{"id":20289,"date":"2026-02-19T07:20:49","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T07:20:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sandbox.backupassist.com\/blog\/?p=20289"},"modified":"2026-04-03T09:32:02","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T09:32:02","slug":"16-things-that-users-of-backup-exec-can-expect-when-moving-to-backupassist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sandbox.backupassist.com\/blog\/16-things-that-users-of-backup-exec-can-expect-when-moving-to-backupassist","title":{"rendered":"16 things that users of Backup Exec can expect when moving to BackupAssist"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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For many SMB users of Backup Exec, switching to BackupAssist is not just an alternative, but an upgrade. You’ll get ransomware-specific protections, agentless Hyper-V backup, and recovery in under 10 minutes. You’ll also get non-proprietary backup formats, modular pricing designed for SMBs, and direct access to real support people\u2014not tiered enterprise queues.<\/p>\n\n

Cyber-security features unique to BackupAssist Classic<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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  1. CryptoSafeGuard \u2013 dedicated ransomware protection<\/li>\n
  2. Cyber Black Box – saving historical forensics<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n

    Backup capabilities<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

      \n
    1. Multiple backup engines in one product<\/li>\n
    2. Reverse incremental drive imaging<\/li>\n
    3. Agentless Hyper-V backup<\/li>\n
    4. Better USB\/removable media management<\/li>\n
    5. Defense in depth capabilities<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n

      Restore and recovery features<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

        \n
      1. Rapid recovery features (<10 minutes)<\/li>\n
      2. Full system recovery with Lifeline Recovery<\/li>\n
      3. Integrated granular restore tools and Recovery Bible<\/li>\n
      4. Long term accessibility thanks to non-proprietary data formats<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n

        Company<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

          \n
        1. You’ll deal with real people, not a giant faceless company<\/li>\n
        2. Modular pricing that’s fair and reasonable<\/li>\n
        3. Significantly lighter footprint<\/li>\n
        4. Avoiding vendor lock in<\/li>\n
        5. Stable ownership and company<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n

          Cyber-security features unique to BackupAssist Classic<\/h2>\n\n

          Criminals now routinely target backup systems alongside production data.<\/p>\n\n

          BackupAssist has responded with innovative, purpose-built ransomware protections, while Backup Exec’s architecture predates the modern ransomware era.<\/p>\n\n

          1. CryptoSafeGuard \u2013 dedicated ransomware protection<\/h3>\n\n

          This is BackupAssist Classic\u2019s signature differentiator. CryptoSafeGuard<\/a> is a cyber-resilience feature designed to protect backups from ransomware attack and prevent ransomware-encrypted files from being backed up.<\/p>\n\n

          It has 2 components:<\/p>\n\n

          CryptoSafeGuard Detector:<\/strong> When a backup job starts, BackupAssist scans the data being backed up. If there is any sign of a possible ransomware infection, all backup jobs will be blocked from running, and SMS alerts will be sent if configured.<\/p>\n\n

          CryptoSafeGuard Shield:<\/strong> The Shield protects backup files where ordinary user-based access controls fail. Conventional user-based access controls (such as those offered by NTFS, or NAS that integrate with Active Directory) fail because they restrict access based on the user. Ransomware can bypass these controls as it can run as a regular user or a privileged user. The Shield restricts based on process, which is a more effective method to preserve the integrity of your backups.<\/p>\n\n

          While Backup Exec offers encryption and anomaly detection, it doesn’t have this proactive, process-level shielding that actively blocks unauthorized access to backups.<\/p>\n\n

          2. Cyber Black Box – saving historical forensics<\/h3>\n\n

          Inspired by stories of frustration from cybercrime investigators, the Cyber Black Box<\/a> logs vital forensic data such as network connections, processes, and logs, and inserts them into the backups. In the event of a security breach, this greatly assists investigators by providing historical data points which otherwise would be lost.<\/p>\n\n

          Backup capabilities<\/h2>\n\n

          Backup Exec was primarily built for large enterprises.<\/p>\n\n

          BackupAssist Classic is tailored for SMBs – offering a surprisingly flexible set of backup options, giving you multiple ways to protect your data to suit your environment.<\/p>\n\n

          3. Multiple backup engines in one product<\/h3>\n\n

          We know there’s no one-size that fits all, and the backup needs of each business can vary considerably. That’s why we include 4 different “backup engines” in BackupAssist Classic:<\/p>\n\n