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

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