No more typing reviews! Try our Samantha, our new voice AI agent.
Storage and Backups Manager at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
MSP
Dec 13, 2021
In-built deduplication, good compatibility with our environment, and has helped reduce storage costs
Pros and Cons
  • "The embedded deduplication engine is really good because we use a Near Line SAS disk as a repository for our backups, and we don't need to pay for another appliance such as a Data Domain or Quantum so that we can have hardware-based deduplication."
  • "Commvault provides us with a single platform to move, manage, and recover data across our on-premises and cloud locations, which is something that is very important for us."
  • "I would like to have a manager-level dashboard to review the backups. This is not from an administrative perspective where you can see the details of the execution. Rather, it would only show the percentage of completeness for each one."
  • "Commvault is more expensive than Veeam, which is the reason that we are changing to Veeam for cloud environments."

What is our primary use case?

We provide backup services to our customers and we implement Commvault for most of our backups. This includes cloud with VMware, cloud with IBM, cloud with Azure, SAP applications like HANA or traditional SAP, for databases including Oracle and DB2, and across several operating systems including AIX, Solaris, Windows, and Linux.

We have a separate, private backup network. It has its own appliances from different vendors and the information on it is not visible to our main network. This is to help protect against ransomware and other threats.

How has it helped my organization?

Commvault provides us with a single platform to move, manage, and recover data across our on-premises and cloud locations, which is something that is very important for us. We have data centers in Mexico, Panama, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic, and we need to administer all of the environments from a single location in Mexico.

The administrators connect to all of the environments on-premises. We have two flavors; the multitenant environment and the dedicated environment. We manage all of these from Mexico.

Commvault is very good in terms of coverage for applications and databases. This is important because we don't only administrate backups. We have managed services that include the database, application, operating system, and storage. We talk with the administrators for the database and operating system to create a policy that ensures all of the data that we need to recover the environment is complete.

The recovery process is consistent across platforms and this is important to us because clients give us the information, and we need to back it up and to ensure that we can recover it if they have a problem.

The recovery options are good because we offer our clients a complete recovery of their information, as well as an option for partial recovery, based on their needs. For example, we can offer the recovery of a single table in a database, depending on what the scenario is.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is the compatibility with our entire environment.

The embedded deduplication engine is really good because we use a Near Line SAS disk as a repository for our backups, and we don't need to pay for another appliance such as a Data Domain or Quantum so that we can have hardware-based deduplication.

One of the benefits of using Commvault over the years has been that all of our administrators have the ability to perform admin functions. They haven't had any complaints about the interface.

Commvault has support for multiple storage platforms, which is helpful for us. We use block storage for some backups, and we use appliances that have duplication capabilities for other backups. The method in which Commvault fits in depends on how much money the client spends. For example, if they have a higher budget then we use PCI-compliant appliances, or snapshots in the backups to ensure that we don't have ransomware. Other clients pay only for the amount of storage that they use. In some cases, we use replication at the host level, whereas in other cases, it is at the hardware level. The console that we have with Commvault can manage all of the environments and hardware that we have.

What needs improvement?

I would like to have a manager-level dashboard to review the backups. This is not from an administrative perspective where you can see the details of the execution. Rather, it would only show the percentage of completeness for each one.

Buyer's Guide
Commvault Cloud
September 2026
Learn what your peers think about Commvault Cloud. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: September 2026.
913,806 professionals have used our research since 2012.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Commvault for more than eight years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We have not had any problems with stability. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have more than 10 implementations in all of our data centers.

Using Commvault helps to minimize the amount of time that we spend on backups. I am not exactly sure how long it would take otherwise, but we back up approximately four petabytes of information each day.

Scaling is not a problem for us. If we need to, we can install more servers and install a new console.

How are customer service and support?

We use Commvault support on a daily basis. People from the database teams need help restoring data, so they contact Commault for assistance.

I would rate their support a nine out of ten.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Prior to Commvault, we used Veritas NetBackup for five years.

A lot of our environment is currently backed up using Commvault but we are planning to use Veeam and Commvault together. Veeam is priced better than Commvault and right now, we use Veeam to back up our virtual machines. As we split more of the information between the two different applications, we may use Veeam for cloud environments, and for traditional environments, Commvault.

There are some applications like SAP HANA that are not compatible with the Veeam software. In cases like this, we use Commvault.

How was the initial setup?

This product is very easy to set up. The reason is that we do everything. We implement, we operate, and we migrate. One of the reasons that we continue with Commvault is that we have spent a lot of time training people. This means that the people in the company can do everything without the need for third-party persons.

It takes between two and three hours to install a new console.

What about the implementation team?

Over the years that we have had this same software, people on the admin team have become certified by Commvault. This ensures that they are doing things properly and doing them well.

What was our ROI?

We charge our customers on a per-gigabyte basis.

Using Commvault has helped us to reduce storage costs because, in some cases, we changed to block storage. Using block storage and software-based deduplication is cheaper than the appliances that have deduplication embedded in them. In some cases, we have reduced our hardware cost by 50%, whereas in other cases, it has been reduced by more than 75%. It depends on the technology that we compare. For example, the Data Domain appliance is perhaps four times the cost of the Near Line SAS disk in traditional block storage.

Reducing the hardware that we have in the data center, also reduces our costs in terms of energy and space. I do not have an estimate as to how much we save.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Commvault is more expensive than Veeam, which is the reason that we are changing to Veeam for cloud environments.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We had been running Veritas NetBackup and did an RFP to change the backup software. We tested Veritas, Commvault, TSM from IBM, and Dell NetWorker. The finalists were Veritas and Commvault. We found that there were more advantages to using Commvault. For example, it has deduplication embedded into the software and if we wanted this with Veritas, we needed to pay an additional fee. This is why we changed and we have maintained it for several years.

In comparing solutions, I think that generally, today, all software solutions are the same. We have the same compatibility using Veritas, TSM, NetWorker, and Commvault. The main reason for us to maintain Commvault is the expertise that we have with the tool. All of them have deduplication capabilities and can use different repositories, so I don't have a problem with the other brands.

What other advice do I have?

Commvault has the capability to discover unprotected workloads, although we don't use this because we only work with policies. Our clients tell us the policy that they want to apply to their environment, and we don't analyze their environment beyond the scope that they specify.

I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
RagidKader - PeerSpot reviewer
Lead Solutions Architect at New York University
Real User
Nov 29, 2021
Disk-to-disk backup has improved performance significantly for us
Pros and Cons
  • "Commvault gives us a single platform to manage and recover our data. Since we are a research organization, backup is one of the most critical parts of our IT operations and services. Internally, we run it as a managed service, and there is a single console that makes it easy for management to see the performance."
  • "We have seen a high return of value, and management is also happy."
  • "They need to improve when it comes to large, video file archiving. They're good, but they have not met my expectations as a customer in this area."

What is our primary use case?

Our current use case is for storage backup of large Veritas Clusters. We have around 350 TB of storage backup and we use Commvault's HyperScale X with unlimited data backup.

How has it helped my organization?

With Commvault, our backup performance is way better, compared to what we had, because we have a disk-to-disk backup.

It also helps to ensure broad coverage with the discovery of unprotected workloads. That is always helpful for us. Our environment is very dynamic. We often have high data-demand spikes.

In terms of time saved, because the backups are automated, our team generally spends 30 to 45 minutes reviewing the logs and any errors, and it saves us two to three hours per week.

The deduplication and compression have helped to reduce my backup costs. This year, I haven't had to purchase any expansion for my backup storage, thanks to Commvault. Otherwise, I would likely have had to spend around $150,000. And next year, I can add one more node to HyperScale X before expanding it. So it has saved 20 percent of my backup budget.

What is most valuable?

The main solution from Commvault is the HyperScale X backup. Instead of a dedicated appliance, we have a three-node HPE Apollo cluster for backing up. That gives us the best value regarding speed.

Another valuable feature is that, in general, recovery is faster than any other solution we have reviewed. That is especially the case for small, micro files, 2 or 3 KB research files.

The Commvault user interface is very nice and intuitive. It's perfect compared with other products I have used. It's in a completely different world. When running a backup, the display is very clear about the estimated time.

And using Command Center, we know exactly how many backups are running and it gives us clarity on our backup state. It gives us a report and can just send a screenshot of it to the team.

In addition, Commvault gives us a single platform to manage and recover our data. Since we are a research organization, backup is one of the most critical parts of our IT operations and services. Internally, we run it as a managed service, and there is a single console that makes it easy for management to see the performance.

The majority of our file servers are backed up by Commvault. They provide protection against ransomware with their intelligent methods. We haven't experienced a ransomware attack, but I know they have good coverage. They will make sure they recover a backup at any cost.

What needs improvement?

They need to improve when it comes to large, video file archiving. They're good, but they have not met my expectations as a customer in this area.

Also, HyperScale X does not back up NDMP, or they only use a native file share backup.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Commvault for three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability means our team can relax. On average, we used to get six backup failure errors a week, and that has been reduced to two.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is good and we plan to increase our usage of Commvault in the future.

How are customer service and support?

From the time that our deployment was successfully completed, we have hardly reported any errors.

During deployment we had a couple of issues. Commvault provided us with excellent support to make sure all the issues were fixed. Customer satisfaction is a priority. The local sales and consulting team also extended support to us. They made sure we had a clean installation and a clean operation. Initially, when we had problems, I thought things were not good, but my impression of them changed. I see the real value that they bring, and I appreciate them. I'm a very tough customer, but Commvault's support made sure that I achieved my goals and I respect them. They are patient.

Often, once the sale of a product is done, the salespeople run away. But here, the entire team was involved to make sure they delivered and deployed. After that, they extended support for anything that might require it. They said if anything happens, if there are any issues, here is a number to call to make sure that it is resolved.

After the deployment, both the sales guys and a technical guy came to meet with us to understand our future plans. They listened patiently and they did not try to sell me anything. They just added value. That is the reason they are number one.

They do a quarterly review and explain the latest improvements with Commvault's technical experts. There is also training and certification to help us use the latest features to our benefit.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

Initially, our Commvault was configured for a particular use case. After that, we had a detailed discussion in which they listened to our complete concerns and architecture. From that point, the deployment of HyperScale X was very fast and clean. So when they know the environment, the setup is very good.

For our 350 TB deployment, it took seven days to complete, including networking, installation, updating, and getting a full backup to run. QoS took another few days, making the total time about 10 to 12 days.

What about the implementation team?

Commvault support helped us to deploy the solution. I would especially recommend their professional services.

What was our ROI?

We look at return of value because as a backup solution, we cannot say it gives us ROI. We have a clear ROV due to the reduced efforts for our team, as well as manpower reductions and fewer failures. And technically, we have a faster backup. We have seen a high return of value, and management is also happy.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing is very competitive. When Commvault knows you are comparing it with the other leading providers, they are ready to compromise on pricing. But you have to make sure you get a long-term commitment on the pricing. Otherwise, when you have a future expansion, they will take advantage of it.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Our company evaluated other solutions, but that process was done by another team. But I read a document that reviewed the evaluation, and they evaluated Veeam as well as Micro Focus Data Protector and NetBackup. They looked at industry reviews and at our specific use case for archiving and backup, and Commvault had the best score.

What other advice do I have?

Pricing is the one area where you have to focus. You need to have a clear plan. HyperScale X is one option and it's nice to use when you have third-party hardware, if you want to have disk-to-disk. 

Make sure you convey your use cases to Commvault's professional services. They will listen to you and they will advise on the options. Also, have an assessment done by Commvault professional services to make sure you have a long-term plan in place. 

Other than the large file archiving that needs improvement, VM is good, cloud backup is good, file server is amazing, and they do a good job when it comes to physical server backup. SQL backup is also good, and Linux back is also amazing.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Commvault Cloud
September 2026
Learn what your peers think about Commvault Cloud. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: September 2026.
913,806 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Giuseppe Sgroi - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Project Manager at CAP Holding S.p.A.
Real User
Top 20
Sep 11, 2023
We are now able to recover virtual machines without relying on the NFS system
Pros and Cons
  • "We now have the capability to recover a virtual machine without relying on the NFS system, but instead are able to use certain features provided by Commvault."
  • "They could work on the implementation of the features."

What is our primary use case?

We now have the capability to recover a virtual machine without relying on the NFS system, but instead are able to use certain features provided by Commvault. This is why we've opted for Commvault over other technologies.

What needs improvement?

They could work on the implementation of the features.

For how long have I used the solution?

We will be using Commvault Backup & Recovery for the next 3 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Every three years, we require server updates to either embrace new technologies or enhance our existing technology stack. Therefore, our approach involves reevaluating and refreshing our infrastructure every three years, so we can’t comment on this solution as we have started fresh.

How are customer service and support?

We usually interact with integrators, however if the issue is complex, we refer to technicians for further support and guidance

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We are consistently exploring new solutions for our systems, and each solution must align with our server requirements and other objectives. Our timing is also a key consideration, as we operate on a three-year cycle. We have worked with SAP, Oracle, and Cisco.

How was the initial setup?

The installation is complex.

What other advice do I have?

I can’t fully endorse it, because it depends on the final use of the customer. I would conservatively, rate it an eight out of ten. 

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1055571 - PeerSpot reviewer
Head of the Company at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Reseller
Top 10
Sep 10, 2023
Provides good technical support services, but its scalability needs improvement
Pros and Cons
  • "Commvault HyperScale X is also a good choice for regulations that require the backup system to be isolated from the rest of the infrastructure."
  • "I recommend the Commvault HyperScale X for its enhanced quality, performance focus, and data isolation."
  • "Commvault HyperScale X is more expensive for hybrid environments than traditional solutions."

What is our primary use case?

We use the Commvault HyperScale X to manage complex infrastructure, so deployments are fast.

What is most valuable?

Commvault HyperScale X is also a good choice for regulations that require the backup system to be isolated from the rest of the infrastructure. If there is an issue with the software, we open a support ticket with the software vendor. We then escalate the case to the hardware support team.

What needs improvement?

Commvault HyperScale X is more expensive for hybrid environments than traditional solutions.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Commvault HyperScale X as a reseller for five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate the product’s stability an eight out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is very good, but there is a limitation on expanding the cluster to scale to a higher level. We have smaller and enterprise-level clients. I rate its scalability a nine out of ten.

How are customer service and support?

We have a team of four to manage support. We have many paid credits for networking and application support.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is moderately easy. I rate the process a seven on a scale of ten. The deployment time depends on the environment. It takes around four to eight hours to complete.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I rate the product’s pricing a seven out of ten.

What other advice do I have?

If the customer needs to protect five terabytes of data, they will need five licenses if they need to upgrade to make devices flexible or create this model. Many small customers can start with a 10TB appliance, and enterprises can scale up to 50 TB. The appliance is compatible with various hardware platforms, including LG, Lenovo, IBM, Dell, etc.

I recommend the Commvault HyperScale X for its enhanced quality, performance focus, and data isolation. I recommend looking for support for various solutions from a single vendor. Overall, I rate it a seven out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Fawad Mirza - PeerSpot reviewer
Resident Engineer at Jazz (previously known as Mobilink)
Real User
Aug 24, 2023
A highly scalable and affordable solution that provides smooth email archiving features and quick customer support
Pros and Cons
  • "The email archiving feature is very smooth and better than others."
  • "The tool must improve the 1-Touch recovery of Oracle and Active Directory."

What is our primary use case?

Our clients use the solution for their emails.

What is most valuable?

The email archiving feature is very smooth and better than others.

What needs improvement?

The product must improve Oracle client configuration. It is difficult to configure clients of Oracle and SaaS. The solution must also improve bare metal restore for Oracle and Active Directory. Active Directory is not fully protected with bare metal restore. The tool must improve the 1-Touch recovery of Oracle and Active Directory.

The product must provide features for converting VM to physical and physical to VM.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for six years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate the solution’s stability an eight out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The tool’s scalability is very high. It can be scaled in any environment. I rate the scalability a ten out of ten. In a single organization, we have 4000 to 6000 users. Our clients are enterprise businesses.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is very good. The support personnel are very fast and helpful.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

It is easy to configure the tool. I rate the ease of setup a nine out of ten. The on-prem version is better than the cloud version. In the future, as the technology grows, the cloud version will be better. Our customers trust the on-prem version. It takes one day to deploy the product.

What about the implementation team?

To deploy the solution, we must install Commvault’s master server and MediaAgent. Then, we must configure the email archiving solution and add storage.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The product is cheap. It is an integrated solution. I rate the pricing a two out of ten on a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive. We have to pay for the implementation services.

What other advice do I have?

Our company has a partnership with Commvault. Overall, the solution is better than its competitors. I would advise people to use the solution again and again. Overall, I rate the product an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
PeerSpot user
IT System Engineer at a real estate/law firm with 10,001+ employees
Real User
May 15, 2023
Perfect match for complex environments, as it supports all types of infrastructure
Pros and Cons
  • "We have VMware, Hyper-V, Oracle, and Microsoft SQL. We have a lot of different systems, and all of them are supported under one licensing agreement. That's one of the benefits."
  • "We had some small issues with the reporting, but that was just a matter of fine-tuning the kinds of messages we receive by email. It was a little overwhelming in the initial configuration. So we reviewed our configuration with our partner and customized the reports so that we only get the important reports. I haven't seen any big issues or things that the solution is missing."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use case is as a backup and recovery solution. We have two data centers and we have a Commvault server for replication in both. We back up all our infrastructure with this solution, from Active Directory to SQL, web servers, file servers, databases, et cetera.

How has it helped my organization?

Commvault helps to ensure broad coverage with the discovery of unprotected workloads. The Discovery feature lists all the resources that we have, all the virtual servers and all the physical servers. You can also automatically deploy agents or set up schedules. At first, we did some manual tuning to customize it before deployment. Now, the virtual infrastructure administrator just has to add the VM tag on the virtual machine and that machine will automatically be backed up in the next schedule. It's a good automation feature.

It also helps by minimizing the time our admins spend on backup tasks so that they can spend time on other projects. Before Commvault, we had two backup administrators who were using a backup and restore application to restore every test that we had to do. It was a full-time job just monitoring the backups and doing the restores. With our new solution from Commvault, we have successfully implemented web-based backup and restore management for our different teams, including our file server, database, and Exchange teams. We split operations among those teams and each one has access to the backup Web Console. This console from Commvault is very useful for segmenting the restore options. That way, the database backup administrator only has access to the database servers and can only do backups and restores of databases and does not have access to Active Directory or file servers. The web-based backup and restore is a really great option.

Whereas before, we had one full-time engineer doing backups and restores, now that engineer is only working on it for two to four hours per week. Across our four teams, it's saving us about 10 to 12 hours a week.

The solution has helped to reduce storage costs as well. Commvault has an option to move data from primary storage. When you do a backup, it scans all the files from the file server and you can set a policy to remove all files that are more than, say, three years old from the primary storage. And on the primary storage, there is only a link that connects to the backup source. When a user needs a file on secondary storage, there is no problem because it only reads the file. When the user opens that old file, it's automatically restored and the user can access it. For our IT team, it has saved us between 5 and 10 percent of storage. It depends on how widely you implement the solution and the policies you set. You could save 50 percent if you have a broader policy.

We have also saved on infrastructure costs because Commvault takes less time to do the backup jobs, due to the deduplication. Also, the background tasks that are used to copy the backup jobs to tape are deduplicated. The full backup of our infrastructure can now be done in a couple of hours during the night. Before, some backup tasks would take more than a day, on the weekend. There has been a reduction of 80 or 90 percent in the backup window.

What is most valuable?

Commvault's most valuable features are its 

  • deduplication
  • encryption
  • support for many OSs
  • support for different infrastructures. 

We have VMware, Hyper-V, Oracle, and Microsoft SQL. We have a lot of different systems, and all of them are supported under one licensing agreement. That's one of the benefits.

We use two user interfaces on a regular basis. One is the Web Console, which is simple and has all the necessary functionality. You can add servers, back up servers, and restore. We also have a replication solution implemented and we use the Web Console for that as well. But for the initial configuration and for some deeper configurations, we also use the Commvault application. It's big and has all the fine-tuning options.

The solution's Command Center is very straightforward. It has an intuitive user interface with graphs, tables, alerts, as well as many options for alerting and messaging. Of course, you have to get used to the environment, but it's easy to use.

It is also important that Commvault provides a single platform to move, manage, and recover data across on-premises locations. That's because we have different storage and virtualization platforms. We have no problem if the file resides, say, on NetApp storage and we have to restore data to a workstation or some kind of Windows Server. Also, when we did some migrations from our old Hyper-V cluster to the new VMware cluster, those integrations between different infrastructures were successfully accomplished with the Commvault solution. We have no issues with different types of resources we need to back up.

In addition, the recovery options are pretty straightforward. For example, if you choose a virtual machine, you can restore the full virtual machine, you can restore the virtual machine on a different platform, you can restore just a virtual disk, or you can restore just a file within the virtual machine. You have all the options. In the web-based user interface, you can also restore using download options. You can browse through the files or virtual machines and download the file from the backup. They have a great range of restore options.

What needs improvement?

We had some small issues with the reporting, but that was just a matter of fine-tuning the kinds of messages we receive by email. It was a little overwhelming in the initial configuration. So we reviewed our configuration with our partner and customized the reports so that we only get the important reports. I haven't seen any big issues or things that the solution is missing.

For how long have I used the solution?

We implemented Commvault at the start of 2021, so we have been using it for almost a year now.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We had one issue. The Commvault server is an Active-Passive cluster and the Active node had some hiccups. It wasn't something serious, but the Commvault server was unable to connect to one of the agents. I believe our partner discovered it because they also receive messages from our Commvault solution. They just informed us that the Commvault server had to be restarted. We did so during working hours because backups are done at night, and there were no issues. It was a standard procedure and we have had no other big issues.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

At the start of the Commvault project, we put together a list of all the resources that we have. They counted our resources and gave us the exact number of clients we needed to buy to cover all of our infrastructure and we had no issue there. Of course, we also have some plans for the growth of our infrastructure. If we have any big upgrades, we will also upgrade the Commvault infrastructure.

We have a lot of Commvault's features implemented. We're also in the process of testing the backup of endpoints, such as laptops and devices from end-users. There are just a few features from Commvault that we don't use.

How are customer service and support?

We use technical support through our partner because our partner has a lot of inside knowledge. For the majority of issues our partner gives us the solution, but they have had to report some small issues to Commvault support. They spoke directly with Commvault support and the solution was available in a few days. It was a very good troubleshooting experience.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We used NetWorker and Veeam. The NetWorker solution was the older solution and, in some very old clusters, we also used TSM (Tivoli Storage Manager) from IBM. The TSM solution was no longer supported and the Dell EMC NetWorker solution, which we used for our physical servers, was difficult to maintain. Veeam was a good solution for our VMware infrastructure, but we needed a solution with support for a wider variety of infrastructure types. One of our major goals was to eliminate our multiple backup solutions by going with Commvault.

How was the initial setup?

If we had to do the initial setup ourselves, it would be complex, of course, because we have a big infrastructure with different types of targets. But our partners helped and they managed to cover all the tests that we implemented at the start of the project. So, overall, the setup went really well. It took just a few days, maybe a week, to add our agents. After the initial configuration, it was really easy to roll out the solution to our entire infrastructure.

What about the implementation team?

Our partners, called Our Space Appliances, are system integrators in backup and storage solutions. They know our infrastructure.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We had a process for choosing a vendor. We called a number of vendors and had proposals from the Veeam, NetWorker, Cohesity, and Commvault.

The big pro for Commvault was that it was a single solution for our entire infrastructure. The licensing model was also an advantage and the experience of the partner was also a big plus. Some of the other solutions we evaluated did not make it to the second round because they did not support all the infrastructure we have in our environment. In the last round, the battle came down to pricing, as well as some small features, and Commvault was the best in all the criteria.

What other advice do I have?

Commvault is a pretty comprehensive but, maybe, complex solution when you first start with it. But that's why it is a perfect match for complex infrastructure, as it supports all types of infrastructure. Commvault is not appropriate for small businesses with just one type of virtual environment. There are different vendors that may be better for that use case. But when looking at enterprise backup and recovery options, Commvault is the easiest to use, and it has the widest range of features.

We are currently moving to Exchange Online. We have between 1,500 and 2,000 users. We have already deployed Teams on the cloud, and now we are migrating user mailboxes to cloud. Our next step, in the following month, will be a backup of Microsoft cloud solutions through Commvault.

In terms of the coverage of Commvault, we have a big Oracle Database and the Oracle administrators are a separate team. They do their own backups using RMAN. They then move the backup to the separate Sun ZFS  storage. We also tried that backup with Commvault, using the Commvault agent to run RMAN. The test went well, the backup was good, but the database team was used to their old solution. So we agreed to implement a backup of the ZFS file server.

Ours is an all-on-prem solution so we don't have any other networks being backed up. We do have a DMZ with different VLANs and so there were some problems. We had to install an agent on the DMZ zone, an agent that has access to resources in the demilitarized network. But it's a no-brainer. We just have to open a specific port so that the backup agent can communicate with the CommCell server, and the resources are backed up successfully.

In addition, to protect against ransomware we use Commvault's alert options because Commvault can predict big changes in the network with its AI solution. This is the first line of defense. The second line of defense is that we are now in the process of implementing secondary, offline storage to ensure an air gap between the primary backup, the replicated backup, and the offline backup storage. In case of a ransomware attack we will have off-site backup storage.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Muhammad Azeem Nagori - PeerSpot reviewer
Team Lead at Computer Network Systems
Real User
May 9, 2023
A highly scalable solution that provides multiple capabilities under one common interface
Pros and Cons
  • "I like the product because of its simplicity and the fact that it provides one single interface for managing everything, including storage, data, and policies."
  • "Sometimes, we have a performance issue with the backup speed. So, that has to be rectified and improved."

What is our primary use case?

It is a good solution in the enterprise market and serves as an enterprise solution. It is a leading solution. So, you have different kinds of workloads. My customers have a type of workload that the solution supports. Either you can have the solution on the cloud or on the on-premises version. Also, there are different kinds of workloads, like Oracle, SQL, MySQL, or MongoDB. Normally, you will not find all kinds of workloads in one product.

What is most valuable?

Auxiliary (aux) copy and DASH copy are the most valuable features of the solution.

What needs improvement?

In GUI, some of the features have been divided. So one is the browser-based command center, and then the old interface with CommCell browser. They have to add more features and functions that are the same as whatever is there in the command center. We prefer that because, otherwise, we have to do two different interfaces for different kinds of jobs. We cannot do some jobs in the old interface with CommCell browser since we have to go into the command center.

Whatever Commvault Complete Data Protection has, they need to improve. Sometimes, we have a performance issue with the backup speed. So, that has to be rectified and improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have experience with Commvault Complete Data Protection for more than fifteen years. Also, I have used the solution within the last twelve months. Regularly, our company has been supporting our customers with the setup process. Lately, we have been involved in the implementation of HyperScale from Commvault. So we support our customers regularly. I think maybe a month or a month and a half ago, we implemented Commvault's HyperScale solution. We are using Commvault Version 11.28.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is good sometimes in some environments. But sometimes, in some environments, it has to be improved. On the network backup, it has to be improved. If, almost across the networks, one has different VLAN backups, the performance backup is sometimes degraded due to the network configuration and because of the load on the network. Stability-wise, I rate the solution a six out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is a scalable solution. Currently, one of my customers has an almost one-petabyte backup solution. So, it was increased from gigabytes to petabytes. It can be increased if you have a big setup in place. With HyperScale Appliance, it is easy to expand the server. It will just expand your capability and the storage capacity, and a few other capacities in the solution. Scalability-wise, I rate the solution an eight out of ten. I have around fifteen big customers. There are a lot of customers of the solution who use it, with other vendors supporting it. The solution has quite a big market for the solution.

How are customer service and support?

If the support we receive is from India, then sometimes we have a problem since it takes time owing to the fact that initially, a few people handle the issue before forwarding it to the next level. Maybe some years back, the support was from Australia, the UK, Canada, or the USA, and sometimes from Germany or some European nation, which was very good since there were very qualified people in their team who could resolve our issues within an hour. After they shifted some backup support to India, they included people who operate at a basic or initial level. So, they start troubleshooting, but we think that it's just killing time so that they can get some other people to intervene. I rate the technical support a seven out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We provide solutions depending on a customer's requirements and setup. We also provide solutions like Rubrik and Veeam. I did not work with Veeam, but Veeam is mainly for on-premises virtualization. Its workload is very limited. Also, the expandability and scalability have limitations. However, if you have VMware Hypervisor on your premises, then the solution is okay.

How was the initial setup?

If one has some kind of initial knowledge of any kind of backup solution like Veritas NetBackup, then it will be a little bit easy to implement the solution and then understand the architecture. But if you don't have the knowledge of any other solutions, then it would prove to be a learning curve of tasks related to implementation and administration or designing.

On a scale of one to ten, where one is difficult and ten is easy, I rate the initial setup a five.

Depending upon the solution, sometimes the deployment can be done within one day or within half a day, especially if you have a small setup. But if you have a big and complicated setup, it will take days to implement. It also depends on how complicated the infrastructure the customers have in their environments.

We have to definitely follow steps before we implement the solution. Before we implement any other agents or media agents, we have to implement ComCell, the main backup server, then the media agent, and then the client. This sequence has to be thorough. For updating any page or anything like that, we have to follow the same sequence, which includes the backup server, the media agent, and the client.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Pricing is quite expensive, though I don't exactly know the prices. It is expensive compared to other products because it's for an enterprise setup and not for a small setup. On a scale of one to ten, where ten is the highest price, I rate the pricing an eight.

What other advice do I have?

This software features a single interface that covers all essential functions, including core data management, backup, restore, copy, and DR. It eliminates the need to access the client side and simplifies the configuration process. The centralized configuration makes installation easy. Additionally, the software supports a wide range of platforms, including Linux, Oracle, SAP, and Microsoft versions, unlike some older products, such as Veritas NetBackup, which doesn't have the latest version support in their solution. Sometimes, even Microsoft products don't have the latest version support.

I like the product because of its simplicity and the fact that it provides one single interface for managing everything, including storage, data, and policies. Additionally, there is no need for any configuration on the client's end. Even with 500 clients, you don't have to individually configure the solution for each one. Instead, you just need to install a push agent, which is a small agent, and all tasks can be performed from a single interface. Moreover, the product offers comprehensive support for different software versions. Whether it's upgrading from Exchange Server 2016 or Exchange Server 2013 to Exchange Server 2019 or Exchange Server 2020, or using Oracle version, or other releases, they have immediate backup solutions available, ensuring compatibility during upgrades.

Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Karabo  Molema - PeerSpot reviewer
Founder and Director at BMBE SOLUTIONS
Real User
Apr 14, 2023
It's user-friendly and cost-effective
Pros and Cons
  • "Metallic is user-friendly, cost-effective, and the technical support is impressive."
  • "The reporting could be improved because the reports we get from our partner aren't sufficient. It isn't very detailed. I'm not sure if it's an issue with our partner or Metallic. They do a full backup on Monday and incremental backups throughout the week. However, we don't get detailed reports about the size of the incremental backups. The report just tells us whether a backup was successful."

What is our primary use case?

I use Metallic to back up a customer's environment. It's the solution offered by our partner, a South African company called Data Protection Management. I'm just the intermediary, providing data loss prevention to my client. I've never seen the interface or used the platform. My client uses Metallic to backup data from Microsoft solutions like SharePoint and OneDrive. 

What needs improvement?

The reporting could be improved because the reports we get from our partner aren't sufficient. It isn't very detailed. I'm not sure if it's an issue with our partner or Metallic. They do a full backup on Monday and incremental backups throughout the week. However, we don't get detailed reports about the size of the incremental backups. The report just tells us whether a backup was successful. 

In addition to the core backup features, I would also like to see Metallic add patch management. It's a crucial way to minimize threats against data sources. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used Metallic for six months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate Metallic eight out of 10 for stability. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I rate Metallic 10 out of 10 for scalability. 

How are customer service and support?

I rate Metallic support 10 out of 10. They did the setup for us. Metallic support was exceptional, and they knew what they were doing. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

I rate Metallic nine out of 10 for ease of setup. Metallic set up the solution for me, but they walked me through the process. It seemed easy and took a few hours. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I rate Metallic 10 out of 10 for affordability. It's highly cost-effective compared to other products I've used. I pay a monthly fee of 57 rands per user as a reseller and sell it at a markup to my client. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate Metallic 10 out of 10. Metallic is user-friendly, cost-effective, and the technical support is impressive. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. reseller
PeerSpot user
Ingo Bader - PeerSpot reviewer
Pre-Sales Engineer at DMP
Real User
Apr 1, 2023
Reliable, easy to install, and has agents for most products
Pros and Cons
  • "Not everyone has agents for everything and Commvault has agents for most products. It's the most complete."

    What is our primary use case?

    We primarily use the solution as a backup for databases, VMs, or servers. 

    What is most valuable?

    Not everyone has agents for everything and Commvault has agents for most products. It's the most complete.

    It's easy to install. 

    It is stable and reliable.

    The solution can scale. 

    What needs improvement?

    I don't have any notes for improvements. 

    The price could always be lower. 

    We'd like to have local support in Germany.

    The POC is only 30 days, and it really should be 90 days. 

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I've been using the solution for ten years. 

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The solution is stable and reliable. There are no bugs or glitches. I'd rate the reliability nine out of ten. It doesn't crash or freeze. Based on what is possible, it is okay.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    The solution is very scalable. I'd rate it ten out of ten in terms of the ability to extend.

    Everyone uses the solution. We have 20 to 30 people using the product. That includes consultants. 

    How are customer service and support?

    Technical support is currently based in India. I'd like to have more local support. 

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    We did not previously use a different solution. 

    How was the initial setup?

    The solution is simple to set up. It is not complex. 

    It takes approximately two weeks to deploy the solution.

    You simply download the .EXE file and start the installation. 

    We had one person that handled the setup. We had an engineer, myself, handle it. 

    What about the implementation team?

    We handle the initial setup ourselves. We did not need any outside assistance. 

    What was our ROI?

    I have not really noticed any ROI.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    Inside the 30-day trial period, you do not need a license. After that, you need to pay yearly.

    The prices are pretty high. It's quite expensive. 

    What other advice do I have?

    I'm an end-user.

    We are using the latest version of the solution. 

    I'd recommend potential new users talk to a proper consultant and do a proper POC. 

    I would rate the solution nine out of ten. 

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
    PeerSpot user
    ALbert Navarro - PeerSpot reviewer
    Account Manager IT at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
    Reseller
    Dec 4, 2022
    A solution with a great rate of duplication and easily scalable
    Pros and Cons
    • "The rate of duplication is great."
    • "The interface could be improved because it has two different consoles."

    What is our primary use case?

    The rate of duplication is great because when you do the first full backup, it duplicates 20%, but when you do more increments, depending on the mode, the duplication is 99%. It is also great at detecting ransomware. It's not an antivirus, but when you copy files, the system can send you a message such as, "Mr. Albert, have you downloaded 10,000 files in two minutes? Why are you doing this?" Again, it's not an antivirus, but it notifies you if something is wrong with your system.

    What needs improvement?

    The interface could be improved because it has two different consoles. The first console is Java, and it is a little complex, but you can do 100% of the operation. But now, there is an alternative console of HTML 5. It is trendy and simple, but you can only do 70% of your operation. The HTML console is perfect for a client or a partner.

    You have all the information centralized with the Java console, and I believe they plan to transition to the HTML console fully.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    We have been using it for three months, deploying both on-premises and cloud. The choice of on-premises or cloud depends on what the client wants.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    I rate the stability an 8.5 out of ten, and there is a small room for improvement.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    It is easily scalable. We have about 300 users of Commvault Complete Data Protection in our company.

    How are customer service and support?

    We have used technical support, and you can contact them by opening a ticker and in a few minutes, they will action it. For example, we opened a ticket last week, and the issue was solved in 30 minutes.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    Veeam, Veritas and Rubrik are three software comparable to Commvault Complete Data Protection. Veeam is competitive in price and demand. Their solution is not very good, but many people use it because it is not expensive. Commvault Complete Data Protection, however, is the best out of all of them.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup is simple.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    I rate the pricing an eight out of ten, with ten being a good price and one a high price. Depending on the client, they have different types of licensing.

    What other advice do I have?

    I rate the solution a nine out of ten. We would like to see a single console for everything in the future.

    Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Reseller
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Commvault Cloud Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
    Updated: September 2026
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Commvault Cloud Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.