PowerQuest V2i Protector Takes Backup To The Next Level

Image-based backup brings new capabilities to solution providers, as backups can be performed quickly and completely. Although imaging offers certain advantages, it is by no means a replacement for traditional backup; it is only a complementary technology that lends itself well to disaster-recovery situations.

Past imaging products suffered from severe limitations,notably that systems would have to be rebooted into DOS mode to successfully complete the imaging process, presenting a dilemma for those who wanted to image an active server. In addition, files in use during imaging backups often were skipped or,worse yet,corrupted.

V2i Protector dispenses with these problems by the very nature of its design. The product was built from the ground up to image active Windows partitions, so there is no need for a reboot or to close active files. The software's advanced image-caching capabilities allow for complete, faultless backups to be created, even on busy servers.

The Server Edition of V2i Protector offers imaging-backup capabilities for multiple flavors of Microsoft's network operating systems, including Windows NT, 2000 and 2003. CRN Test Center engineers installed V2i Protector 2.0 Server Edition on three Windows-based file servers for testing purposes. Installation was straightforward and wizard-driven, so solution providers should have no difficulty installing the product on any Windows-based server. Hardware requirements are relatively light, with just 256 Mbytes of RAM, and processor speeds in excess of 150MHz are recommended. The most obvious requirement is ample disk space to store images, preferably on an alternate internal hard disk drive or a remote storage device.

V2i Protector combines several software components to perform imaging duties. Included is a software-based agent, which enables imaging and restoration functionality. There is also a management console component, which is used to schedule backups and restorations on systems running the agent. V2i Protector also includes an image browser, which enables administrators to look inside image files to restore individual data files. The multicomponent design lends itself well to environments with multiple servers and desktop systems.

V2i Protector employs an aggressive compression algorithm that significantly reduces image storage requirements. Opting for the highest compression setting, Test Center engineers were able to store an 18-Gbyte partition containing 12 Gbytes of data in a 3-Gbyte image file. The product offers several levels of compression to help administrators balance image-storage requirements against imaging speed.

Test Center engineers performed most of the testing on a white-box server running Microsoft Small Business Server 2000. Primary storage was provided by a pair of 18-Gbyte Ultra Wide SCSI drives using software mirroring, while a separate low-cost EIDE 40-Gbyte hard disk drive was used to store backup images. This configuration offers a level of fault tolerance that should suit the needs of most any small business. Software mirroring helps to protect against hardware failures, while the EIDE drive provides quick access to imaged partitions for quick restorations. For better performance, but at a higher cost, solution providers may want to consider using hardware-based RAID to protect against drive failures.

Backup speeds were impressive, and Test Center engineers were able to back up 12 Gbytes of data to another internal drive in less than 20 minutes. Backup times using remote storage will, of course, be affected by network speed and capacities. Backups to local storage will be affected by processor and drive speeds, along with other hardware factors.

For environments that require multiple daily backups, V2i Protector includes an incremental backup option, which updates images with only the data that has changed since the last complete backup. This gives flexibility to those who desire almost constant backups as well as the ability to roll back data at any given time during the workday.

Engineers simulated a catastrophic drive failure by replacing the active server drive with a freshly formatted drive. Restoration was quick and simple. The server was simply rebooted with the V2i Protector CD, which launched a recovery console. From the console an image was selected from the backup EIDE drive, which was then restored to the new SCSI drive. The server was up and running in minutes.

Solution providers will find the functionality in the Desktop and Server editions equal, except the Server Edition is designed for Microsoft server environments. V2i Protector offers outstanding backup capabilities for both server and desktop environments, while providing easy access to data. Solution providers may want to combine V2i's technology with traditional backup capabilities to ensure the best possible disaster-recovery environment.

CHANNEL PROGRAM SNAPSHOTS
>POWERQUEST V2I PROTECTOR 2.0
PRICE: $Server Edition, $995/server; Desktop Edition; $79/desktop
DISTRIBUTORS: D&H, Ingram Micro, Merisel, Synnex Canada, Tech Data
TECH RATING:

CHANNEL RATING:

CHANNEL OVERVIEW: PowerQuest, Orem, Utah, customizes its channel support based on a partner's activities and sales volume. The vendor provides larger partners with customized licensing and assigns them Field Enterprise Partner Managers to help with sales, technical support and marketing activities. General partners receive marketing assistance and materials, complementary software and free sales and technical training. Presales technical support is also available. --Michael Gros

Note: Vendors can earn up to five stars for technical merit and five for their channel program. If the average of these two scores is four stars or greater, the product earns CRN Test Center Recommended status.