Exploding data volumes, complex backup environments, and pressure from customers and regulators for reliable data are driving the demand for backup and recovery reporting packages. Separate from backup and recovery operational management and storage resource management tools, reporting packages offer:

• Better transparency than scripts and spreadsheets, with fewer hidden costs
• Normalization of results across backup and recovery solutions that use different definitions for key measurements
• Tight integration with backup and recovery tools, for consistent measurements across storage tiers and reporting time horizons

This white paper is designed to help storage professionals, technical, and executive staff members navigate the new product landscape and identify key issues they must address to balance efficiency and risk in their backup environments.