Datto SIRIS vs. Veeam Backup for Azure

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

When migrating from on Prim to AWS then to AZure the process was a little challenging because of some of the way we configured up front but once we went from AWS to Azure it was no looking back. We didn't have the extra storage to move things around like most companies to but it worked out great and we were also able to store more cold backups on Azure due to the low cost of cold storage.

Incentivized

• 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

• Reduce storage costs and minimizing the impact on network consuption.
• Veaam Backup for Azure provides application-aware backups for Microsoft SQL Server, ensuring that our data is backed up and available for recovery correctly.
• Replication: Veeam Backup for Azure helps us to replicate our workloads to another Azure region or on-premises environment for disaster recovery purposes and compliance needs.

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

• Documentation around service account permissions was a little sparse when we implemented it
• It's sometimes hard to get the reason behind a (rare) job failure without going into logs
• The UI around snapshots and backups could do with some clarity around the restore points that will be available

Incentivized

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

Incentivized

Plainly, the product just works. I don't have to babysit it.

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

Still clunky compared to the on-prem version but getting better with every release. It does what it needs to do, and does it well. They are stuck with some limitations in the way Azure works so I don't know how much better they can make it but they've just added 365 backup management all from the same pane so it seems they're not done yet.

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

Great support team!

Incentivized

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

Backup Exec was a very clunky application and took forever to backup to and restore from. We would backup to SSD external hard drives from a flash array, but the process still took forever to finish. Sending our data to the Azure blob storage via Veeam is a faster and more secure process than saving to the external hard drives with Backup Exec.

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

• We have had fast recovery of documents when needed; sub 10 minutes from start of restore to complete and in the users hands
• Easily a value add for backing up files outside of the given Microsoft retention period; piece of mind
• Easy tool to use with minimal training required to use it and set up backups
• When you do change your cloud licensing it does require manual intervention to update backup data requirements. if the business makes changes then your backup person may not know to make these changes

Incentivized