Be One Step Ahead of Data Disasters with ActiveImage Protector™

ActiveImage Protector is a sector-based disk imaging backup solution developed by Actiphy Inc., who provides technical support and promotes sales of the product. The use of ActiveImage Protector enables users to back up the entire contents in hard disk into an image file. ActiveImage Protector provides Hot Imaging feature allowing to entirely back up running system along with live applications, data, settings, etc. In the event of hard disk failure due to physical corruption of hard disk or virus infection, the created backup file may be used to restore the corrupted system to the state backup was taken. ActiveImage Protector backs up and restores the system at blazing speed and provides its unique Deduplication Compression feature to enhance backup performance and reduce storage requirements by eliminating duplicate data during the backup process and compressing the created image files. For further enhancement of the product’s performance and operability including user-friendly GUI, continuous improvement is an ongoing effort to improve its capabilities. ActiveImage Protector was first released in 2009 and is now used to protect servers and client PC’s in tens of countries in the world ActiveImage Protector is provided in a variety of editions optimized for virtual environment including VMware, Microsoft Hyper-V, physical environments for Windows or Linux server, cluster / FT / HA environment, migration from Physical to Virtual environment, etc.

ActiveImage Protector provides unique and advanced features such as Inline Data Deduplication Compression built in every edition, A.I.R. enabling to restore backup image files to virtual / physical machine on a different server and hardware, SHR (Seamless Hot Restore for Hyper-V environment) and ReZoom. Linux edition now provides easy-to-use GUI enabling many of the user controls and options for making full use of ActiveImage Protector. Compared to others on the market, ActiveImage Protector is faster in backup processing, efficiently eliminates duplicate data and compresses image files at high compression rate so that backup storage needs can be reduced significantly without a need of purchasing dedicated storage options. Actiphy Inc., as in-house developed ActiveImage Protector, provides technical support including customization of the products to meet requirements from users and user-friendly detailed support services.

Inline Data Deduplication Compression feature efficiently eliminates duplicate data blocks during the backup process without a need for purchasing an optional add-on program or dedicated storage options that provide deduplication feature, not only that, no need to do any extra configuration settings or operations. The use of ActiveImage Protector enables users to efficiently eliminate duplicate data and compress image files at high compression ratio so that backup storage needs can be reduced significantly. Also, ActiveImage Protector can complete image file compression within practical process time. For example, assuming that about 1TB (1024GB) is used for virtual environment on Windows 2008 R2 physical machine, the backup volume can be compressed to almost half of original using ActiveImage Protector. For your reference, the backup / restore process speeds are compared in the following table (tested in December, 2013): 

They should differ depending on the size of data in backup source. Referring to the above table in Q3, our test results indicate that backup / restore process time using Deduplication feature is 20% – 40% longer than backup / restore process time with standard compression.

The use of ReZoom function enables you to restore VMs respectively selected from backup image of entire Hyper-V host to the same or a different Hyper-V server. The restored VM may be booted up only after restore process completes, however, multiple VM’s may be selected to collectively restore at a time.

SHR feature can quickly start-up a VM from an image backup during the restore of the VM. SHR starts a VM as a seamless virtual machine, while simultaneously restoring the same VM into Hyper-V server instead of waiting for completion of restore process. While running a seamless virtual machine directly from the backup image, restoration of the virtual machines is performed in background by using ReZoom function. In the meantime changes can be made on the virtual disk of the running seamless virtual machine. Once the restore process has completed, SHR transitions the system operation to the fully restored virtual machine. SHR provides near-zero downtime and unparalleled protection of mission critical virtual environments since not only the changes on the seamless virtual machine but also the settings including memory are transitioned to allow seamless and continuous operation.

vmGuardian, backup and disaster recovery solution for VMware virtual environment, was in-house developed and released by Actiphy following ActiveImage Protector. While ActiveImage Protector has to be installed in virtual environment, vmGuardian provides a Web browser interface which guides you through the various configuration settings, scheduling and backup management tasks making it easy to backup and restore your system regardless whether physical or virtual environment. By using Linux based appliance server, vmGuardian allows to back up multiple virtual machines on ESX(i) host into one image. Without a need of installing vmGuardian on virtual machines specified as backup source, and no backup agent required. Every backup / restore operation may be performed using Web browser interface connected to the appliance server. vmGuardian backs up by taking a snapshot of virtual machines via vStorage API. For your reference the differences of main features built in ActiveImage Protector and vmGuardian are listed below: 

A proper edition of ActiveImage Protector should be selected depending on your system environment, OS, intended use (migration to virtual environment, etc.)

• Migration of physical machines to virtual environment / move older systems to a new physical or virtual environment. →ActiveImage Protector Virtual Edition or for Hyper-V is recommended.
• Back up Windows physical server or desktop →Server Edition or Desktop Edition is recommended.
• Back up Linux server →Linux Edition is recommended.
• Use ActiveImage Protector on unlimited number of servers to back up with one license →IT Pro Edition is recommended.
• Back up clustered environment →Cluster Edition is recommended.
• Backup VMWare virtual machines without a need for backup agent →vmGuardian is recommended.

ActiveImage Protector Virtual Edition include Windows Server, Desktop and Linux Editions. It’s licensing options provide a “Virtual Environment License” or an “ActiveImage Protector Virtual Edition Cloud License” .

To migrate from physical to virtual environment, Virtual Edition and Hyper-V Enterprise are recommended. To virtualize multiple physical machines of different types of OS’s, you need to purchase only one license for the physical machine specified as migration destination. The same license can be used to for daily backup of the virtual environment. However, if you continue to use ActiveImage Protector on the physical machine specified as migration source, you need to purchase another licensed copy of ActiveImage Protector. 

If you need ActiveImage Protector only for migration from physical to virtual environment, but you do not need AIP for daily backup after migration is completed, IT Pro Edition is recommended.

One registered “IT support professional” is allowed to use ActiveImage Protector to back up and restore an unlimited number of systems, though one computer at a time, for one year. There is no restriction to the number of computers to use ActiveImage Protector, however, it’s the one ActiveImage Protector boot disk that IT Support Pro should carry. ActiveImage Protector cannot be installed or copied to any computer to use. When you purchase additional licensed copy of “IT support professional”, or for the second license year or further, special pricing schedule can be offered, if applicable.

ActiveImage Protector does not support backup of host environment (Xen server), but supports backup of virtual machines of guest OS if ActiveImage Protector supports the OS.

A list view of networked clients, push installation, un-installation, upgraded installation are supported. Since flexible installation options (Standard, Agent Only, Console Only) are provided, users are allowed to configure settings depending on the system environment. Since one ActiveImage Protector console is connected to one remote computer and GUI is provided to allow most of the operations which can be performed on local computer. You can also access network shared folders on a remote computer by using Remote File Explorer.