Do you need features or simplicity in your disaster recovery (DR) software solution?
Disaster recovery (DR) isn’t an option. Businesses need to invest in solutions that work, leaving them prepared for failure when it arrives. Downtime will hurt customer relationships and data loss is out of the question.
The problem is finding solutions that work, that are simple, easy to use and do not put an unmanageable strain on IT resources or budget. Looking beyond simple hardware investments, the answer is DR software solutions that streamline the protocols necessary for a seamless DR experience.
Arcserve UDP and Barracuda are two of the leading DR software options on the market. Both deliver access to hardware, on-site, off-site and cloud-based solutions. Although Arcserve has a longer history and proven track record, it is honestly hard to go wrong with either of these vendors.
Here, we are going to go further in-depth, helping you build the best DR solutions for your business needs.
Arcserve UDP: Backup and Data Recovery in One Convenient Platform
Arcserve can legitimately claim to be one of the most experienced and established data protection and disaster recovery businesses around. They’ve been protecting the public and private organisations for 35 years, developing a reputation for reliable integrated solutions that work. Focused on users experiences and high-performance, there is a reason for their longevity and success.
Arcserve UDP (Unified Data Protection) is the flagship data backup and recovery software solution by Arcserve. Uniting a variety of data protection products on one platform, UDP is easy and convenient, packing a lot of features without becoming complex or dispersed to operate. Capabilities can be turned on and off according to the user’s needs within an architecture designed to scale.
Using UDP, data can be backed up to a local machine or a central recovery point service with global deduplication. Data stores can be created on the recovery point server, allowing you to add a storage destination and a plan for the nodes you need to protect. Customised RTO (restore time objective) and RPO (restore point objectives) can be set and reporting reviewed. This whole process is undertaken rapidly thanks to the instant VM and bare metal recovery (BMR) processes central to UDP.
Barracuda: A Disruptive Force to Take Seriously
Focusing on a wide range of cloud-enabled products, Barracuda’s aim is to disrupt the IT security landscape and offer innovative solutions that are affordable for businesses. Barracuda is relatively new to the backup and restore market, but it’s growing fast. It offers backup and data protection solutions, as well as email protection and network/appliance security to customers around the world. The company is now at the forefront of cloud-based security services.
Barracuda Backup is the data backup and disaster recovery solution offered by Barracuda. It combines onsite appliances with a service that replicates data offsite. They claim that this combination of onsite and offsite storage offers the best restore times and security for customers. The Barracuda Backup Server is a purpose-built appliance that enables backup connections on various devices, allowing for local storage and onsite access for when data loss occurs.
Storing multiple secure copies of data, Barracuda offers users multiple ways of restoring data if disaster strikes. The Barracuda Backup Restore Browser and the local Restore Browser can be used in the event of a failure. There’s also 24/7 Barracuda Technical Support available for restore assistance, or you can even have restored data from Barracuda networks shipped to you.
Barracuda vs. Arcserve: Features vs. Simple Installation and Off-Site Storage Management
Arcserve UDP stands out for its wide array of features. Arcserve aids in data migration for disk, tape and cloud backups. The product is compatible with Windows and Linux, delivering automated failover, failback, and global source-side deduplication.
This kind of ‘win’ when it comes to flexibility is not unique to a head-to-head against Barracuda. Compared to most similar products, Arcserve comes with a lot of customisable capability within a unified and simple package. You’re in control of the data backup and restore process. However, that process is easy and can be centrally managed in one place.
If you’re looking for a platform that can bring together various processes and requirements under one banner, streamlining your data security and recovery needs while leaving you in the driver’s seat, Arcserve UDP is the platform for you.
Barracuda Backup might have fewer options and features. But there’s a lot going for its software solution. The offsite vaulting feature, for example, allows you to put data in the cloud quickly, and the general usability of the platform makes it ideal for use without a learning curve.
As part of your Barracuda Backup Subscription, your offsite storage is managed centrally by Barracuda without any unnecessary burden to your production services. This delivers numerous secure copies and multiple ways of restoring data when disaster recovery is necessary. It has also been noted by many customers that the technical support offered by Barracuda is second to none.
Arcserve UDP does offer its own ways to improve infrastructure efficiency. Storage capacity is freed up and scaling on-demand is made simple. It also offers granular reporting and automated testing, allowing you to comprehensively stay on top of your data protection needs. Restores are also much faster than with other similar platforms thanks to the instant VM and bare metal recovery options, as well as hardware snapshot reporting and granular restores.
Top Quality, Simple and Fast DR: Features vs. Simplicity
When it comes to DR software solutions, Barracuda and Arcserve UDP are both great choices for a business of any size. The main differentiation probably comes down to your need for features and options.
The flexibility and customisability delivered by Arcserve makes it ideal for businesses that want a tailored solution. If you are simply in the market for a DR solution that you can install and forget about, Barracuda might be the better choice. But, even here, the difference is minimal. To really understand which investment is better, you are going to need to drill down into the price points based on your specifics.
For any effective DR outcome, however, you also need to remember the importance of planning. Software is one important part of the puzzle, but you need to create a wider disaster recovery protocol that incorporates the right processes and hardware, enabling teams to continue operations while your system is restoring.
It is critical to get your RTO (restore time objective) and RPO (restore point objectives) right, ensuring that you don’t lose too much data or are forced to operate using a failover system for too long. For any business, some level of attention needs to be focused on building a system that is right for you, not simply buying a solution off the shelf and never giving it a second thought.
Whether sold on Barracuda or Arcserve UDP, getting expert support and advice from specialists can go a long way. IT experts can help you pair the right IT solutions with process planning that matches your specific needs.
If you’re looking to take advantage of a wide array of options and unify your disaster recovery needs, Arcserve UDP is the obvious option. Barracuda, meanwhile, provides convenient onsite, offsite and cloud-based solutions that work well for small businesses and organisations with more modest backup requirement. Both are great options, but neither will deliver without a wider business continuity plan. That holistic view is the key to getting this investment right. The more specifically you understand your own requirements, the better your decision-making process will be.
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