Arcserve ShadowProtect vs. Zerto on IBM Cloud

If we have a scenario where we need very fast backup/ a lot of backups per hour we tend to go towards ShadowProtect , we have several customers with important servers that we backup each 15 minutes with a VSS consistent snapshot. The continuous incremental option also allows us to create one "full backup" and never again afterwards. This gives us the possibility to give longer retention periods to our customers.

Incentivized

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

• Shadowprotect has a relatively simple interface so it's easy to set up.
• Due to the simple UI, it is easy to restore files.
• Imagemanage works fairly well once it's set up and doesn't need much babysitting.

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 replication offsite can have issues over time. It takes manual involvement to keep it working right.
• SPX remote management isn't easy out of the box.

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 don’t need support often, but when we do, the support has been strong. Sometimes it is hard to determine how to access support for the exact issue we are having. There are a decent forum and online ticketing system. Support for the cloud center seems to be provided only by phone, though.

Incentivized

ShadowProtect is less expensive than some and more robust than others, and for us, provided a fine medium on which to build our support platform. The MSP interface for SPX makes licenses easy to track and deploy, as well as to retire. Overall, have been satisfied with this choice.

Incentivized

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

• It had a positive ROI due to the ability to offer better backup technology to our clients.
• There is a large up-front fee you need to pay, though, as you need a minimum number of licenses to resell as MSP.

Incentivized

• 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