Quick Overview
- 1#1: Veeam Backup & Replication - Provides agent-based backup and reliable recovery for physical Windows and Linux servers with advanced features like instant VM recovery.
- 2#2: Veritas NetBackup - Delivers scalable, enterprise-class backup and deduplication for physical servers across heterogeneous environments including multi-site support.
- 3#3: Commvault Complete Data Protection - Offers unified backup, recovery, and cyber resilience for physical servers with AI-driven anomaly detection.
- 4#4: Acronis Cyber Protect - Combines backup, cybersecurity, and disaster recovery for physical servers with integrated anti-malware protection.
- 5#5: Rubrik Security Cloud - Simplifies backup and recovery for physical servers with immutable backups and ransomware recovery capabilities.
- 6#6: Cohesity DataProtect - Hyperconverged backup platform supporting physical servers with global deduplication and multi-cloud management.
- 7#7: Arcserve Unified Data Protection - All-in-one backup, replication, and high availability solution optimized for physical servers and SMBs.
- 8#8: Dell PowerProtect Data Manager - Integrated data protection software for physical servers with policy-based automation and cloud tiering.
- 9#9: NAKIVO Backup & Replication - Fast, agentless and agent-based backup for physical Linux and Windows servers with forever-free edition options.
- 10#10: Macrium Reflect Server Edition - Image-based backup and bare-metal restore specifically designed for Windows physical servers with incremental forever imaging.
These tools were selected based on core metrics like recovery speed, scalability, cybersecurity integration, and user-friendliness, ensuring they deliver robust, adaptable protection that aligns with both enterprise and SMB requirements.
Comparison Table
This comparison table examines leading physical server backup software, such as Veeam Backup & Replication, Veritas NetBackup, and Rubrik Security Cloud, to guide readers in assessing features, performance, and practical fit for their infrastructure protection needs. It breaks down key capabilities, integration strengths, and unique advantages to simplify selecting the right solution for safeguarding critical data.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Veeam Backup & Replication Provides agent-based backup and reliable recovery for physical Windows and Linux servers with advanced features like instant VM recovery. | enterprise | 9.7/10 | 9.9/10 | 8.8/10 | 9.2/10 |
| 2 | Veritas NetBackup Delivers scalable, enterprise-class backup and deduplication for physical servers across heterogeneous environments including multi-site support. | enterprise | 9.1/10 | 9.6/10 | 7.8/10 | 8.2/10 |
| 3 | Commvault Complete Data Protection Offers unified backup, recovery, and cyber resilience for physical servers with AI-driven anomaly detection. | enterprise | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.8/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 4 | Acronis Cyber Protect Combines backup, cybersecurity, and disaster recovery for physical servers with integrated anti-malware protection. | enterprise | 8.5/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.0/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 5 | Rubrik Security Cloud Simplifies backup and recovery for physical servers with immutable backups and ransomware recovery capabilities. | enterprise | 8.3/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.0/10 | 7.5/10 |
| 6 | Cohesity DataProtect Hyperconverged backup platform supporting physical servers with global deduplication and multi-cloud management. | enterprise | 8.4/10 | 9.1/10 | 7.8/10 | 7.6/10 |
| 7 | Arcserve Unified Data Protection All-in-one backup, replication, and high availability solution optimized for physical servers and SMBs. | enterprise | 8.0/10 | 8.5/10 | 7.5/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 8 | Dell PowerProtect Data Manager Integrated data protection software for physical servers with policy-based automation and cloud tiering. | enterprise | 8.2/10 | 8.8/10 | 7.6/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 9 | NAKIVO Backup & Replication Fast, agentless and agent-based backup for physical Linux and Windows servers with forever-free edition options. | enterprise | 8.4/10 | 8.5/10 | 9.0/10 | 8.3/10 |
| 10 | Macrium Reflect Server Edition Image-based backup and bare-metal restore specifically designed for Windows physical servers with incremental forever imaging. | enterprise | 8.4/10 | 8.7/10 | 8.8/10 | 8.0/10 |
Provides agent-based backup and reliable recovery for physical Windows and Linux servers with advanced features like instant VM recovery.
Delivers scalable, enterprise-class backup and deduplication for physical servers across heterogeneous environments including multi-site support.
Offers unified backup, recovery, and cyber resilience for physical servers with AI-driven anomaly detection.
Combines backup, cybersecurity, and disaster recovery for physical servers with integrated anti-malware protection.
Simplifies backup and recovery for physical servers with immutable backups and ransomware recovery capabilities.
Hyperconverged backup platform supporting physical servers with global deduplication and multi-cloud management.
All-in-one backup, replication, and high availability solution optimized for physical servers and SMBs.
Integrated data protection software for physical servers with policy-based automation and cloud tiering.
Fast, agentless and agent-based backup for physical Linux and Windows servers with forever-free edition options.
Image-based backup and bare-metal restore specifically designed for Windows physical servers with incremental forever imaging.
Veeam Backup & Replication
enterpriseProvides agent-based backup and reliable recovery for physical Windows and Linux servers with advanced features like instant VM recovery.
SureBackup with automated testing to verify backup recoverability before disasters strike
Veeam Backup & Replication is a leading enterprise-grade data protection platform that delivers agent-based backups for physical Windows and Linux servers, ensuring application-consistent backups for databases like SQL Server, Oracle, and Active Directory. It supports full, incremental, and forever-forward incremental backups with changed block tracking for efficiency, alongside powerful recovery options including instant recovery and bare-metal restore. The solution integrates robust security features such as immutable backups and ransomware protection, making it ideal for protecting physical infrastructure in hybrid environments.
Pros
- Comprehensive agent-based backups with application-aware processing for consistent data protection
- Lightning-fast recovery including instant VM conversion and bare-metal restore
- Advanced security with immutable repositories and built-in malware detection
Cons
- Subscription pricing can be expensive for small deployments
- Initial setup and agent deployment require technical expertise
- High resource usage during backups in large-scale environments
Best For
Enterprise IT teams managing critical physical servers that demand reliable, secure backups and rapid recovery.
Pricing
Capacity-based subscriptions starting at ~$432 per workload/year (VUL licensing), with community edition free for up to 10 workloads.
Veritas NetBackup
enterpriseDelivers scalable, enterprise-class backup and deduplication for physical servers across heterogeneous environments including multi-site support.
Universal deduplication across media servers, optimizing storage by up to 99% and enabling efficient replication for physical server backups at scale
Veritas NetBackup is an enterprise-class data protection platform that provides comprehensive backup, recovery, and disaster recovery for physical servers across Windows, Linux, UNIX, and other platforms. It supports agent-based backups with advanced features like deduplication, replication, and snapshot integration for efficient data management. NetBackup scales to handle massive data volumes in large environments, ensuring high availability and quick restores even for complex physical server setups.
Pros
- Broad platform support for diverse physical servers and applications
- Advanced deduplication and replication for storage efficiency
- Scalable architecture handling petabyte-scale backups with fast recovery
Cons
- Complex configuration with steep learning curve
- High upfront and ongoing licensing costs
- Resource-intensive operations requiring dedicated infrastructure
Best For
Large enterprises with heterogeneous physical server environments needing scalable, high-performance backup solutions.
Pricing
Quote-based enterprise licensing, typically starting at $5,000+ per server or TB capacity annually via subscription, with perpetual options available.
Commvault Complete Data Protection
enterpriseOffers unified backup, recovery, and cyber resilience for physical servers with AI-driven anomaly detection.
IntelliSnap for hardware-agnostic, application-aware snapshots ensuring consistent backups without downtime
Commvault Complete Data Protection is an enterprise-grade backup and recovery platform designed to safeguard physical servers, virtual environments, cloud workloads, and SaaS applications. For physical servers, it provides agent-based backups supporting Windows, Linux, and Unix systems with features like incremental forever backups, deduplication, encryption, and bare-metal recovery. The solution emphasizes cyber resilience through AI-driven threat detection and automated recovery workflows, making it suitable for complex, large-scale IT infrastructures.
Pros
- Comprehensive support for multi-OS physical servers with application-consistent backups via IntelliSnap
- Advanced deduplication, replication, and global dedupe reduce storage costs significantly
- Strong cyber recovery capabilities including isolated recovery environments
Cons
- Complex setup and steep learning curve for optimal configuration
- High enterprise-level pricing requires custom quotes
- Resource-intensive agents can impact server performance during backups
Best For
Large enterprises with heterogeneous physical server fleets needing robust, scalable data protection and cyber resilience.
Pricing
Enterprise subscription-based pricing; typically starts at several thousand dollars per year per protected server or TB, with custom quotes required.
Acronis Cyber Protect
enterpriseCombines backup, cybersecurity, and disaster recovery for physical servers with integrated anti-malware protection.
Active Protection with AI-driven ransomware remediation integrated into backups
Acronis Cyber Protect is a comprehensive cyber protection platform that delivers backup, disaster recovery, anti-malware, and endpoint security for physical servers, virtual machines, and cloud environments. For physical server backup, it supports agent-based full disk imaging, incremental backups, file-level recovery, and bare-metal restores on Windows and Linux systems, with features like deduplication, encryption, and offsite replication. Its standout integration of cybersecurity tools ensures backups are protected against ransomware and other threats during the process.
Pros
- Integrated backup with anti-ransomware and malware protection
- Excellent support for bare-metal recovery and multi-OS compatibility
- Scalable for physical servers with deduplication and cloud integration
Cons
- Higher pricing compared to dedicated backup-only solutions
- Feature-rich interface can overwhelm users new to cyber protection
- Agent can be resource-intensive on busy physical servers
Best For
Mid-sized businesses and enterprises needing unified backup and cybersecurity for physical servers.
Pricing
Subscription starts at ~$59 per server/year for standard backup; advanced cyber protection tiers up to $99+ per year.
Rubrik Security Cloud
enterpriseSimplifies backup and recovery for physical servers with immutable backups and ransomware recovery capabilities.
AI-driven Anomaly Detection that proactively identifies and responds to ransomware threats in real-time
Rubrik Security Cloud is an enterprise-grade data management platform that delivers backup, recovery, and cyber resilience for physical servers, virtual environments, and cloud workloads. It supports agent-based backups for Windows and Linux physical servers with policy-driven automation, immutable storage, and instant recovery options. Key strengths include AI-driven threat detection to combat ransomware and a unified console for managing diverse data sources across hybrid environments.
Pros
- Immutable backups and AI-powered anomaly detection for superior ransomware protection
- Scalable policy-based automation for physical server and multi-environment management
- Rapid recovery with Live Mount technology minimizing downtime
Cons
- High enterprise-level pricing may deter SMBs
- Initial setup and agent deployment can be complex for physical servers
- Overkill for simple backup needs without cyber resilience requirements
Best For
Large enterprises managing physical servers in hybrid environments who prioritize cyber threat protection and automated data management.
Pricing
Capacity-based subscription pricing (per TB protected), typically $15-25/TB/month; requires sales quote for custom enterprise plans.
Cohesity DataProtect
enterpriseHyperconverged backup platform supporting physical servers with global deduplication and multi-cloud management.
Lockdown Mode providing WORM-compliant immutable backups for superior ransomware resilience
Cohesity DataProtect is an enterprise-grade data protection platform that provides agent-based backups for physical servers on Windows and Linux, alongside support for virtual, cloud, and SaaS workloads. It leverages a scale-out architecture with global deduplication, compression, and immutable storage to optimize backup efficiency and enhance security against ransomware. The solution emphasizes policy-driven automation, instant recovery, and integrated data management for simplified operations across hybrid environments.
Pros
- Advanced ransomware protection with immutable backups and AI-driven threat detection
- Global deduplication and compression for massive storage savings
- Fast logical and granular recovery options for physical servers
Cons
- Requires Cohesity cluster infrastructure, adding setup complexity
- Enterprise pricing may not suit small-scale physical server environments
- Steeper learning curve for users unfamiliar with hyperconverged data platforms
Best For
Mid-to-large enterprises with hybrid physical server environments needing scalable, secure backup integrated with broader data management.
Pricing
Capacity-based subscription licensing per TiB protected (typically $50-100/TB/year), with on-premises, cloud, or SaaS deployment options; custom quotes required.
Arcserve Unified Data Protection
enterpriseAll-in-one backup, replication, and high availability solution optimized for physical servers and SMBs.
Assured Recovery with automated ransomware validation to ensure backups are clean and recoverable
Arcserve Unified Data Protection (UDP) is an enterprise-grade backup and disaster recovery solution that provides comprehensive protection for physical servers through agent-based image-level backups and bare-metal recovery. It supports incremental forever backups, global deduplication, and offsite replication to ensure efficient data protection and quick restores. Additional capabilities include high availability options and integration with cloud storage for hybrid environments.
Pros
- Robust image-based backups with bare-metal recovery for physical servers
- Global deduplication and compression reduce storage costs significantly
- Built-in ransomware detection and assured recovery validation
Cons
- Complex setup and management interface requires training
- Pricing can be higher for small-scale deployments
- Limited free tier or trial options compared to competitors
Best For
Mid-sized businesses and enterprises managing physical servers in hybrid IT environments requiring reliable disaster recovery.
Pricing
Perpetual licenses or subscriptions starting at ~$400-$600 per protected server/workload, plus annual maintenance; scales with advanced features.
Dell PowerProtect Data Manager
enterpriseIntegrated data protection software for physical servers with policy-based automation and cloud tiering.
Cyber Recovery with automated, air-gapped vaulting and validation testing for resilient physical server protection against ransomware.
Dell PowerProtect Data Manager (PPDM) is an enterprise-grade data protection platform that delivers centralized backup, recovery, replication, and disaster recovery for physical servers, virtual machines, and cloud workloads. For physical server backup, it deploys lightweight agents on Windows and Linux systems to enable application-consistent backups, instant recovery, and long-term retention. The solution emphasizes policy-driven automation, analytics for data governance, and tight integration with Dell's hardware ecosystem like PowerProtect appliances.
Pros
- Seamless integration with Dell PowerProtect storage and appliances for optimized performance
- Advanced cyber recovery capabilities including air-gapped vaulting and orchestrated recovery
- Scalable policy-based management supporting thousands of physical servers across hybrid environments
Cons
- Complex initial setup and configuration requiring specialized Dell expertise
- Less optimized for non-Dell hardware compared to competitors
- Opaque quote-based pricing that may not suit small-scale deployments
Best For
Large enterprises with Dell-centric infrastructure needing robust, unified backup management for physical servers in hybrid setups.
Pricing
Quote-based enterprise licensing, typically $5,000+ annually per appliance or capacity-based subscriptions scaling with protected data (e.g., per TB).
NAKIVO Backup & Replication
enterpriseFast, agentless and agent-based backup for physical Linux and Windows servers with forever-free edition options.
Forever-incremental backups that eliminate full backups for physical servers, reducing backup windows and storage needs
NAKIVO Backup & Replication is a versatile backup and recovery solution designed primarily for virtual environments but with robust agent-based support for physical Windows and Linux servers. It offers features like forever-incremental backups, deduplication, compression, and encryption to efficiently protect physical server data. The software enables quick recovery options, including file-level restores and entire server recovery, making it suitable for heterogeneous IT setups.
Pros
- Intuitive web-based interface simplifies management
- Fast backups with deduplication and compression saving storage
- Strong multi-platform support including physical servers
Cons
- Requires agent deployment on physical servers
- Limited agentless options for physical environments
- Advanced enterprise features may require higher licensing tiers
Best For
Small to mid-sized businesses with mixed physical and virtual server environments seeking simple, cost-effective protection.
Pricing
Subscription starts at ~$199 per workload/year; perpetual licenses from ~$349 per workload with 3-year support.
Macrium Reflect Server Edition
enterpriseImage-based backup and bare-metal restore specifically designed for Windows physical servers with incremental forever imaging.
Delta Restore Technology for ultra-fast incremental file and system restores
Macrium Reflect Server Edition is a robust backup and disaster recovery solution tailored for physical Windows servers, offering full disk imaging, incremental and differential backups, and bare-metal restore capabilities. It supports VSS-aware backups for applications like Exchange and SQL Server, enabling consistent data protection without downtime. The software includes features like replication, scheduling, and rescue media creation for efficient server management and recovery.
Pros
- Reliable disk imaging with fast incremental backups
- Powerful bare-metal restore and ReDeploy for hardware independence
- VSS integration for seamless Exchange/SQL backups
Cons
- Limited to Windows environments
- Per-server licensing increases costs for large deployments
- Cloud integration requires third-party services
Best For
Small to medium businesses managing physical Windows servers needing reliable, straightforward backup and recovery.
Pricing
Perpetual license from $599 per server; subscription options and multi-server bundles available.
Conclusion
The top tools in physical server backup software deliver exceptional protection, with Veeam Backup & Replication leading as the clear choice, boasting agent-based reliability and advanced recovery features. Veritas NetBackup stands out as a scalable enterprise solution for heterogeneous environments, while Commvault Complete Data Protection offers unified, AI-driven resilience, each fitting distinct needs. Together, they represent the best in safeguarding physical servers.
Start with Veeam Backup & Replication to experience seamless, reliable protection and recovery—ideal for ensuring business continuity regardless of environment size or complexity.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison