What is our primary use case?
It's developed in Hamburg. It's very easy to work with because it has a web interface, and the configuration is straightforward. It has features for tape backups, disk backups, and whatever you want. They are also very supportive if you need hints or tips from the developers.
We typically work for customers if they need support in various cases. It depends on whether they need operations, engineering, or architectural support or just advice and documentation. The level of service depends on their specific needs.
I received some training in the last two years, but I haven't had the chance to use them. We are still in contact with NovaStor's developers and providers, and we can connect them with customers and help build a concept if needed.
What is most valuable?
It's the easiest way to configure it. Compared to IBM Spectrum Protect, where the concept of storage pools, policies, nodes, etc., can be difficult to understand, NovaStor is very straightforward.
You immediately see the connections between all the items in the backup configuration, and it has built-in reporting, which is very good.
NovaBACKUP also offers free online educational sessions sometimes to showcase its new features.
What needs improvement?
The room for improvement lies in the compatibility of NovaBACKUP with older operating systems like Windows XP. Some customers still rely on outdated systems due to specific production requirements.
In future releases, I look forward to AI features because cybersecurity is a big topic in backup products. If you back up data that's already infected with viruses, you need AI to detect issues and changes in the data.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I didn't face any stability issues. Becuase downtime is needed for any product, whether it's IBM Spectrum Protect or NovaStor. You might need to upgrade the operating system or the backup application itself, which takes time. But normally, it should be handled within one or two hours.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's mostly for mid-level companies.
How are customer service and support?
The customer service and support are very good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
NovaStor NovaBACKUP is still working on new features because they listen to the customers and integrate their needs into new versions. You can see they make progress with each new version. They are much faster than IBM, where you sometimes have to wait years for new features.
It is very quick and fast.
NovaStor have big competitors like Veeam, which is very fast and aggressive. It's good, but it depends on the price. I think NovaStor might be cheaper. They have a direct connection to their developers and sales teams, which makes getting answers very fast.
Veeam has a lot of features, like a special reporting tool. However, I've heard from some customers that Veeam wasn't always the right decision because it couldn't work with their environment. But Veeam has aggressive marketing, which is why they are probably in first place at the moment, besides Commvault. IBM has lost its competitive edge and is trying to catch up, but it might be too late.
How was the initial setup?
The configuration is easy and fast. You can build it in parallel. For example, you can have a NovaBACKUP server and backup environment and gradually switch from the old environment to the new one. But it depends on whether you have a virtual environment or on-premises hardware.
I've learned from some customers that they have very old Windows systems, like Windows XP, still in use. They cannot find any backup software for it because they have a production environment that requires special tools for their products, so they cannot update their old systems.
This is a problem that needs to be addressed, but it's not always the case. Most customers use the most updated versions of Windows, Linux, or whatever they need. But in some cases, we have a trouble with it.
It's very fast. It depends on understanding the customer's requirements. Maybe one or two months is possible to implement it. It depends on having the systems ready to install it.
If the systems are not ready, then you have a problem and have to wait. Or, if you only need a tape library, and the tape library is not provided, then you have to wait. But normally, if you have everything in place, it should be fast.
What was our ROI?
When it comes to cost, we have to consider all parts, not just the license cost. We also need educated people to work with the software and understand the entire concept.
NovaBACKUP is not just a backup product; you need to understand the whole environment, what should be backed up, and the customer's requirements for data recovery in case of trouble. This is where NovaStor is good. They communicate with the client, ask about their needs, and analyze what they really require. Sometimes, customers may not be able to articulate their technical needs clearly, but NovaStor is very supportive in this regard.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I would rate it a nine out of ten.
