CloudBerry Backup Software Review

IT Pro must has a good backup software with the right design base on the requirements of the company to reduce any downtime.

To achieve this backup software must simple with features that can help the IT Pro in the backup strategy that will use.

As IT Pro i like to use different Backup applications compare it and share the features that will help in IT Community.

Recently i was asked to do a Review for CloudBerry Backup. To be honest i didn't hear before for the CloudBerry Backup but i found it very interesting.

CloudBerry backup has multiple versions that can use. You can find and compare it in https://www.cloudberrylab.com/backup/editions.aspx

Today i will describe the Cloudberry Backup for HYPER-V.

I setup in my Lab and start to test and learn the Clouberry Backup.

 

Setup Backup Storage

After launch the CloudBerry Backup the first thing that you must do is to connect the Storage for your Backups.

• Select the Tab Backup Storage 
• Click in New Account

 

• As you can see you have lot of Storage Providers to select if you would like to keep backup out of your company.
• For now in our Lab will use a NAS for Backup Storage. Select File System.

 

• Type the Display Name and find the Path.Click OK.

 

• Now you can see a window with the Storage that create. Click Close.

 

• Find the Storage in Backup Storage Path.

 

That's it . Very simple.

Let's go to create a Backup Job.

 

Setup Backup Plan

After setup Backup Storage it's time to setup and schedule our Backups for every VM's

• Select Backup Plan Tab.

 

• Local or Cloud Backup and Hybrid Backup is the options that you can use.
• For our scenario will use Local or Cloud Backup.

 

• Select the Backup Storage. Click Next.

 

• Click Next again. 

 

• Change the Plan Name if you would like . Check the option Save backup plan configuration to the backup storage and click Next. 

 

• Here you have 3 options. In this scenario we select Backup selected Virtual Machines.
• Select the Virtual Machine that you want and click Next.

 

• Until now very easy without any level of difficulties.
• Do you need encryption for your Backups. In production environment must use because it's a requirement of GDPR but for now just click Next.

 

• Configure your Retention Policy base on your requirements. I have configure a retention period of 30 days. Click Next.​​​​​​​

 

• Schedule your backup task and click Next.

 

• Decide if you want  to take a Full Backup between 30 days. I prefer to have only one Full Backup (the first) for my monthly backups. Decide what you want and click Next. 

 

• Click Next in Pre/Post Actions or select an action before or after the backup job. Clever step if you want to use more automation.

 

• Configure the details of your email to send you email notification in failures , in all cases or to write in Windows Event Logs.

 

• Just a Summary . Click Next and Finish.

 

Now we have create a Backup Plan that run whenever want. Let's start the backup manual. Just click in Start icon and wait to finish.

 

Setup Restore Plan

In the meantime we can proceed to create a Restore Plan. Cloudberry has an option that i didn't find in any other Backup Application. You can schedule or save the Restore Plan to use it any time that you want I love automation !!!. Let's start

• Select Restore Plan
• Click in Restore Icon

 

• Click Next​​​​​​​

 

• Select the Storage from where you will Restore the Backup. Click Next.​​​​​​​

 

• Here is the option that describe above. You can select if you want to restore once or Save the restore job and use it any time in the feature. I select Save Restore Plan to see what happened and click Next.​​​​​​​

 

• You can't use other option. Just Restore Hyper-v Virtual Machine. Click Next.​​​​​​​

 

• Select Latest Version or any other version base on the retention policy that use. Because we have only one backup i select Latest Version. Click Next

 

• Select the VM. Click Next.​​​​​​​

 

• Find lot of option here. We use the first  Restore as HYPER-V Machine. You can restore to Azure/Amazon/Google but as virtual disk and not as Virtual Machine.Click Next.

 

• Select where you want to restore it. Click Next.

​​​​​​​

• We don't have encrypt the backup so click Next.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

 

• We don't want to schedule the Restore task. But it's very clever and in many cases maybe use it.

 

• Configure the details of your email to send you email notification in failures , in all cases or to write in Windows Event Logs.

 

• Click next to verify if the network share can access it from Backup Service.

 

• Just a Summary . Click Next and Finish.

 

• Find the Restore Task in Tab Restore Plan and use it whenever you want.

 

You can create Restore Plans for all your VM's to be ready in case that you must restore any of them.

 

File Backup

Cloudberry Backup has different Versions that you can use. 

If you use the CloudBerry Backup Server Edition you have the option of Image Based Backup & File Backup 

One of the feature that really impressed me when use File Backup is the feature of Ransomware Protection.

• When you click in Files from the Top Menu it will start the File Backup Wizard
• First that you must done is to tick on Enable Ransomware Protection.
• When you enable ransomware protection cloudberry backup detect encryption changes in files and prevent existing backup from being overwriting until administrator confirm. 
• This feature can help you from lot of troubles and protect your backup in case of ransomware infection.
• If you need more details you can click in Read more.
• Click Next

 

• You can go ahead with the next steps to select your storage and your Plan Name as describe in section Backup Plan in the beginning.
• Another one interesting feature is the Backup Mode in File Backup that you can use only the Advance Mode. This means that the backup will be encrypted by default. 

 

• Next steps give you the options to select your files that you want to backup , verify if the Backup Service has access to the Backup Storage.
• After finish the Wizard Backup Plan of Files appear in Backup Plans Tab.

 

History

Every good backup software must has logs for every task.

Cloudberry backup include logs for successful,failed of backups or restore plans in History Tab

 

 

I can continue to describe more features in Cloudberry backup but at the end will be boring.

I hope to help you understand the basic and better features of Cloudberry backup.

If you would like to learn more you can visit https://www.cloudberrylab.com/