Backup and recovery software protects data on PCs, servers and virtual machines, from single-device licences to enterprise data protection suites. Our range covers backup applications, server and virtual environment protection, and disaster recovery tools from Acronis, HPE, Lenovo, Veritas Technologies and Avast. It suits home users, small businesses and IT teams.
How to choose backup and recovery software
What you need to protect. Count the devices, servers and virtual machines first, then note the operating systems and applications on them. A home PC needs a simple image backup, while a server running databases or virtual machines needs software that understands those workloads.
Licence model. Backup software is commonly licensed per device, per server, per processor socket or by workload, and some products also tie the licence to storage capacity. Check which unit applies before ordering, because the same product can cost very differently as your environment grows.
Recovery options. Restoring single files is not the same as rebuilding a whole machine. Look for full system image recovery, bare-metal restore onto different hardware and bootable recovery media if you need to get a failed server running again quickly.
Backup destinations and retention. Decide whether copies go to a local disk, a NAS, tape or the cloud. Many businesses follow the 3-2-1 rule: three copies, on two types of media, with one stored off site. Check that the software supports your chosen target and lets you set how long older versions are kept.
Security and management. Some products add ransomware protection, encryption and central management for many machines. These matter more as the number of devices grows, since checking each backup by hand becomes impractical.
Backup and recovery brands we carry
- Acronis: known for combining backup with anti-malware protection in products such as Acronis Cyber Protect, and the largest group in our range.
- HPE: best known for servers and storage systems, so its entries are relevant when you are protecting data on HPE hardware.
- Veritas Technologies: a long-standing enterprise data protection vendor, associated with Backup Exec and NetBackup for larger server environments.
- Lenovo: a server and PC manufacturer, with software offered alongside its hardware.
- Avast: widely recognised for security software, which suits users who want protection and data safety from one vendor.
Backup and recovery software FAQ
What is the difference between backup and recovery software?
Backup software creates copies of your files, systems or virtual machines, while recovery software restores them after data loss. Most products do both in one package. The quality of the recovery tools, such as bare-metal restore and bootable media, often decides how fast you are back in operation.
Do I need a separate licence for each server?
Often yes, but it depends on the product. Licences are commonly counted per server, per processor socket, per virtual machine or by capacity. Read the licensing unit in the product details before buying, especially for virtualised environments.
How often should I back up my data?
Back up as often as you can afford to lose work. For a home PC, a daily backup is usually enough. Servers holding business data frequently need several backups a day or continuous protection, so choose software that supports scheduled and incremental backups.
Is cloud backup enough on its own?
No, a single copy in the cloud does not cover every risk. A local copy restores large amounts of data much faster, while the cloud copy protects you from fire, theft or ransomware reaching the office. Combining both follows the 3-2-1 rule and gives you the best chance of full recovery.
