Microsoft Data Protection Manager 2007

This week Microsoft has finally released the final (RTM) version of System Center Data Protection Manager (SCDPM) 2007, which introduces live backup for virtual machines hosted by Virtual Server 2005 R2 Service Pack 1, through the Windows Server 2003 Volume Shadow Service (VSS). Microsoft Data Protection Manager 2007 is a full featured data protection product designed to protect Microsoft Applications and the Windows Server System.

SCDPM is not free of charge but has been included in the System Center Management Suite Enterprise, along with Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) 2007, Operation Manager (SCOP) 2007 and Configuration Manager (SCCM) 2007.
DPM 2007 can be used to natively protect the following Operations systems and Applications. White paper solutions are available for a number of other applications on the DPM website.

  • Windows Server 2003
  • Windows Server 2003 R2
  • Windows Storage Server (Storage Server 2003, Storage Server R2, WUDSS)
  • Windows Server 2008
  • Windows XP SP2 (support limited to machines with persistant network connectivity)
  • Windows Vista (support limited to machines with persistant network connectivity)
  • Microsoft Exchange Server (2003 and 2007)
  • Microsoft SQL Server (2000 and 2005)
  • Microsoft SharePoint (MOSS 2007 and WSS 3.0)
  • Host Based Virtual Server Protection

Read a whitepaper about the integration with SCVMM HERE and download the trial product HERE.
New features in Data Protection Manager 2007:
Continuous Data Protection for Windows Application and File Servers – DPM protects Windows Servers by continuously capturing data changes with application-aware, block-level agents, providing an easy-to-manage and robust disk and tape data protection solution, and one-click lossless application recovery.
Rapid and Reliable Recovery – DPM enables IT administrators and end-users to easily recover data in minutes from easily accessible disk instead of locating and restoring from less reliable tapes.
Advanced Technology for Enterprises of All Sizes – DPM combines the best features of disk and tape and reduces infrastructure requirements. Microsoft’s experience in Windows Server technology provides a technically advanced and comprehensive data protection solution for the most demanding Microsoft environments—from the SMB to the Enterprise.
Exchange, SQL, and SharePoint Functionality – DPM 2007 offers integrated support for advanced Exchange and SQL cluster configurations, shorter SQL backup windows w/o the need for compression, as well as advanced SharePoint data protection options.
Zero data loss Restores for Applications – DPM 2007 enables lossless recovery of Exchange, SQL, and SharePoint servers without the need for constant replication or synchronization by seamlessly integrating a point in time database restore with the existing application logs.
Host Based Virtual Server Backups – DPM 2007 includes support for host based backup of Windows Virtual Server guests. Using a single host based DPM agent to provide application consistent backups of any and all guests residing on a host. DPM can protect any operating system or application via this mechanism as long as they are running on a Windows host server.
End User Restores – Integrated Windows restore experience; file level recovery is as simple as a right mouse click. No need for cumbersome and often unreliable web interfaces.
Shorter backup windows – DPM 2007 includes patented Block Level Filter technology shortens full backup windows by only moving changed data.
Seamless Media Integration – DPM 2007 features seamless integration between disk and tape media, including an intelligent UI that abstracts the operator from the need to separately manage disk and tape media, an integrated restore experience for both disk and tape, and rich media management functionality.
Enhanced media reliability – Tape read and writes process is resistant to errors resulting in consistent and reliable tape archiving.
Advanced Data De-Duplication Technology – Patented filter technology reduces the volume of full backups by as much as 90% in typical organizations, saving disk space and reducing full backup time from hours to minutes. VSS point in time snapshots further reduce the disk volume required, while Express full backup images increase number of available restore points which can be captured.
Decreased network footprint – Express full Backups reduce network traffic and an enhanced network throttling mechanism allows for more granular management of traffic.
Unified Policy engine – DPM allows protection to be configured across separate platforms and applications with a single policy, allowing you to manage protection across applications from a single UI.
SLA driven UI – Protection policies are based on intent and SLA’s creating a layer of abstraction that insulates the user from the often confusing process of scheduling individual backup jobs in order to meet an overall SLA.
Continuous Data Protection – DPM captures data changes as they occur in real-time and synchronizes every 15 minutes to ensure Windows data and user productivity are protected—unlike other legacy methods that backup data only once a day—so that business critical data can be protected at all times.
Rapid Recovery – Backing up data to disk provides the fastest way to recover data that’s been lost due to user error or software and hardware corruption. With DPM, recovering information is as simple as browsing a share and copying directly from the DPM platform to the production server within seconds. By restoring data from disk, DPM enables customers to recover data in minutes, versus the hours it takes to recover from tape.
Reliable Recovery – DPM leverages disk-based backup to provide the highest level of reliability versus traditional—and often unpredictable—tape backup methods. All of the various failure points for tape backup, including corrupt indexes, broken media, misplaced cartridges, and human error are all avoided by relying on disk storage as the primary restoration medium, while still leveraging tape for long-term archival storage.
Unified Protection Policies Across Data Types – DPM allows protection to be configured across heterogeneous applications and file-sharing platforms with a single policy. This allows you to manage logical groupings of data from a single UI—delivering Exchange, SQL, SharePoint and File data mixed, within a single policy, to any combination of disk and tape protection.
Additional DPM 2007 Features:

  • Microsoft SharePoint Support
  • DPM Disaster Recovery and availability solutions (including DPM protecting DPM)
  • Vista and XP desktop protection for workstations permanently attached to the network
  • Command Line Interface based on Power Shell
  • Management pack for System Center Operations Manager 2007
  • Improved Manageability (Filtering in Jobs’ view, Authenticated SMTP Server support for sending alert notification etc.)
  • Protection of Virtual Server 2005 R2 guest OS’s
  • Virtual Server host based backup support
  • Tape data Encryption
  • Install and Protect Windows Server 2008
  • System State Backup Support
  • Additional Network Bandwidth throttling Options
  • Pre-script/post-script support

DPM 2007 includes highly integrated support for both Disk and Tape media in a number of common deployment topologies:

  • Disk-to-Disk – Data can be moved from the source disk to the DPM attached secondary disk using a very efficient block level replication solution.
  • Disk-to-Disk-to-Tape – Once data is on DPM attached secondary disk, it can be moved to DPM attached tape media where it is written using the industry standard MTF format. Data transfer rates capable of saturating an LTO3 drive are supported.
  • Disk-to-Tape – In cases where the customer does not require secondary disk backup, data can be moved directly to DPM attached tape drives.

Links
System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 Overview
System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 Frequently Asked Questions

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