Data Protection Manager Ships

Data Protection Manager (DPM, formerly called Data Protection Server) 2006—a new server product that provides Windows file servers with an intermediate hard-disk-based backup and restore facility—is now shipping. DPM reduces exposure to lost data by taking backups many times per day, dramatically reduces file restore times, and lets users restore files without IT assistance. However, the first release does not provide long-term archival or disaster recovery and protects ordinary files only—it cannot back up specialized data stores, such as the Windows Registry, Exchange, and SQL Server. It also will not run natively on 64-bit versions of Windows.

Overcoming Limitations of Traditional Tape Backup

DPM is designed to mitigate some traditional tape backup problems, including the following:

Difficulty backing up servers in branch offices. Backing up data stored on branch office servers poses a dilemma. These offices generally do not have anyone with IT skills to manage sets of backup tapes, yet the bandwidth of their WAN connections is insufficient to copy huge volumes of data for backup to tape in a central data center.