LEGATO Systems Windows NetWorker Server Workgroup Edition for Windows v7
LEGATO's NetWorker is an enterprise-level product; that means it can do everything the other two products can do, but scales a lot better and is more flexible. So in other words, NetWorker can grow as your organisation grows. You can also upgrade from the business edition to the power edition by adding the appropriate modules. This software is also backwards compatible, unlike the other two software products tested. For example, you can't upgrade VERITAS Backup Exec to VERITAS NetBackup, as it's a completely separate product.
NetWorker can perform simultaneous reads and writes (disk) and is also geared to receive backups from multiple clients simultaneously as it supports parallel data streams and file interleaving. Just like the other backup packages, you can purchase a number of add-ons or modules. The Dynamic Drive Sharing (DDS) option allows drives to be shared in a SAN. DDS also supports a broad range of clustering technologies.
There are also modules for securing databases. These modules will enable you to perform hot backups and granular recoveries for Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino, Oracle, and SAP. There's also an Open File Manager that lets you backup open application files, e-mail files, and user files.
The autochanger/silo software modules enable you to use a variety of tape autochangers. They are licensed according to the number of slots that are supported by the robot. Silo software modules allow you to interface with mainframe-class storage systems.
NetWorker has had a reputation for being a complex product. We found the installation and initial configuration complex. For a novice user, it might be a bit of a shock. This software is definitely not user friendly.
LEGATO's client interface
The main NetWorker interface appears somewhat out of date, and presented a few issues. Firstly, if you want to back up some data, pathnames have to be entered manually. Luckily, you don't have to do this from the client software. We also would have liked to see a built-in wizard that would show you how to perform a simple backup and restore. Also we had to install our tape devices from the command line. LEGATO promises this won't be the case with the next version (v7.1 which will probably be out by the time you read this review), however if you still want to use the command line, you will be able to. In fact, you can manage everything from the command line.
The client interface on the other hand has largish buttons for backup, restore, archiving, and verification tasks. This seriously needs to be overhauled with a new front end. By selecting the backup, a complete tree listing of the local disks files and directories can be marked for backup. You can also encrypt, protect, and compress data as well as execute the backup job from there.
The administrator can also remotely operate and manage your backups. The remote manager can do everything the NetWorker Administrator can do. NetWorker also features built-in reports and can notify you of events via pager, e-mail, or optional SNMP module.
Our simple backup test proved to be a bit of a challenge at first. For some reason, the software would not label any of our tapes and then it was quite a challenge trying to work out how to do a simple backup.
| Product: | LEGATO Windows NetWorker Server Workgroup Edition for Windows v7 |
| Price: | From US$1200. |
| Vendor: | LEGATO Systems |
| Phone: | 02 9929 4944 |
| Web: | www.legato.com |
| Interoperability: |
½
Superior to the other two products in terms of platform support. |
| Futureproofing: |
Scales very well. |
| ROI: |
½A little more expensive than ARCserve Backup and VERITAS Backup but still reasonably priced. |
| Service: |
Excellent support and service, but can get expensive. |
| Rating: |
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