Axcient x360Recover vs. Zerto on IBM Cloud

This is well suited for the backup of different appliances, i.e., Windows, VMware, and other SAAS and IAAS products. We use Axcient x360Cloud to backup the server and workstations, and it makes it very easy to find and recover deleted data in case it is needed. It is less appropriate when we are trying to open the virtual machines of the backup storepoints and the speed is very slow.

If the environment is fully IBM cloud-based with simple infra components like the SQL servers, standard VMs or applications with short recovery time objectives. This cost-effective solution can save in implementing rather than an expensive DR mechanism or tool to support the overall recovery strategy. If you have complex environments where mission-critical apps like Oracle Databases are running in a cluster mode and features like data guard is used this option would not be a good choice due to complexity.

Incentivized

• Axcient x360Recover allows for backup of virtual servers as well as mobile user equipment.
• Scheduling for backups using Axcient x360Recover during non-business hour time-frames is very helpful
• Adjustment of the Axcient x360Recover service for both internet and internal bandwidth usage based on time-frames.

Incentivized

• Ease of setup and upgrade. Installation and configuration was a breeze and can get you protected in just minutes without having to set up additional hardware.
• Consolidated billing of the IBM infrastructure and Zerto licensing. One bill to pay monthly.
• Ease of support access. Contacting IBM Cloud support is quick and easy and they can quickly involve Zerto support if needed.

Incentivized

• The only thing missing is the ability to cancel a backup as they appear to just continue to try to run even after rebooting the BDR and endpoint until a failure finally occurs.
• The only other ask would be to expand support to Linux operating systems.

Incentivized

• Enable the ability to use IBM Cloud Object Storage as a target for Zerto's long-term retention feature.
• Easier access to the underlying VMware infrastructure would be nice. Right now we have to connect to IBM's VPN and use other tools to do some infrastructure management tasks.
• More insight into the IBM-side VMware environment that we replicate to (i.e. ability to see available IPs, etc). Most of that is managed by IBM.

Incentivized

We've been using Axcient over the years and have worked with their development team to suggest new features, something that you would not normally be able to do with other companies. They listen to what we have to say and understand that we are a business, just like them. It's great to know that someone will always be there for you when you need them.

Incentivized

It is overall very easy to install and get working. Install the application, select the drives you want to backup or leave blank and backup all drives. It starts to run immediately. You configure all the backup retention and how often to run in the portal so once you deploy the agent it is very easy to get started. After the backup completes. The portal will perform a test boot and auto verification of the image.

Incentivized

Issues with failing backups drag out for months at a time. Axcient hardware replacements are quick to be suggested by support but as the issues are most often with the software architecture this almost never helps. Support often uses their access to the appliance as a back door into customer environments without our consent and despite our repeated complaints, accessing our customers servers and executing disruptive diagnostics like chkdsk in the middle of production hours for that customer environment. More recently they've been blaming their frequent off-site transfer failures on our customer's firewalls (of all makes and models) and insisting that the only possible resolution is to increase the TCP session timeout dangerously high (multiple hours), putting every client environment at substantial disk of even accidental Denial of Service attacks. Talking to any two support individuals, even when escalated all the way to their development team, often yields entirely different and contradictory answers regardless of the problem.

Incentivized

I had the miss fortune to go back to this device. Alot has changed since the first time I had used it. Now instead a full deployable network appliance, you have to download a preconfigured virtual machine that will only run on an ESXi server. What about Hyper-V? I have many clients that are Hyper-V only. I setup a test lab to get this thing up and running and it has been a nightmare to say the least. Will be looking at other options.

Incentivized

Reliable, Faster and Cheaper then the competition. Datto gave us a bad taste in our mouth on our very first client. We purchased their recommended hardware, setup and our initial install at a trial clients office with the engineer and one of our techs and when the time came, the engineer was unable to get their own product to work as expected. Luckily for us, we already explained to the client that this was a trial so we were not held accountable but if this was a live instance, it would of been embarrassing

We had prior experience with Zerto and we were very happy with how it worked. Rubrik is also a very good product, but we wanted to go with the solution we were most familiar with. Zerto combined with IBM Cloud is a reliable combo that we feel works together well in addressing what we are trying to accomplish.

Incentivized

• The few customers I have I feel confident and comfortable that a disaster will make recovery easy and fast for my clients.
• I can set it up and forget about it with reports and alerts
• I recommend it to any client that requires a good solid backup solution;

• Overall, it's a very effective solution both from a cost and operational standpoint. We now do DR tests once a quarter rather than once every 6 months.

Incentivized