At Software.co.uk we are committed to remaining at the forefront of software developments and to bringing you genuinely "best of breed" products. As such, we are pleased to preview Acronis True Image Echo, the next generation of Acronis's award-winning disk imaging range.

Final testing of True Image's next major release - True Image Echo - is underway and the Beta tag is about to be removed. It is a highly innovative sequel in a long line of disk imaging successes.

Echo adds to Acronis's portfolio of enterprise-class backup and recovery, migration and virtualization product families. It integrates seamlessly with all Windows- and Linux-based servers, regardless of whether those servers are physical or virtual. Acronis also supports major virtualization operating systems such as VMware, Microsoft and Parallels.

New features

• Enhanced support for virtual machines - Using a combination of Acronis Universal Restore and enhancements to Acronis True Image Echo, the software now provides enhanced support for virtual technology, be it from Microsoft, VMware, XenSource, SWsoft or Parallels. Images can be moved from physical to virtual machines, physical to physical machines, virtual to
• physical machines, and virtual to virtual machines.
• Conversion tools for Virtual Machines - Convert Acronis images to VMDX or VHD files for instant virtualization
• Dynamic Disk support
• Automatic reboot - Boot automatically after a restore operation
• Wake on LAN support - Increased network management capability
• Backup throughout the day - You can now schedule automatic full and/or incremental and differential backups throughout the day
• Clone existing schedules - Increased flexibility in creating imaging schedules
• Periodic backup verification - Ensure your backups are valid by periodically verifying them on a scheduled basis

Complete feature list

• Restore to different hardware -- Complete disaster recovery by ensuring that systems can be restored to any hardware or virtual machine
• Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) support -- Back up your mission-critical applications, such as Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle, on a live server without taking them offline.
• 64-bit Windows support -- Use one application for both new and old systems and software
• Remote, unattended restores with the Acronis bootable agent -- Recover all systems in the network from one central location (for Enterprise Server and Workstation only)
• Boot from an image using Acronis Snap Restore -- Decrease downtime, start working immediately while the backup image is being restored
• Automatic image verification -- Peace of mind by ensuring that images can be used for restoration
• Differential/incremental backups -- Never lose data between full backups by creating interim backups
• File-based backups in addition to our traditional image-based backups -- Flexible system protection
• Exclude files from backups -- Capture only business data and save space in storage archives
• Windows Event Log and SNMP support -- Facilitates administration by plugging into your existing network monitoring application
• Custom scripts before/after backups -- Facilitate compliance with companywide backup policies
• Throttling to control hard disk write speed, CPU usage, and network bandwidth usage -- Minimize disruptions of business operations
• Create CDs with bootable images, PXE packages, and bootable recovery media ISOs -- Eliminate the need to have separate recovery media and provides flexibility for application management

Even though the product is still in Beta, we have some early screenshots*.

The Echo Management Console, allowing for remote management of multiple workstations/servers

Easy backup creation through the Wizard with encryption

Converting to a virtual disk, with VMware, microsoft and parallels currently available

*True Image Echo is currently in Beta, and as such may change prior to its release.

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