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reviewer1825491 - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Administrator at The Sarjeant Company Ltd.
User
Efficient support with clear reports and great functionalities
Pros and Cons
  • "They reply immediately to any query raised from us as a technician or consultant and they know the pulse of the market and keep updating the features in such a big way."
  • "Updating VM tools on a replicated VM could be better."

What is our primary use case?

We use the product for the backup of our VMs (Virtual Machines) which are located in a remote location. 

We have scheduled the backups for every day which is very convenient as it runs automatically. 

We can also run backup whenever we want according to our convenient time. The user interface is very easy to use and you can set it up in sometime without any issues. 

They also have cloud integration option for the backup to be stored on cloud platform such as Amazon and Wasabi.                               

How has it helped my organization?

We first used Nakivo Backup and Replication for our own HyperV Cluster. Then, we added a physical server.

Having used it for some time, we discovered all of its functionalities and have seen the power of the product.

The web interface is clear and simple to use and learning to use it is very quick.

The email reports are clear.

The support is quick and efficient.

Nakivo Backup and Replication has become an important part of our disaster and recovery strategy.

Our company, being a VAR, has decided to become a reseller of this product to help more and more customers discover it.

What is most valuable?

I appreciate the management. They really do respond quickly. They reply immediately to any query raised from us as a technician or consultant and they know the pulse of the market and keep updating the features in such a big way. Kudos to the team.

I appreciate the motivation and confidence. It helps to sell Nakivo products when outstanding support is provided and its well-performing software easily beats competitors.

The product license and support delivery have been great.

What needs improvement?

Updating VM tools on a replicated VM could be better. 

One of the most important things Nakivo can do is stop releasing a new version several times a year. It's important to "get it right" on a version release. Too many updates will cause an issue. 

Any version update should include the ESXi Host as well as the Center - not taking into consideration the vCenter version is a huge mistake and no updates should be released unless they also support the current vCenter version. That came up and I had several issues before I figured out it was a vCneter update compatibility issue.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
PeerSpot user
Cloud and Security Architect at ARPITEL S.R.L.
Real User
Reduces costs, has good automation, and is scalable
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is stable; there is no need to retry any sort of jobs in daily operations."
  • "An additional feature that would be appreciated is disaster recovery automation."

What is our primary use case?

We found an outside VMware software to perform critical operations. Since we started using Nakivo Backup and Replication, we can perform operations that would be very expensive using a VMware license. 

We use it on our QNAP devices. It covers up to 5 servers in the small environment we have. We can perform operations that were expensive/difficult with very high automation.

How has it helped my organization?

Since we started using Nakivo Backup and Replication, we can perform operations that would be very expensive using a VMware license, for a very very affordable price. Even if our infrastructure should increase in the short term, we can upgrade just the license to cover all the new devices we use. 

We use Nakivo Backup and Replication on QNAP devices, and it covers up to 5 servers in a small environment. We can now perform operations that were expensive and difficult with very high automation. We are very satisfied with its capabilities. 

What is most valuable?

Being able to back up without using VMware services is for sure the best opportunity we have when there is a disruption impacting VMware products. An additional feature that would be appreciated is disaster recovery automation. it could be improved using vCenter features.

Nakivo Backup and Replication does not have many other background areas where it can be improved, and we are satisfied.

Since we use Nakivo Backup and Replication, we can perform operations that would be very expensive using our VMware license. We are really satisfied.

What needs improvement?

I'd like to see backup and replication without using vCenter. That's a feature that would be appreciated. If the vCenter should go down, it would be very difficult to recover the infrastructure, so some solution is needed to avoid restoring vCenter first and then to later restore the virtual machine from Nakivo's Backup and Replication.

An additional feature that would be appreciated is disaster recovery automation. It could be improved using vCenter features.

Nakivo Backup and Replication does not have many other background areas where it can be improved, however, we are mostly satisfied.

For how long have I used the solution?

We are a cloud provider and we use Nakivo for VMware Backup and Replications, including disaster recovery. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable; there is no need to retry any sort of jobs in daily operations.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The product is absolutely scalable. You scale according to the number of storage devices you add.

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

We did not use a different solution prior to implementing this product.

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

The costs of the product are justified according to the features provided.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We also evaluated Veeam Backup.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Private Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
NAKIVO Backup & Replication
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about NAKIVO Backup & Replication. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
816,562 professionals have used our research since 2012.
reviewer2203368 - PeerSpot reviewer
Systems Specialist at Deimos Information Systems Oy
User
Top 20
Lightweight with good deduplication and compression
Pros and Cons
  • "Backups are working smoothly with Nakivo Backup."
  • "We'd like to see more cooperation with Synology. It can be enhanced to get updates published faster to Synology's store."

What is our primary use case?

We use the solution as a VM backup from local servers and remote data centers. Nakivo is installed on a NAS device at the office, and it doesn't need any external servers to run. That makes it really easy to deploy, and in case of disaster for servers, the NAS device is totally separate from them, and backups can be restored quickly to another environment where ever is enough resources to run them.

The remote data center can also be backed up to a small repository on that data center and then copied over an internet link to the office, where I have more space to store backups.

How has it helped my organization?

Backups are working smoothly with Nakivo Backup. Deduplication and compression of backup repositories save lots of disk space, and I can keep many more restore points compared to situations where deduplication is not used.

Having a couple of the latest restore points saved in the repository at a remote data center allows restoration of them quickly without the need first to transfer them over the internet from the office. It also is nice to be able to copy backups to the office, where I have plenty of more disk space to save them compared to a remote data center.

What is most valuable?

There is no need to install agents on VMs. It is easy to deploy new VMs and get them backed up instantly.

It can be fully run from a NAS device. There is no need to have separate backups servers and be able to run a full Linux environment without Windows servers.

Deduplication and compression of backup repositories are easy. It saves lots of disk space and enables you to keep many more recovery points compared to a situation where all recovery points are saved as is without deduplication.

It's a lightweight solution built over Linux. It can be run directly from NAS devices and doesn't need separate backups servers installed on the network.

What needs improvement?

We'd like to see more cooperation with Synology. It can be enhanced to get updates published faster to Synology's store.

I don't have any other complaints about Nakivo Backup, and I like it as it is. I have used many other backups solutions like Veeam, Actifio, and Acronis, and Nakivo has done things better than those other backup solution providers. 

Of course, there can be some cases where others might perform better; however, for my use case, Nakivo Backup does just what is needed, and it is done properly without problems.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for about three years.

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

I have previously used VMPro, Veeam, and Actifio.

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

The solution is cheaper than many competitors.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I have previously evaluated Veeam.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1690233 - PeerSpot reviewer
Operations manager at Füssner Computersysteme GmbH
User
Well priced and easy to use with an excellent technical support team
Pros and Cons
  • "The ability to use a variety of cloud providers rather than being tied into one is a huge bonus."
  • "Updating VM Tools on a replicated VM could be better."

What is our primary use case?

We are a German reseller and have sold Veeam for a very long time. We never were very happy with that solution and searched for an alternative to Veeam 2 to 3 years ago. With Nakivo, we found a partner who is very cooperative, has a very interesting price point and is even more than an alternative!

Now, we likely use Nakivo for customers with virtual servers and who don't want to spend thousands of Euros for a backup solution. Nakivo is perfect for them. We never have heard of a customer who is not happy with it.

How has it helped my organization?

With Nakivo, we can increase our portfolio and have a partner with short response times. Nakivo takes the time to hear every customer's issues and needs.

They are always friendly and help the reseller and customer with a good support team.

With Nakivo, we can grant a backup solution for a lower price - which is perfect for smaller customers. 

The pre-configured virtual machine helps the IT team save time and is very easy to use. 

Email notifications make the ongoing monitoring of the system simplicity itself.

What is most valuable?

They offer a built-in link in the web console to request support. They also automatically include a support bundle with all the relevant configuration data for your system which makes requesting support easy, however, you really don't need it very often.

The transporter is one thing that we often use when we have installed a new server for our system. 

The ability to use a variety of cloud providers rather than being tied into one is a huge bonus.

For me, as a reseller, not only the product is important - it's also the people behind it and how they behave. This I can only praise. They have a great team.

What needs improvement?

The feature that has a backup repository, like QNAP + ext. HDD's could be improved. We sometimes have trouble with that and it would be nice if they had a solution on the way.

Updating VM Tools on a replicated VM could be better.

Support for the backup and replication of virtual machines is excellent, however, improved support for physical machine backups would be very welcome (I believe this is already on the way).

A mobile app for administration would be appreciated.

The user interface could use a bit of refreshing, however, on the other hand, it runs very smoothly, so if that would change how it runs I'd rather live with the user interface looking a bit dated.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We have never heard of any system fails.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is good.

How are customer service and support?

They are always very fast and ready to help.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

We used mainly Veeam previously and searched for a solution for smaller customers, where the price level was lower.

How was the initial setup?

It's very easy to set up, thanks to the ready-to-install VM's.

What about the implementation team?

We are the vendor.

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

The price level is low, however, you have to watch out if you want to backup workstations.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I don't remember evaluating other options.

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: We are a reseller and sell Nakivo since 2 years
PeerSpot user
ICT Manager at Rossall School
Real User
Small footprint, supports many cloud providers, quick and easy to create new jobs, and good support
Pros and Cons
  • "This enables us to do quick granular file recovery as and when required but also to do whole-site relocation in the case of a total loss scenario."
  • "My first thought was maybe the GUI could be improved, although it works."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case of Nakivo is to backup a three-way vSphere cluster hosting approximately 50 virtual machines.

We changed backup solutions because our previous one became so top-heavy and cumbersome to use.

We are a large site and use Nakivo to back up to disc between buildings in a limited time window. It then moves backup sets to the cloud as required.

We also use the replication feature to snapshot some of our most critical VMs to a backup server, which could be used if we lost our main datacenter. 

How has it helped my organization?

It has enabled us to backup (and replicate) our virtual machines much more frequently than was previously possible. We can now backup our entire vSphere cluster to disc on-site and then move backups to the cloud later. This enables us to do quick granular file recovery as and when required but also to do whole-site relocation in the case of a total loss scenario.

The small footprint of the main software ("Director" ) and transporters is excellent, too. I've often wondered why some of the agents we have had to install for other backup solutions need so many resources. You don't need an agent for Nakivo either, just a "transporter" that can handle loads of VMs and jobs.

Also, the ability to use a variety of cloud providers rather than being tied into one is a huge bonus. 

What is most valuable?

Creating new jobs is quick and easy, with only a few clicks and you're done.  

The backup copy option is handy if you start running out of space. You can just move backup sets to alternate locations.

The ability to fire up replicated VMs and grab a screenshot of the running OS as proof the replication has worked is great for peace of mind!

The web-based GUI on Nakivo is rapid and the ongoing development of the product is steady and sensible. Not just a case of adding every option under the sun as some manufacturers try, and fail to do.

The simplicity of Nakivo is its best feature. It does exactly what it should, which is to create restorable backups!

What needs improvement?

My first thought was maybe the GUI could be improved, although it works.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Nakivo for the past four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's not gone wrong in four years, so I'd say it's stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Nakivo is very scalable. You add more licenses for sockets if you need to; otherwise, deploy more transporters to cope with more simultaneous workloads.

How are customer service and technical support?

We have only needed to use technical support twice. Once was a user error on our part and the other was a licensing issue. Both times, customer support was very good.

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

Our previous solution became too bloated and cumbersome to use. We got sick of waiting five seconds for screens to load.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very easy, with simple instructions to follow.

What about the implementation team?

We deployed in-house.

What was our ROI?

The ROI is unmeasurable.

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

My advice is that you get the trial, as there is nothing to lose!

The licensing model is crystal clear on the website.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We looked at several others but it's that long ago, I can't remember which products.

What other advice do I have?

I have serious reservations suggesting features for something which is spot on as it is. Over my many years working in IT I have seen good products ruined by overzealous "improvements". The software can quickly become bloated and go on to lose its long-term customers and then end up in a constant battle to be the most feature-rich product.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1766703 - PeerSpot reviewer
Administrator IT at Shim-pol A.m. Borzymowski. S.j
User
Great support with a user-friendly interface and a simple set up
Pros and Cons
  • "Backup jobs are running smoothly every day with job reports sent to email after they finish each job. That gives us peace of mind."
  • "More statistic options would be a great feature."

What is our primary use case?

For now, our use case is to backup two Hyper-V Servers with a total of 11 VMs.

The servers are in the same location on two different machines (Fujitsu Servers).

The repository is on Qnap with a secondary repository on a different Qnap in another location.

We plan to expand our backup system to workstations that run on Windows 10/11 later this year.

How has it helped my organization?

Our organization was running on Windows Backup and Recovery - with a backup of all servers and VMs to a remote location from time to time.  

Now Nakivo gives us a reliable system that has more options - such as deduplication, replication, and disaster recovery.

Backup jobs are running smoothly every day with job reports sent to email after they finish each job. That gives us peace of mind. Nakivo was easy to deploy and configure in our environment.   

What is most valuable?

First of all, setting up Nakivo was fast and easy to do.

Configuration of the repositories is simple and the connection to our Hyper-V host was automated and completed in a few minutes.  

Setting up jobs to backup our VMs runs with no major problems.   

Support for some questions or minor issues is great. It is fast and they offer exact responses.

The interface is user-friendly and easy to read (the dashboard has all information needed).

What needs improvement?

There is always room for improvement statistics could be a little better (job compare, overall job performance), however, Nakivo is a complete product with a lot to offer. Adding new items to the configuration is simple. The backups run fast, and the recovery and replication options are also easy to use. Job reports are clear.

We plan to expand our backup system to workstations as we only backup Hyper-V.

More statistic options would be a great feature.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for a few months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is very stable with no major problems.

How are customer service and support?

Customer service and support are on a very high level.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

We previously used Windows Backup, however, we needed something more.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward and easy.

What about the implementation team?

We implemented it with the help of a vendor team.

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

I'd advise new users to make contact with Nakivo support for a few hours of training.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did not previously evaluate other options. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
PeerSpot user
System Administrator at tech
Real User
Easy to update with good scheduling and cost-effective pricing
Pros and Cons
  • "The updates are problem-free, so we can keep Nakivo up to date on the server and NAS too."
  • "The only thing we have encountered that we would like to see improved in the future are error messages. They could be more detailed and helpful, without the need to send logs to support. Failing that, the part of the log related to the error could be displayed alongside the error message, so I can investigate the error without looking through all of those logs that I'm able to download."

What is our primary use case?

In our SMB we started using NAKIVO as our main backup solution for backing up mainly Hyper-V VMs. It's installed directly on our QNAP NAS. Only one system administrator uses it. We use features like scheduled backups, deduplication, retention, and app-aware mode for some VMs. 

Our environment has only one Hyper-V server with five Windows Servers plus one Linux VM, which runs a license server, authentification server, active directory, application servers, communication+git server, and the database server with server application for production process management.

How has it helped my organization?

The Nakivo solution provided us with the ability to do automatic scheduled app-aware backups with great deduplication and compression, so they don't overload our local area network and don't require a lot of storage space. 

Having reliable backups is a must for us, and Nakivo provided us with an easy-to-use solution, that offers fast implementation, initialization, and configuration. The restore function works great. Thanks to Nakivo we can do our business 24/7/365. 

The Nakivo solution was very economical, so my CEO is happy with it.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature for us is Nakivo's flexibility in the server platform. We use it directly on our QNAP network-attached storage, so it can run regardless of the Hyper-V server. We also like its very good deduplication and compression, so it doesn't overload our network. 

The scheduling is also very well done in Nakivo. Automatic backups are a must for us because we don't have enough time to perform manual backups. 

The updates are problem-free, so we can keep Nakivo up to date on the server and NAS too.

What needs improvement?

The only thing we have encountered that we would like to see improved in the future are error messages. They could be more detailed and helpful, without the need to send logs to support. Failing that, the part of the log related to the error could be displayed alongside the error message, so I can investigate the error without looking through all of those logs that I'm able to download. In the future, I'll be glad for implementing AI that could automatically assume what backup plan and retention do we need.

For how long have I used the solution?

We've used the solution for one year and few days.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We looked at Veeam. However, Nakivo was more flexible and cost-effective.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Director at A-Tech Services Limited
Reseller
Helpful email notifications, excellent support, and offers very useful updates
Pros and Cons
  • "The speed of the backups and replications is fantastic and, for the most part, the simplicity of use has been wonderful."
  • "The interface can be a little clunky at times."

What is our primary use case?

This is a standout backup, replication, and rapid recovery solution for any small to medium-sized business which has a virtualized server environment - particularly for VMware vSphere and Microsoft Windows Server Hyper-V.

Probably the best recommendation is the fact that we choose to use this ourselves. As a value added reseller/consultant, we have access to many products. We recommend it to smaller vSphere sites where it provides an excellent alternative to the likes of Veeam and the expensive HA options from VMware.

The architecture is excellent and real-life practical, not only for backups to local backup repositories but also for remote backup repositories and/or cloud storage. The virtual machine replication with multiple snapshots between physical hosts provides a cost-effective alternative to those who cannot afford/can't justify a full high availability solution.

How has it helped my organization?

It has massively simplified the backup process and management of backups when compared to the previous solution. Backup times are much quicker.

The pre-configured virtual machine means installation onto a vSphere host takes minutes, requiring little more than the allocating of an IP address for the web console and a few credentials. We quite literally install the virtual machine, create a backup repository, link Nakivo to our vSphere environment, and have the first backup running in under twenty minutes.

Email notifications make the ongoing monitoring of the system simplicity itself.

What is most valuable?

Many of these have been mention already.

The direct support from Nakivo has been excellent when we have had issues. The built-in link in the web console to request support and automatically include a support bundle with all the relevant configuration data for your system makes requesting support easy - not that we have had to do it very often.

They also seem to be listening to the customer base. It is one of the few products where you feel you are getting value for the ongoing support costs. There is a continuous stream of useful updates and new features.

The speed of the backups and replications is fantastic and, for the most part, the simplicity of use has been wonderful.

What needs improvement?

The interface can be a little clunky at times. I guess this is partly the nature of the beast, being as it is a browser-based console. The benefits of the browser-based console, for the most part, far outweigh the occasional clunkiness of the interface.

Support for the backup and replication of virtual machines is excellent, but improved support for physical machine backups would be very welcome (I believe this is already on the way). 

With the current pricing model, the per workstation costs can soon rack up, so as to make it prohibitive to have a blanket backup policy for all workstations.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for 5 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

In the time we have used it and recommended it, it has been incredibly stable. We have managed to corrupt a backup repository by physically pulling the plug mid-job, but that is about it.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It will scale easily to match the recourses available.

How are customer service and technical support?

Support via the web console has been very straightforward and the response has been prompt and knowledgeable.

We have not had any phone support.

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

I did previously use Acronis.

Nakivo, overall, provided a more complete, simpler, and cost-effective solution - particularly in the virtual environment.

How was the initial setup?

The solution is very simple to deploy, as already mentioned.

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

In a smaller environment (less than three physical hosts) the Enterprise Plus is an excellent solution, particularly with the perpetual pricing available. 

I'd advise new users to take note of the ongoing support costs which currently are well worth having. 

Nakivo seems to be focused on developing and improving the product.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I did evaluate many options before choosing this.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free NAKIVO Backup & Replication Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: November 2024
Buyer's Guide
Download our free NAKIVO Backup & Replication Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.