IBM Spectrum Protect Reviews

Users have varied experiences with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for IBM Spectrum Protect. Some users find it to be overpriced and not cost-effective, while others consider the pricing fair. One user even switched to Veeam and saved a significant amount of money. 

The licensing process is described as complex and not cheap, with management overhead and additional costs involved. However, there are options for automation and scripting to ease the management burden. The pricing model is considered expensive, high, and sophisticated, with different licensing options and calculations based on factors such as processor type and volume. 

IBM Spectrum Protect has been beneficial for users. It ensures data availability when needed and offers improved features compared to previous solutions. The product allows for the use of larger tape sizes, resulting in fewer tapes and reduced storage requirements. It supports backup policies through versioning, encryption, and security. Overall, the product is considered valuable as it protects and retrieves projects, which are seen as a valuable and necessary investment, similar to insurance.

The primary use case of IBM Spectrum Protect is for data protection, backup, and restoration. It is used for backing up various types of data, including databases, virtual data storing systems, unstructured data, AIX machines, Windows machines, and physical server databases. It is deployed on-premises and is used by finance and insurance companies, service providers, and organizations of various sizes. 

The solution is well-suited for protecting virtualized workloads, physical machines, and physical servers, and it allows for data storage to tape. It is used for backup and archive, high-performance solutions, and protecting the physical environment.

The most valuable features of IBM Spectrum Protect include the overall reliability and scalability of the product. The incremental forever approach, data deduplication, disaster recovery capabilities, file-restoring feature, functionalities related to UFS and KMS, ability to back up physical and virtual machines, useful documentation and troubleshooting, flexibility of the solution, compatibility with various platforms and servers, and the retention sets for efficient backups.

Users appreciate the data backup and protection, Spectrum Scale for parallel storage, deduplication and compression features, load replication, versioning capabilities, incremental forever approach for easy restores, centralized enterprise backup, automatic management, management classes for configuring file versions, compatibility with other products, scalability across platforms, and integration with Tape Library for DRM lifecycle.

Some users mentioned that the software is complex and overly complicated in terms of architecture compared to other tools in the market. They suggested that the solution should be less complicated and should try to declutter its functionalities. Additionally, users highlighted the need for improved monitoring of backup failures and proactive monitoring for early warnings. 

The solution's ability to integrate with a cloud solution and support EFS storage was also mentioned as an area that needs improvement. Users expressed the need for a better user interface, support, and integrations. Security was another concern raised by users, with a desire for better malware detection and prevention. 

Some users also mentioned the need for separate solutions for virtual and physical systems, as well as improved disaster recovery capabilities and flexibility in the architecture. The solution's usability, reporting facilities, and mass deployment capabilities were also mentioned as areas for improvement. Users also suggested better backup virtualization, container backup, replication of data, and ease of use with virtual environments. 

The GUI was mentioned as not up to par compared to other products, and users expressed the need for improved scalability and easier installation. Simplifying the licensing and pricing structure, improving monitoring capabilities, and enhancing the user-friendly nature of the interface were also mentioned as areas of improvement. 

The initial setup for IBM Spectrum Protect is described as complex and not easy. It requires expertise and careful planning. The documentation provided by the central IT team is important for the client-side setup. 

The time required for deployment varies, ranging from less than an hour to a few weeks, depending on the scale and customization requirements. The setup process involves multiple steps and can be challenging to explain in detail. 

The complexity of the setup is attributed to the software's learning curve and the need for specific skill sets. However, for experienced users or those with prior knowledge of the solution, the setup can be straightforward. 

The installation process may require fulfilling certain prerequisites and ensuring that requirements are met. 

Some users mention that it is very scalable, with the ability to scale up and handle a high amount of data. However, there are also mentions of limitations in scalability, particularly in terms of integration with cloud providers and long-term retention. Overall, the solution is considered suitable for mid-range and enterprise customers, with options and stability for different environments and types of customers.

Customers have varying opinions about the customer service and support of IBM Spectrum Protect. Some customers have had positive experiences, mentioning that the technical support team is prompt in their response and provides high-quality service. They appreciate the quick resolution of issues and the availability of helpful documentation and videos. However, there are also customers who have had less satisfactory experiences. They mention that without enterprise support, technical support can be slower and less effective. 

Users consistently rate the stability of IBM Spectrum Protect as high. They describe it as a very stable and reliable solution, with few crashes or downtimes. Some users highlight that they have never experienced any downtime with the product.