Shadow Protect IT edition alternative

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UncleArthur

197 posts

Master Geek

#85847 26-Jun-2011 21:23

Hi there,

I use shadow protect IT edition within the course of my job from time to time, I find the HIR feature useful, and like the zero install footprint on customers machines.

However the price of the product has increased over time significantly, and the usb dongle thing is a little annoying.

So, I was wondering if there are any other products that people can recommend with similar functionality.

Thanks,

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728 posts

Ultimate Geek

#486222 26-Jun-2011 21:39

We investigated alternatives at our work and couldn't find anything else that was as good. So we've stuck with it and the increased costs.

I would also be interested to see if anyone has moved away and what they moved to, however.

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CYaBro

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#486241 26-Jun-2011 23:41

Add another to the boat :-)
Since the USB dongle hit I've been looking for something else however never found anything as good as SP.
I've just renewed my IT edition license before the price increase at the start of this month so have 4 years now so hopefully by then there will be something else.

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

networkn

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#486243 27-Jun-2011 00:06

Paragon Software has a product which is pretty good.

UncleArthur

197 posts

Master Geek

#486246 27-Jun-2011 00:14

Yeah, looked at that, the proble with Paragons product is two fold:

1) You have to 'install' the software on the computer you want to image
2) the licencing is per server, not per engineer.

networkn

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#486266 27-Jun-2011 07:48

http://www.paragon-software.com/business/pm-server-tl/

This should help.

UncleArthur

197 posts

Master Geek

#486465 27-Jun-2011 15:35

This looks pretty promising....

http://www.todo-backup.com/business/technician-backup.htm

US$599 per technician, but it's one off, not an annual licence fee.

Allows for free upgrades within an version eg 2.0 - 2.1 - 2.2 - .... 2.9 etc
However you have to pay to upgrade outside versions eg 2.0 - 3.0

Still, appears on the face of it to have all of the features of shadow, without the cost (or the usb dongle)

CYaBro

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#486494 27-Jun-2011 16:32

Both the Paragon and todo look good however they probably compete more with the Server Edition of ShadowProtect.
I.E. have to be installed on the machine/s that you want to backup.
The license is per machine and not per technician, even the todo-backup one looks like it is only for up 10 machines.

Both probably great products to use on machines that you want to backup regularly but no good for a one off backup job and that is where the SP IT Edition stands out.
You can boot directly off the USB dongle and run a one off backup that way or run it from Windows straight from the USB dongle without having to install anything.

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

networkn

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#486509 27-Jun-2011 17:09

cyabro: I think you need to look at the url I posted. It's a technician license and has a cd option and doesn't require any software to be installed on the PC. I have used it to v2p, p2v, and backup and restore many times without issue

CYaBro

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#486559 27-Jun-2011 19:59

networkn: cyabro: I think you need to look at the url I posted. It's a technician license and has a cd option and doesn't require any software to be installed on the PC. I have used it to v2p, p2v, and backup and restore many times without issue

Yea I did read it and just read it again and can't see anywhere about not having to install any software to use it.
I see it does have a bootable CD but that would mean the machine is not accessible while you are doing a backup.
Can you confirm that I could use that software, walk up to a server, chuck the CD in and run a backup without having to reboot the server to boot off the CD and without interrupting the users who are accessing the server and without having to install any software at all?

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

UncleArthur

197 posts

Master Geek

#486727 28-Jun-2011 09:00

CYaBro: Both the Paragon and todo look good however they probably compete more with the Server Edition of ShadowProtect.
I.E. have to be installed on the machine/s that you want to backup.
The license is per machine and not per technician, even the todo-backup one looks like it is only for up 10 machines.

Both probably great products to use on machines that you want to backup regularly but no good for a one off backup job and that is where the SP IT Edition stands out.
You can boot directly off the USB dongle and run a one off backup that way or run it from Windows straight from the USB dongle without having to install anything.

Re the 10 machines issue for todo backup, I **think** this limitation is to prevent people using the technicains version on a single site rather than purchasing the server edition.
I've not tried it to know if it does a zero install option, I wonder if they have a 30 day eval version or something....

I'd really like to give Jack and storage craft the middle finger if possible.

jaymz

1133 posts

Uber Geek

#487486 29-Jun-2011 16:38

I personally don't mind the USB dongle for Shadow Protect.

The only time that I had issues with booting off the USB drive, I burnt the included ISO to CD and booted the PC with that. then used the license server on my laptop. And in reality you only need the license to HIR the image, taking an image is done with the CD with no worries.

For me, the time, effort, headbanging, frustration saved by using Shadow Protect far out weighs the yearly cost of the subscription. The cost to my clients has dropped for PC rebuilds and moves (OLP licensing of course) so it helps when they are happy.

Also, their support is top notch, I had a device that died. I contacted support in the morning and a new one was on my desk that afternoon. They also gave me the link to the 3-day emergency ISO download.

How does Symantec Ghost compare (for those looking elsewhere)?

zimbonz

96 posts

Master Geek

#489216 4-Jul-2011 15:57

Also eargerly watching this thread... The non localised pricing of the SP IT version product is exorbitant.
For a 3 year license you need to pay nearly $5K? Not sure why they have a RRP price on the software, (which is even more $$$) as the target market is IT service providers, and not likely to be resold.

I thingk it is poor, to charge the very dealers who have been pushing the product into the market in the first place, in such a way.

networkn

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#489221 4-Jul-2011 16:07

zim: I don't think it's poor, I think it's amazing it's even offered at all. Think about it like this. Everytime you take an image, you are depriving them of the sale of their software.

Paragon for 50 servers + 500 Workstations for 3 years is $2700USD per technician.

zimbonz

96 posts

Master Geek

#489230 4-Jul-2011 16:16

I see your point, but the cases where I need my techs to take images of one-off PC's is few and far between. For servers - nearly never, as almost all of my clients servers have the full licensed product anyway. SP is much more than just imaging, the continuous incremental, image manager and offsite replication are very valuable addons, that make the package what it is. Don't get me wrong, I have been a chearleader for a long time for the product.
I just don't see that the use of the IT edition is weighted in favour of using it with servers, as it seems to be priced to be. More with desktops - and even then how many businesses in NZ are using OEM licensing for their desktop OS - another limiting factor which should be restricting the use even more.
I don't know, but maybe they could bring out a cheaper desktop-only version I would not have a problem paying for that.

CYaBro

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#489231 4-Jul-2011 16:16

zimbonz: Also eargerly watching this thread... The non localised pricing of the SP IT version product is exorbitant.
For a 3 year license you need to pay nearly $5K? Not sure why they have a RRP price on the software, (which is even more $$$) as the target market is IT service providers, and not likely to be resold.

I thingk it is poor, to charge the very dealers who have been pushing the product into the market in the first place, in such a way.

You're right in some respects.
We have resold a couple of the IT Editions to the local district health board IT department and they love it.
However as you say it is mainly IT service providers who will use the IT Edition so they need to either make it cheaper or allow you to use the License server, from the USB dongle, on two or three machines at the same time rather than just the one.

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

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