News

Cortex I.T., a world-leading Windows  backup software developer, has just released a new product that makes Hyper-V products easier and more affordable for SMBs.

Windows  Hyper-V is an attractive option for SMBs, because it reduces hardware and running costs and provides an easier way to integrate components in specialized I.T. system setups. However, Windows  Hyper-V has been creating insurmountable backup and data protection headaches that drive up costs and make it an impractical and unrealistic option for most SMBs.

Now Cortex I.T, a world-leading backup software developer, has neatly resolved these issues with a new BackupAssist Hyper-V Solution. It’s an easily affordable option that simplifies and automates vital data protection functions for Windows  Hyper-V and significantly reduces ongoing labor and maintenance costs.

“Many SMBs invested in new Hyper-V systems to save on costs, only to discover that the backup and restore operations are difficult, frustrating and expensive” says Linus Chang, CEO of Cortex I.T. and Lead Developer of BackupAssist. “These days, an SMBs entire business relies on the quality of their data – so the inadequate data protection facilities were also exposing them to a big risk” he adds.

Windows  Hyper-V Server only offers limited drive imaging facilities to perform backup and restore operations. The usual image backup consists of a single VHD file of the Host and Windows  offers no facilities to dig down into the VHD file to retrieve any data that may be required from the Guest VM. This meant there was no option other than to run a second backup of each Guest VM individually, and this was time consuming, used incredible amounts of data storage space, required manual scripting and was very unreliable. What’s more, manually locating and transferring files during restore operations was a complicated nightmare.

“Windows  is designed to make it possible and affordable for anyone to use a computer” says Linus. “We believe the same should be true for backups. Data protection is very important to every business, so BackupAssist is designed and created specifically for the purpose of making backups as simple and easy as possible on any Windows  system.”

The new BackupAssist Hyper-V Solution consists of the BackupAssist v5.4 base license used together with the new BackupAssist VM Granular Restore Console Add-on. It uses ‘granular technology’ to make it possible to dig down into a VHD file and quickly retrieve files from within, eliminating the need for multiple backups of Host and Guest VMs.

“This saves a lot of time and data storage space” says Linus. “There’s no manual scripting, all the media rotations and scheduling are built in and we’ve made it all very easy to manage with simple wizards. And you can restore any file in under three minutes – even from the Guest VMs. It’s so easy that just about anyone can do it.”

BackupAssist doesn’t leave it there. The base license includes backup solutions for all Windows  systems (old and new), and there are affordable add-ons that solve specific problems like the missing Tape Drive Support on Windows  Server 2008 and the problems inherent in mailbox backups for Microsoft  Exchange Servers. To find out more, visit www.backupassist.com

Purchasing information:
Purchase online at www.backupassist.com
BackupAssist v5.4 – US$249
BackupAssist VM Granular Restore Add-on – US$249
(Visit www.backupassist.com for pricing in other currencies)
Reseller enquiries welcome.

Contact details:
Cortex I.T. Labs Pty. Ltd.
+61-3-9899-4681
linus.chang@cortexit.com

Cortex I.T, a world leading backup software developer, has revolutionized Hyper-V backup processes with their new BackupAssist Add-on product, just released live.

Melbourne, Australia – 14 January 2010 - While the cost efficiencies of server virtualization technologies – like Microsoft’s® Hyper-V Server – have been shining a new light on the world’s SMB I.T. market, I.T. Consultants and SMB Systems Administrators everywhere have been plunged into a living nightmare caused by new complications with performing Hyper-V backup and restore tasks.

Cortex I.T. has just launched a new BackupAssist Hyper-V solution that simplifies and automates these vital data protection functions for Windows® Hyper-V products, revolutionizing the processes and making Hyper-V more viable for SMBs.

“It’s an affordable solution that makes it possible for more SMBs to consider the economies of Hyper-V” says Linus Chang, CEO of Cortex I.T. and Lead Developer of BackupAssist products. “At BackupAssist, our mission is to create the easiest backups possible on any Windows® system. You shouldn’t need a computer science degree to run a backup and it shouldn’t cost the earth!” adds Linus.

Backups for Windows® Hyper-V have proved to be complicated and frustrating because of the limited drive imaging facilities that Microsoft have provided for performing backup and restore operations. The usual image backup consists of a single VHD file of the Host and with no facilities to dig down into the VHD file, it’s almost impossible to retrieve files from the Guest VMs without running a second backup for each Guest VM individually.

 “Most SMBs have 3-5 Guest VMs on their Host machine – but some have as many as 20 or more. Creating a comprehensive daily backup for all of them manually could take someone all night… and you can imagine how complicated it would be to perform restores!” says Linus.

 “Our new Hyper-V solution needed to be fast, simple and very affordable” says Linus. “We achieved this by using ‘granular technology’ that makes it easy to dig down into a VHD file and quickly retrieve files from within.

“So with BackupAssist, all you need is a single one-pass image backup of the Host to be able to retrieve whatever file you need from any Guest VM!  You don’t need a second backup of the Guest VMs at all. What’s more, your backup will run automatically in less time and use less data storage space. While your restores will only take minutes using our revolutionary new granular restore console – it’s just point and click. We’ve also made the setup very simple with easy to follow wizards, built-in scheduling and media rotations, so just about anyone can do it” he adds.

For the BackupAssist Hyper-V solution you’ll need BackupAssist v5.4 (US$249) and the new BackupAssist VM Granular Restore Console Add-on (US$249).  That’s a total package price of just US$498 and easily affordable for SMBs. (What’s more, BackupAssist v5.4 also provides a comprehensive package of solutions for all Windows® backup requirements for that price, offering great value for money.)

Purchasing information:
Purchase online at www.backupassist.com
BackupAssist v5.4 – US$249
BackupAssist VM Granular Restore Add-on – US$249
(Visit www.backupassist.com for pricing in other currencies)
Reseller enquiries welcome.

Contact details:
 Cortex I.T. Labs Pty. Ltd.
+61-3-9899-4681
linus.chang@cortexit.com