The Data Protector 6.1 software release in January 2009 provided a number of new features – including the flexibility of eight different methods for protecting and restoring VMware environments.  From methods inherent to VMware, such as Suspend VM, ESX snapshot, and VMware Consolidated Backup (VCB), to unique Data Protector capabilities like Zero Downtime Backup and Instant Recovery, all of these are supported and can be controlled from within the Data Protector user interface – with no scripting required.

In May 2009, VMware released ESX Server 4.0, part of its new vSphere product suite.  As with previous VMware releases, the Data Protector team has placed a high priority on certifying support for this new platform, and we are pleased to announce that all of the eight methods are also now fully supported with Data Protector 6.1.

With full support for ESX Server 4.0, Data Protector continues to deliver a high-performance solution with minimal data loss by combining the power of Zero Downtime Backup and Instant Recovery with the versatility of VCB.  This solution provides a unique advantage that no other enterprise backup and recovery solution can offer.

Watch for further enhancements to Data Protector in the months to come, for vSphere and other virtualized platforms.