your wallet.

Incentivized

I trust the product and service and am satisfied with the direction of the company

Incentivized

Synology Active Backup Suite is easy to use, has great documentation, has video tutorials for a fast integration, it integrates well with Mac OS and Windows. You can have two different NAS machines backing up each other and keeping duplications in separate physical places and with no outside access, just login in from each other.

Incentivized

Usability is great. The web interface is simple and easy to use. While various options are available for client backups, it is very easy to re-use settings of the existing client, so adding new clients is a very fast process. Configuration of the agent on the client-side cannot be easier as well. Datto dashboard provides an overview of the client status, and email notifications can be configured for various events.

Incentivized

My specific example or reason for this rating goes back to a need for support after a client on this platform has a fire. In a nutshell, Datto had no idea how to BMR the image back to the server correctly, and as a result, the RAID on the server was lost, due to the Datto BDR environment not being able to see the RAID card, and the support technician knowing how to inject drivers.

Incentivized

Synology is
a great and simple solution to backup physical or virtual infrastructure, it
does what it provides very well.

It’s
lacking a lot of advanced features from the more established solutions on the
market such as Veeam but if budget is an issue you can’t beat the cost and an
all in one solution that can back up your on prem infrastructure and your
Microsoft 365 tenant as well.

Datto is not as feature-rich as Veeam, but it still offers the main features in a great backups solution that will help in a recovery situation. It is mainly meant for smaller businesses, so it's not a Veeam replacement. From that perspective, Datto fills a great void in options for these clients. It doesn't have the features of Unitrends either, but I have not had great experiences with Unitrends, so I would not recommend that option. Veeam is great for larger environments, and Datto is a fantastic option for the next tier down in size.

Incentivized

• I was able to store more data for less money
• I was able to keep more backup versions
• I was abe to cut costs from cloud backup by keeping only the newest backup online instead of several versions

Incentivized

• In most cases, Datto will provide the appliance free of charge with a 3-5 year contract which results in a modest monthly fee instead of a large initial outlay and monthly fees.
• The contract's warranty is top-notch. Failed drives or issues with the appliances are replaced/corrected with free replacements and shipping.

Incentivized