Paragon Hard Disk Manager

2012: Paragon Hard Disk Manager Server

The Paragon Software company officially submitted in the spring of 2012 the new version of the known packet of Hard Disk Manager 12 Server for effective backup and data recovery in virtual and physical mediums. Among the main differences of the new version functions for expanded control of data media in environments based on a hypervisor of VMware of ESX, including splitting into logical partitions, service operations on service and configuring of storage systems are especially selected. Besides, new, more flexible model of licensing Paragon HDM Server for the virtual and physical systems is offered to customers.

The packet of Paragon Hard Disk Manager (HDM) 12 is available in three basic editions: Server Edition, Virtual Server Edition and Professional Edition. Each edition represents the integrated tool kit for the optimized management of disks. Tools for data backup at the level of disk images and separate files, means of disaster recovery, control function by sections and formatting of disks, means of migration, optimization of drives and also modules for destruction of information on disks are a part of all sets. Using such tools the administrator can carry out any tasks of operation of hard drives – from their check of implementation after purchase before protection of their contents during productive use, up to erasing before write-off and utilization.

It is worth stopping separately at the increased speed and functionality of the products Paragon HDM. Backup of operating systems allows to exclude DBMS-applications on servers now to avoid problems with integrity of data. Such approach allows to consider own politicians of the customer on backup of databases. Besides, in addition to differential backup, incremental backup with creation of images posektorno is supported now. Images of systems can be copied not only in the corporate Paragon format, but also in the form of a virtual hard drive for instant disaster recovery. To recover the virtual machine in that case, the IT administrator needs only two-three minutes.

The new corporate ConnectVD technology of Paragon company allows to be connected directly to virtual hard drives in the environment of a hypervisor of ESX and to execute all main transactions with the virtual drive. As the packet of HDM can be connected to several virtual drives at once, migration of structure of sections can be executed with the same simplicity, as on physical disks.

The packet of HDM 12 is delivered with the Paragon Boot Media Builder utility which creates a boot image based on the WinPE system for ensuring optimal hardware compatibility at disaster recovery or start of systems without connection to working network. The boot carrier offers additional functions of migration for transfer of already existing systems in the new physical or virtual systems now.

Except all above-mentioned, the new version of Paragon HDM 12 Server offers instant recovery of systems using virtualization, automatic recovery on the new equipment using third generation of the corporate Adaptive Restore technology, incremental and differential backup, new masters for creation of the diagram of transactions and the mode "started and forgot". The updated mechanism of execution of scenarios helps to adapt a product to unique backup strategies. Besides, the centralized remote control, the new mechanism of breakdown of disks from the work increased by speed, conversion between the HFS and NTFS file systems without data loss, support of systems with loading via the UEFI mechanism, support of GPT disks with conversion to the MBR format is offered to customers. At last, in a packet of Paragon HDM 12 Server support of the most different file systems, new technology of destruction of data on disks, support of a hypervisor of VirtualBox 4, flexible configuration of abnormal boot carriers based on WinPE and DOS/Linux and also support of the Windows 8 and Windows Server 2008 R2 operating systems is implemented.

2014: Hard Disk Manager 14 Professional

Hard Disk Manager 14 Professional is the professional version of the product Paragon: House Expert 14. The technology of backup Paragon Hot Backup and data recovery of Paragon Adaptive Restore which is based on dynamic disk imaging successfully proved in the different fields of business and the companies of different level. The airports, the International Space Station, the universities, world famous producers of the hardware and large resellers in the most different spheres of business already use solutions of a line Paragon Hard Disk Manager.

The functionality of connection of virtual disks in the professional version of a product helps to convert pVHD containers into other known formats of virtual disks: VHD and VMDK. HDM 14 offers the most extensive set of utilities necessary for the system administrator, including backup tools and recovery, migration and data management and also a full range of operations on segmentation of the hard drive, migration in real time (P2V, V2P, V2V, and P2P), virtualization, automatic alignment of sections, reliable overwriting of data from a disk and many other things. The flexible license policy is available to the companies of different level.

On June 23, 2014 Paragon Software announced an exit of upgraded version Hard Disk Manager 14.

Among new opportunities there are product lines:

• Full compatibility with Windows 8.1
• The updated intuitive interface
• The new format of storage of archives in the form of virtual disks of pVHD (Paragon Virtual Hard Disk) allows to create the backup copy of separate sections or the whole disks in the container optimized for storage of copies of virtual and physical machines. Archiving in the containers VHD and VMDK
• Full support of uEFI in Windows, WinPE and Linux, including the backup capsule, compatible to uEFI

2015: Paragon Hard Disk Manager 15 Business and Premium

The product line of Paragon Hard Disk Manager 15 Business and Premium updated in February, 2015 provides continuous protection and comprehensive service of IT infrastructure of small and medium business

The advanced technology of creation of reserve images in a format of a virtual container (pVHD, VHD, VHDX, VMDK) provides even more reliable protection of a system at the file and sector levels

15 version of a product offer enhanced capabilities to virtualization thanks to agentless protection of the guest machines Hyper-V, and stable protection of a system at the sector and file levels is provided considerably with advanced technology of creation of reserve images in a format of a virtual container (pVHD, VHD, VHDX, VMDK).

HDM 15 offers the most extensive set of utilities necessary for the system administrator, including backup tools and recovery, migration and data management and also a full range of operations on segmentation of the hard drive, migration in real time (P2V, V2P, V2V, and P2P), virtualization, automatic alignment of sections, reliable overwriting of data from a disk and many other things. The flexible license policy is available to the companies of different level.

New opportunities and advantages of Hard Disk Manager 15:

• Stable and highly effective protection of a system both on sector, and at the file level thanks to advanced technology of creation of reserve images in a format of a virtual container (pVHD, VHD, VHDX, VMDK).
• Enhanced capabilities of virtualization using agentless protection of the guest machines Hyper-V.
• Ensuring continuity of business processes thanks to two technologies of creation of "instant pictures of a system" (Microsoft VSS and Paragon Hot Backup™) for backup and migration of the Windows systems without interruption of the current activity.
• Considerable gain of performance for the account use of virtual containers (pVHD, VHD, VHDX, VMDK) in P2V-recovery transactions.
• The maximum confidential information protection thanks to support of Windows BitLocker in combination with a new format of backup copies of pVHD.
• Considerable simplification of loading process of a product thanks to the Master of creation of boot carrier 3.0.
• Full support of uEFI in Windows, WinPE and Linux, including the backup capsule, compatible to uEFI (in the version of Premium).
• Support of Windows 8.1, Server 2012 R2 and latests version of a hypervisor of ESX VMware.
• Support of disk spaces of Windows (Storage Spaces).
• The improved interface completely compatible to Windows 8.1 and Server 2012 R2 and many other things.

The solution Hard Disk Manager 15 for small and medium business is presented in two versions – Business and Premium.

Paragon Hard Disk Manager Business is the available universal solution for the small companies locating narrow staff of IT specialists or absolutely its not having. Support of servers and versions of technical licenses for the specialists performing administration of small server groups is offered.

Paragon Hard Disk Manager Premium is a set of unique technologies and experience of Paragon company in the field of the device management of storage, protection and a sanitization given for physical and virtual environments of Windows. The product provides service of storage devices of the Windows® server and also enhanced capabilities of virtualization of data.

The technical license Hard Disk Manager 15 gives an opportunity of installation and use of a product on several servers and workstations, being economic version of the software for the system administrators, technical specialists and IT consultants servicing physical, virtual and hybrid IT environments.

• BitLocker support — it is available only in the professional version of Hard Disk Manager 14 Professional
• Support of disk spaces of Windows (Storage Spaces)

2016: Paragon Hard Disk Manager 15

The Paragon Software Group company announced in January, 2016 updating of a line of Paragon Hard Disk Manager 15. New options are available to all users and to all versions — Suite, Professional, Business, Premium.

Among innovations: full support of Windows 10; the optimized master of export of a virtual container (helps to write a virtual container on removable mediums (CD, DVD or Blu-ray disk) and to move it on other computer); support of the encryption algorithm AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) — by default all created archives are protected by own encryption algorithm Paragon Software, but, if desired, it is possible to select instead of it an algorithm of AES with different key length (128, 192 and 256 bits); an option of autosave of the report on overwriting (allows to save automatically reports in the selected folder); an opportunity to automatically create a data archive only on a system status (the special option will help to create automatically backup copies of all important system settings, along with data of the main important applications, ignoring at the same time other data which are stored in the system section. Thus, it is possible to create the optimal backup copy of a system status); support of VMware vSphere ESX/ESXi 5.

Paragon Hard Disk Manager 15 allows to manage loading process, to make splitting a disk into sections, to optimize PC capacity, to copy and recover data, to ensure safety of a system and also to erase a disk at threats of unauthorized access.

The product is completed with new technology of overwriting of SSD disks (Solid State Drive). As you know, the SSD drive stores data differently, than hard drives therefore the existing methods of cleaning of a disk which were originally used for hard drives are not suitable for SSD drives — the internal architecture of SSD strongly differs. After a number of the researches Paragon Software Group optimized technology of overwriting and now can guarantee reliability of removal of data on SSD drives. Hard Disk Manager 15 Professional contains means of the guaranteed removal of data on hard drives — 10 algorithms of overwriting of data, own algorithm Paragon Software and also supports work with the user algorithms, told in the company.

The solution Hard Disk Manager 15 for small and medium business is presented in two versions — Business and Premium. The technical license of the solution gives an opportunity of installation and use of a product on several servers and workstations. Hard Disk Manager (HDM) for small and medium business solves the different problems connected with backup, disaster recovery and service of workstations and servers.

Two technologies of creation of "instant pictures of a system" (Microsoft VSS and Paragon Hot Backup) for backup and migration of the Windows systems without interruption of the current activity provide the continuity of business processes.

As believe in Paragon Software, agentless protection of the guest machines Microsoft Hyper-V will be especially interesting to corporate clients. Unlike traditional means of backup Paragon Hard Disk Manager can work at virtualization level, using MS VSS (Microsoft Volume ShadowCopy Service), providing agentless protection of the guest machines MS Hyper-V. Thus, Paragon Hard Disk Manager does not require the agent on the target virtual machine to create a copying point (including a configuration, the operating system, applications, etc.) in specific timepoint, explained in the company.