Zmanda takes Windows to the cloud

Open-source backup specialist Zmanda Inc. is taking a step into the closed-source Windows world with a software client that can back up individual servers directly to the cloud. The Zmanda Internet Backup (ZIB) software client runs on a Windows server or workstation and backs up the server directly to Amazon's S3 cloud.

Download this free guide

Amazon S3 in the spotlight: Your 34-page backup guide

In this guide curated by the SearchAWS.com editors, you’ll evaluate and overcome the DR tradeoffs associated with Amazon S3, with guidance on solidifying an AWS backup plan and securing S3 buckets. Download your copy now.

Start Download

• Corporate E-mail Address:

  You forgot to provide an Email Address.

  This email address doesn’t appear to be valid.

  This email address is already registered. Please login.

  You have exceeded the maximum character limit.

  Please provide a Corporate E-mail Address.

By submitting my Email address I confirm that I have read and accepted the Terms of Use and Declaration of Consent.

By submitting your personal information, you agree that TechTarget and its partners may contact you regarding relevant content, products and special offers.

You also agree that your personal information may be transferred and processed in the United States, and that you have read and agree to the Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy.

More on data backup tools Storage vendors push data protection at VMworld EMC connects with Lenovo to ship Mozy online data backup software Simpana converts claim better backup Law firm goes for new remote office data backup

PowerReviews, which publishes product review online portal Bazillions.com, uses Zmanda for backup. IT administrator Matthew Lewis said the company turned to Zmanda after a free-for-all backup policy left some parts of the company's mission-critical data unprotected. The company already runs a Red Hat backup server, but Lewis called the Windows client "interesting, because we have employees who travel a lot and run Windows." Lewis said he will look into ZIB, even though Windows clients still can't exclude file types. According to Zmanda, that feature is planned.

Zmanda also doesn't support centralized management of multiple master servers or advanced tape-handling features, which limits ZIB to SMBs, according to Taneja Group analyst Eric Burgener. But he added that the product also includes features and support that might overcome the aversion some SMB storage administrators have to open-source products.

"They have an intelligent scheduler algorithm, which figures out the best use of server and network resources to do backups, and schedules them accordingly," Burgener said. "At a large company, backup administrators want to control that, but a smaller company is going to be more concerned about not overbuying infrastructure to support backup."

Similarly, larger Linux-based environments will probably want to stage backups to a central server for quick local restores rather than sending data directly to the cloud, Burgener said.

Zmanda has also partnered with Amazon to offer centralized billing for backup administrators regardless of the number of clients in the environment. Until now, Zmanda has sold a subscription-based supported version of the Amanda open-source backup tool. Its Amanda Enterprise product gives customers who use Linux or a mix of operating systems the option of backing up to the cloud rather than disk or tape, but requires the backups to go through the central backup server first.

Zmanda is also rolling out Zmanda Recovery Manager 3, which has added support for Windows-based master servers as well as support for 32- and 64-bit Debian and Ubuntu Linux and EMC Clariion snapshots.