New Retrospect, Inc. Backup and Recovery Software

Retrospect, Inc. announced new versions of Retrospect backup and recovery software for Windows and for Apple Mac OS X.

These releases feature several improvements, including Instant Scan technology that speeds backup and restore operations for Windows and Mac computers, a Dissimilar Hardware Restore add-on for Windows computers, and a new Retrospect client agent for backing up Windows systems from both Windows and Mac OS.

Instant Scan provides Retrospect 8 for Windows and Retrospect 10 for Mac with a performance boost by predetermining which files may need to be copied during any particular activity. By handling this process as a background task rather than as a part of the backup process, it is able to shave valuable minutes or hours off the time needed to complete backup and restore operations. This time savings can be used to back up additional systems, provide breathing room for future growth, or backup critical data more frequently.

Retrospect 8’s Dissimilar Hardware Restore option for Windows provides the capability to restore everything – user data and settings, applications and the OS – from a backed up computer to one with completely different hardware.

"Since returning Retrospect to private ownership in November 2011, we’ve refocused on our traditional core markets: small and midsize businesses," said company co-founder Eric Ullman. "One challenge faced by smaller organizations that lack dedicated IT staff is restoring applications and user data to a brand new computer. The new hardware is often different enough from the old that a simple restore becomes a complex migration project. Retrospect 8’s Dissimilar Hardware Restore add-on completely eliminates that pain point by automating the restore process and adjusting for the new hardware."

The new Retrospect Client agent for Windows – included with both the Mac and Windows releases – provides on-demand backup and restore functionality in the client software. This allows end users to manage their own high-priority restores without requiring intervention from the backup administrator. This capability was introduced for Mac clients late last year, and now it’s available for both platforms, along with improved (AES-256) network link encryption, notification area integration, and administrator-level control to activate these features on a client-by-client basis.

Other Improvements
Retrospect 8 for Windows gains support for cloud-based storage using WebDAV (Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning), providing an automated option for offsite backups. Cloud storage providers like Egnyte and Internet hosting providers like DreamHost provide affordable WebDAV-accessible storage that Retrospect can employ for offsite backups. This feature was first made available in Retrospect 9 for the Mac.

Pricing and Availability
Retrospect 8 for Windows and Retrospect 10 for Mac are available from resellers or on the company’s web site as an electronic download. Boxed product will be available from resellers at the end of November. Retrospect is available in six languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, and Japanese.

Pricing for the Retrospect ranges from $119 for Retrospect Professional (Windows) and Desktop (Mac), which protect a single non-server computer and up to five additional networked PCs, up to $1,999 for Retrospect Multi Server (Windows and Mac), which protects as many Mac, Windows, and Linux servers and PCs as bandwidth and storage capacity will allow. Upgrades range from $49 to $1,109. (All prices listed above are suggested retail pricing)

Free upgrade period: individuals and organizations that purchased a Retrospect license on or after October 1, 2012 will receive email notification that they qualify for a free upgrade to the latest Retrospect release.