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Proxmox Backup Server vs. Storware Backup and Recovery: A Comparative Analysis

Proxmox Backup Server and Storware Backup and Recovery are robust solutions for backing up Proxmox VE environments. However, they have distinct features, strengths, and target user bases.

Let’s delve into a comparison to help you make an informed decision:

Proxmox Backup Server

  • Open-Source and Partly Free: This is its primary advantage, making it a cost-effective choice for many. However, the free version is recommended only for testing and non-production use.
  • Simple and Intuitive: Offers a user-friendly web interface for easy management.
  • Limited Features: While it provides essential backup and restore functionalities, it may lack advanced features like automated DR testing and granular recovery options.
  • Community Support: Relies on a strong community for support and troubleshooting.

Storware Backup and Recovery

  • Free, Trial, or Commercial License: This requires a license but offers professional support and regular updates. The free license comes with community support.
  • Advanced Features: This product provides a comprehensive set of features, including automated DR testing, granular recovery, advanced backup policies, and robust security options against cyber threats. It’s also perfect for mixed virtual, cloud, and physical environments.
  • Scalability: Designed to scale with your infrastructure needs, supporting multi-node deployments and large-scale environments.
  • Enterprise-Grade Support: Offers professional support and maintenance services.
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Key Differences

Feature Proxmox Backup Server Storware Backup and Recovery
Licensing Open-source and free, paid subscription Free, Trial and Commercial (perpetual or subscription) license
User Interface Simple and intuitive User-friendly, but more feature-rich
Features Basic backup and restore Advanced features, including DR testing, granular recovery, and more
Support Community-based or paid support via Customer Portal Community-based or professional support for trial and commercial licenses
Scalability Limited scalability Designed for large-scale environments

 

Here’s a detailed comparison between Proxmox Backup Server and Storware Backup and Recovery, focusing on key factors such as supported environments, backup functionality, scalability, security, and pricing considerations.

Supported Environments

  • Proxmox Backup Server: Primarily designed to work within the Proxmox ecosystem, it is optimized for Proxmox VE (Virtual Environment) but can handle backup tasks for virtual machines, containers, and physical servers through API integration. It’s popular among Proxmox users for seamless compatibility.
  • Storware Backup and Recovery: It’s a highly versatile solution that supports multiple environments, including virtual (e.g., VMware, Hyper-V, Nutanix AHV), physical, and containerized workloads. It also integrates with hybrid cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and offers comprehensive data protection for endpoints, databases, and applications.

Backup Functionality and Features

  • Proxmox Backup Server: This server is known for efficient deduplication and compression to optimize storage. It provides full, incremental, and differential backup options for file- and VM-level backups. Proxmox emphasizes performance, leveraging open-source components for low-cost, high-speed backup.
  • Storware Backup and Recovery: This product offers a wide range of advanced backup features, such as data deduplication, compression, and application-consistent backups. Its incremental-forever backup approach minimizes storage usage and ensures faster recovery times. Additionally, Storware supports role-based access control (RBAC), storage snapshot integrations, and granular recovery options for databases and applications.

Scalability and Flexibility

  • Proxmox Backup Server: Designed to scale well within the Proxmox ecosystem, suitable for small to medium-sized environments or organizations heavily reliant on Proxmox VE. Its open-source nature provides flexibility but may require customizations or additional tools for large-scale or hybrid environments.
  • Storware Backup and Recovery: Built with scalability in mind, Storware can handle small and enterprise-level deployments across diverse infrastructures, including multi-cloud and hybrid setups. Its centralized management interface makes it ideal for large-scale operations with complex backup requirements across varied environments.

Security and Compliance

  • Proxmox Backup Server: This server includes data encryption (AES-256) for backups, both in transit and at rest. While it has essential security features, compliance with enterprise-level security or regulatory standards may require additional configurations or external tools.
  • Storware Backup and Recovery emphasizes enterprise-grade security with end-to-end encryption (complying with FIPS 140-2), air-gap backup, multi-factor authentication, RBAC, and advanced compliance reporting. Its robust security features align well with industry compliance standards, often essential for regulated sectors.

Integration and Compatibility

  • Proxmox Backup Server: Highly compatible with Proxmox products and offers some REST API integration for third-party tools. However, its ecosystem is primarily tailored for Proxmox VE and may need more compatibility with broader infrastructures.
  • Storware Backup and Recovery: Provides extensive integrations, supporting a range of hypervisors, storage solutions, and cloud providers. This makes it ideal for organizations using mixed environments and those looking to adopt a unified backup solution across platforms.

Pricing and Licensing

  • Proxmox Backup Server: It is open-source and offers optional subscription plans for enterprise support. This makes it highly cost-effective, especially for Proxmox environments, although support options are limited compared to commercial alternatives.
  • Storware Backup and Recovery: Licenses are priced based on storage or endpoint counts, offering flexibility for various business needs. Storware’s model includes support and feature upgrades, which can benefit businesses needing high-level support and regular updates.

Which One is Right for You?

  • Suppose you’re primarily using Proxmox VE and have limited backup needs. The Proxmox Backup Server may be a great fit due to its cost-effectiveness, seamless integration, and efficiency within the Proxmox ecosystem.
  • If you require a more robust, scalable, and versatile solution with extensive integration across multiple environments and need enterprise-grade security and compliance, Storware Backup and Recovery would likely be a better choice. It’s particularly suited for businesses operating in complex, multi-environment setups.

Each solution has its strengths, so the choice depends on the complexity of your infrastructure, regulatory requirements, and budget.

You can test Storware Backup and Recovery for free or book a one-on-one demo session with our engineer who will be happy to answer all your questions and concerns.

text written by:

Grzegorz Pytel, Presales Engineer at Storware