Compare Commvault vs Veeam: Which is Better and Why

Comparing Commvault vs Veeam: Overview

The article aims to compare Commvault and Veeam Backup features and differences, which helps you choose the right data protection solution.

Commvault also typically a leader in the Magic Quadrant. It is often praised for its wide feature set, such as backup, disaster recovery, and data governance in a unified solution. The key products of Commvault include:

• Complete Backup & Recovery: File, application, and virtual machine backup and recovery, file and virtual machine archiving, encryption, mailbox and endpoint data protection, DR failover/billback, hardware snapshot management, replication, and virtual machine live sync are all included in the package. It also covers tape library management and backup operational reporting.
• Suite expansions: These include Commvault Activate for data governance, Commvault Orchestrate for enhanced provisioning, testing, and service delivery, and Commvault HyperScale for highly scalable data security architecture.

Veeam a backup and recovery solution primarily designed for virtual environments (especially VMware and Hyper-V) but now also provides services for physical, cloud, and SaaS workloads.

Veeam offers three different versions of its backup and recovery software to target different market segments: small, medium, and large enterprises.

• Veeam Backup Essentials (SMB): Reduce the complexity of backup infrastructures at a lower cost.
• Veeam Backup and Replication (Mid-level to SME and Enterprise): Enable management of virtual, physical and cloud workloads from a single management console, providing granular restore capabilities.
• Veeam Availability Suite (Large Enterprise): Control all backup, recovery and replication environments with policy-driven operations and proactive reporting. Fast RTO and RPO improve disaster recovery for mission-critical applications.

Veeam vs. Commvault: Differences

Next, we'll provide a comprehensive comparison of the differences between Commvault and Veeam to help you determine which solution is right for your organization.

Commvault vs. Veeam: How to Choose and Why

1. Ease of Use

Veeam: Known for its simplicity, Veeam’s interface is designed for quick deployment and easy management. Even users with minimal technical expertise can set up and manage backups effectively.

Commvault: Offers a more complex and feature-rich platform. While it provides extensive customization options and advanced features, this complexity can result in a steeper learning curve.

✏If ease of use is a priority, Veeam is the better choice due to its intuitive interface.

2. Backup and Recovery Capabilities

Commvault: Provides robust backup options for a wide range of environments, including virtual, physical, cloud, and mobile devices. Its comprehensive approach to data management makes it suitable for large enterprises with diverse data sources.

Veeam: Excels in virtualized environments, offering fast and efficient backups for VMware, Hyper-V, and Nutanix AHV. It also provides cloud backup capabilities, though its primary strength lies in virtualization.

✏For businesses with a strong focus on virtualization, Veeam is the ideal solution. However, if your environment is more complex or requires hybrid data management, Commvault offers more flexibility.

3. Scalability

Commvault: Designed to handle large-scale enterprise environments, Commvault easily scales across vast amounts of data and diverse infrastructures. It supports both on-premise and cloud deployments, ensuring smooth scalability as your business grows.

Veeam: Veeam also scales effectively, particularly in virtual environments. However, it is better suited for mid-sized businesses and organizations with more straightforward scaling needs.

✏In large enterprises with complex infrastructures, Commvault’s scalability is more robust. For mid-sized companies, Veeam’s scalability is sufficient and easier to manage.

4. Security and Compliance

Commvault: Offers comprehensive security features, including end-to-end encryption, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and RBAC. It also includes extensive compliance tools and reporting for industries with stringent data protection regulations (e.g., finance, healthcare).

Veeam: Veeam provides essential security features like encryption and backup verification, ensuring data integrity. While it covers most compliance needs, it lacks some of the deeper governance tools that Commvault offers.

✏Commvault is the clear winner for businesses in highly regulated industries that need advanced security and compliance features.

5. Cloud Integration and Multi-Cloud Support

Commvault: Strongly supports multi-cloud and hybrid cloud environments, offering integration with AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and other cloud platforms. It excels in managing cloud data and optimizing storage across different providers.

Veeam: Also supports multi-cloud environments and integrates well with major cloud providers. However, its cloud features are more streamlined and geared toward businesses that need basic cloud backup functionality.

✏Commvault takes the lead in cloud integration, particularly for businesses with complex, multi-cloud infrastructures. For more straightforward cloud backup, Veeam is a solid option.

6. Pricing and Licensing

Commvault: Uses a complex pricing model that can be tailored to an organization’s needs. It generally targets larger enterprises, and its cost may be prohibitive for smaller businesses.

Veeam: Offers flexible licensing options, including per-VM and per-user pricing, making it more affordable and appealing to small and mid-sized businesses. It also offers a free version for basic backup requirements.

✏Veeam’s pricing is more transparent and flexible, making it a better option for smaller organizations with tighter budgets.

How to Choose Commvault or Veeam

🟣Commvault is the better choice for large enterprises with complex, hybrid, or multi-cloud environments. Its advanced features and scalability make it suitable for organizations with stringent security and compliance requirements.

🟢Veeam is ideal for small to mid-sized businesses and organizations heavily reliant on virtualization. Its ease of use, instant VM recovery, and affordable pricing make it the preferred choice for many SMBs.

Alternative: Comprehensive and Simple Data Backup Protection Tool

If you're looking for an alternative that combines ease of use with comprehensive functionality, AOMEI Cyber Backup is worth considering.

AOMEI Cyber Backup offers a powerful yet straightforward solution for backing up virtual machines, physical servers, and SQL workloads. It provides features like automatic backup schedules, quick recovery, and centralized management at an affordable price, making it a great option for businesses of all sizes.

[Example] Backup and Restore VMware ESXi VMs Easily via AOMEI Cyber Backup

Step 1. Bind Device

Navigate to Source Device > VMware > + Add VMware Device. Then enter the following information, including device and user. Then click Confirm.

Step 2. Create New Task

Navigate to Backup Task > + Create New Task for auto VMware backups. Select VMware ESXi Backup as an example.

Configure the settings such as Task Name, Backup Type, Device, Target, Archive, Schedule and Backup Cleanup.

Step 3. Start Backup

Click Start Backup and select Add the schedule and start backup now, or Add the schedule only.

Step 4. Restore from Backup

After completing backups, go to Restore to easily recover entire VM to its previous state. Only simple steps to restore virtual machine to original or new location.

Whether you're protecting virtual machines or physical infrastructure, AOMEI Cyber Backup delivers reliable, efficient data protection without the complexity often associated with enterprise-grade solutions.

Conclusion

When comparing Commvault and Veeam, both solutions offer robust data backup and recovery features, but cater to different types of organizations.

As an alternative, AOMEI Cyber Backup provides a user-friendly yet powerful solution, suitable for businesses of all sizes.