Existing users, 
 BRU Server - 1.0.6client/server backup & restore system |
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Feedback Summary:
| Version 1.0.6: | |||||
| Overall Rating: |   (2.0) |
Features: | (4.0) |
Support: | (1.0) |
| Ease of Use: | (2.0) |
Quality / Stability: | (2.0) |
Price: | (5.0) |
Key to Types of Feedback:
Reviews 
Troubleshooting 
Usage Tips 
Developer Notes 
Commentary 
Featured Reviews
Not a happy user! - Version: 1.2.0m, 5/8/2007 11:39AM PST
(2 of 4 users found this comment useful)
SEReubart
I'm sure this product is fine on UNIX systems, where everything is done via the command line and portable computers don't exist. But in a Mac environment with laptops, this thing is USELESS. I have been trying to get it to work for more than a year!
It can only back up machines by IP address, so if you have anything that gets its address via DHCP--like laptops--you can't schedule a backup for it. Yes, they released a patch so that a client can inform the server of its current IP address at startup, but the server CANNOT automatically initiate a backup of that machine. There was supposed to be a fix for this released last fall, but so far, nothing.
The user interface is horrible. In the main part of it, clicking on anything can accidentally change your settings so that backups for some machines are no longer scheduled. As a result I have to monitor it constantly to make sure everything has backed up correctly.
While they tell you it will run on an Intel processor, they don't mention that it has to run under Rosetta.Since it's a background task that's always running, it slows down the whole computer.
The company had a forum, but they recently shut it down. I think they just don't want anyone to see all of the complaints.
After several weeks of trying to get it to work reliably, we asked for our money back. The president of the company talked us into waiting for the next version, which was supposed to be out soon. That was last June, almost a year ago.
Even though we purchased an extended support plan, and they are supposed to respond within 48 hours, I often got no reply at all when asking questions.
Recently I got an e-mail asking me to renew our support plan. I think you know what my response would be.
SAVE YOUR MONEY! Unfortunately there aren't a lot of alternatives, since Retrospect seems to be sinking fast...
It can only back up machines by IP address, so if you have anything that gets its address via DHCP--like laptops--you can't schedule a backup for it. Yes, they released a patch so that a client can inform the server of its current IP address at startup, but the server CANNOT automatically initiate a backup of that machine. There was supposed to be a fix for this released last fall, but so far, nothing.
The user interface is horrible. In the main part of it, clicking on anything can accidentally change your settings so that backups for some machines are no longer scheduled. As a result I have to monitor it constantly to make sure everything has backed up correctly.
While they tell you it will run on an Intel processor, they don't mention that it has to run under Rosetta.Since it's a background task that's always running, it slows down the whole computer.
The company had a forum, but they recently shut it down. I think they just don't want anyone to see all of the complaints.
After several weeks of trying to get it to work reliably, we asked for our money back. The president of the company talked us into waiting for the next version, which was supposed to be out soon. That was last June, almost a year ago.
Even though we purchased an extended support plan, and they are supposed to respond within 48 hours, I often got no reply at all when asking questions.
Recently I got an e-mail asking me to renew our support plan. I think you know what my response would be.
SAVE YOUR MONEY! Unfortunately there aren't a lot of alternatives, since Retrospect seems to be sinking fast...
Most Recent Replies: View All 3 Replies
- Not a happy user!
Worst customer support and very average software for the price - Version: 1.2.0m, 5/7/2007 02:48AM PST
(1 of 4 users found this comment useful)
nolloth1
This is my usage tip. Steer well clear of this, unless you like throwing your money down the toilet.
Most Recent Replies: View All 1 Replies
There are excellent enterprise backup solutions in the OS X market now, notably NetVault from Bakbone and Time Navigator from Atempo. Be sure to check them out.
By all means, test BRU as a low-priced alternative if you like, but be sure that you put it through its paces: don't just test backups, but also test restores, and do a series of tests over a few days, not just a one-shot test. You're dealing with the safety of your data, and backup operations tend to to just roll along once they're configured and started, so the inability to restore is absolutely huge.
If you select BRU and begin to use it successfully, be sure to implement a regular (monthly or more often) testing regimen to ensure that your backed up data can be properly restored.