BrightStor ARCServe Backup 9 for Windows

This is a feature-rich backup software that addresses many issues related to storage backup facing networked organizations today. It supports backing up a host of databases like Microsoft SQL Server, Ingres, Sybase, Oracle, Informix as well as messaging solutions like Lotus Domino and Microsoft Exchange Server. The software can backup data on Storage Area Networks, direct and network attached devices, as well as other media like hard drives and optical media. 

Installation is fast and easy and allows selection of specific options to suit your needs. Once installed, you can either run separate wizards for back up and recovery or open a main ‘Manager’ window that is the central place for all these functions.

This takes a little getting used to, as this choice of opening a utility with or without the main manager interface makes it confusing. 

There is detailed documentation on all features available with the software with a good deal of information on various backup/restore, disaster recovery scenarios in addition to step-by-step software features. Back-ups hog network resources and are best scheduled after office hours. We backed up a 10 GB hard-disc (out of which 4 GB was used up) in 1 hour 45 minutes. Recovery was quicker than backup; the same 10 GB hard disk was recovered on a fresh hard-disc in just 15 minutes. 

The image option is a good feature, which allows a snapshot of the hard disk to be backed up quickly, and allows restoring selected directories or files. Scheduling features are very comprehensive and highly customizable though, which will considerably alleviate your backup headaches. The software can take backups from all Windows clients and also claims to backup Linux machines. It can do auto-discovery of all clients on the network and you can also manually add them. While you can directly backup data from clients, it’s advisable to install a client agent on every machine in order to use all the software’s features. Back-up of Linux clients didn’t work, and the software’s documentation didn’t prove of much help either.

The software also has an optional disaster recovery module, using which you can restore Win NT/2000/XP machines.

Recovery options vary from creating machine specific boot disks to bootable CDs. You even have the option of booting from a tape drive and restoring directly from tape. The bootable CD option works only for Win 2000 machines and also requires a boot disk to be created. This option worked without a hitch. One disappointment we faced was with the job logs and reports, which were not very useful when things went wrong. They need to be more comprehensive in explaining errors.

Prices of the optional modules are as follows: Client agent for servers: Rs 9,750 



Database/ messaging server agents: Rs 49,750 each


SAP agent: $2495 or Rs 1,24,750 


Disaster Recovery option: Rs 34,750

The Bottom Line: All in all. BrightStor is feature-rich, powerful and easy to use for performing backups, restores and scheduling these. But it could do well to provide better logs and error messages. Its pricing is based on individual components, so you pay for only what you have used. 

Shruti Pareek