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New DPX 4.13 Backup Verification Introduction

If your job involves keeping data safe – whether you’re part of an IT operations team, managing infrastructure, or responsible for security- backups are your safety net. They’re what you count on when systems fail, files go missing, or ransomware strikes. The catch is – you have to do backup verification – just because a backup says it completed successfully doesn’t mean it’s actually usable. Many backup systems don’t check if the data they save can be restored. They don’t tell you if the files are corrupt, incomplete, or worse – already infected with malware. So when it’s time to recover, you’re left guessing.

DPX 4.13 introduces new automatic backup verification for those who can’t afford that guesswork. It’s for IT administrators, system engineers, backup operators, and cybersecurity teams who need to know – not hope – that their backups will work. It brings in automatic verification and built-in malware scanning right after each backup finishes, so you can detect problems early and fix them before a restore is ever needed.

Why Traditional Backups Aren’t Enough

A green light in your backup dashboard might look reassuring, but it can be misleading. Many systems don’t verify that a backup is actually usable – they just report that data was copied. If the backup is corrupted or includes hidden malware, you won’t know until restore day. And by then, it’s too late.

DPX 4.13 tackles this head-on by automatically checking backup integrity and scanning for malware. This gives you true confidence that your data is both clean and recoverable.

What DPX 4.13 Does Differently

DPX 4.13 introduces automatic backup verification with a two-part process: it checks that data can be restored, and it scans for threats. This happens right after a backup finishes – no extra steps needed from your team.

Filesystem Check

DPX mounts your backup and acts like it’s about to perform a full restore. It then inspects the file system, partition layout, and access permissions. If anything’s wrong – corruption, inaccessible data, structural issues – you’ll know immediately.

Malware Scan (GuardMode)

Once a backup passes the integrity check, GuardMode scans it for malware. This scan looks for known signatures and unusual file behavior that might indicate ransomware or dormant threats.

Live Monitoring and Alerts

Every step of the verification process is visible in real time. If a backup fails verification or the scan detects a threat, your team gets alerted right away via the built-in notification system.

Where It Works

DPX 4.13 supports two major types of backups out of the box:

VMware Backups

For agentless VMware jobs, DPX automatically mounts and verifies the virtual machine backups without needing to install anything on the guest systems. It handles multiple disks, complex partition setups, and guest filesystems without any manual steps.

Block-Level Backups

The same verification engine also works for block-level (physical server or bare-metal) backups. This includes different operating systems, partition types, and recovery formats. You get the same level of validation for your physical infrastructure as for your virtualized one.

Important Note: You Need vStor

This new verification feature only works for backups stored on Catalogic’s vStor. That’s because vStor provides the mounting technology DPX needs to simulate restores and run scans. If you use another storage backend, you’ll need to migrate those backups to vStor to take advantage of this functionality.

This tight integration with vStor ensures smooth performance, fast scans, and reliable results – all without affecting production systems.

How It Works: A Behind-the-Scenes Look

Here’s what happens step-by-step once a backup completes:

  1. Backup finishes

  2. Verification kicks off (automatically if enabled)

  3. DPX accesses the backup using vStor

  4. Filesystem check: verifies integrity and access

  5. GuardMode scan: scans for malware (if enabled)

  6. Results posted: in the backup job report, with detailed info

If the backup doesn’t pass the filesystem check, the malware scan doesn’t run – so you’re not wasting resources on corrupted data. All results are logged and can be downloaded for auditing or compliance needs.

Why It Matters in the Real World

Reducing Risk

Most restore failures are due to one of two things: corrupted backups or hidden threats. DPX 4.13 helps you avoid both. It ensures that backups are truly restorable and free from malware before you ever need to use them. For companies with compliance needs, these automated checks and audit logs provide an added layer of documentation and assurance.

Saving Time

Manual restore testing is tedious and easy to skip. This system does it automatically. Once set up, it runs in the background – no need for staff to validate backups manually. It also scales with your environment. Whether you’re backing up 10 machines or 10,000, the verification engine runs checks independently without slowing down your backup jobs.

The Bigger Picture: From Guesswork to Assurance

Backup used to mean, “We hope this works.” With DPX 4.13, it becomes “We know this works.” It’s a quiet but much needed evolution in how backup is done – transforming the last step of your data protection plan into something you can rely on with confidence. The real value? Peace of mind. When something goes wrong—and it will—you’re not crossing your fingers. You’re restoring from a backup that’s been proven to work and scanned for threats.

Coming Soon

DPX 4.13 will be available in summer 2025. If you’re already using vStor and DPX for VMware or block-level backups, enabling verification is straightforward. For others, it may be time to revisit your backup strategy. Ask yourself: can you trust your backups today? If the answer isn’t a confident yes, DPX 4.13 is worth a look.

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06/18/2025 0 Comments

How to Use Granular Recovery for Efficient Backups and Restores with Catalogic DPX?

Accurate data recovery is crucial for strategic planning. Granular recovery technology makes restoring the exact data needed easier, without the overhead of backing up everything. It’s the difference between searching for a needle in a haystack and retrieving the needle itself. Catalogic DPX plays a pivotal role in simplifying the process and providing simple backup solutions for complex data problems.

The Evolution of Data Protection: From Backup to Granular Restore 

The journey of data recovery is a reflection of the broader technological advancements in IT infrastructure. Transitioning from the physical confines of servers to the expansive, virtualized environments and the cloud has redefined the parameters of data storage and management.

This shift has brought to the fore the critical need for single file and granular restores—a capability that transcends the traditional, all-encompassing backup approach. Imagine the scenario of a critical configuration file vanishing from a virtual machine within a VMware environment.

The conventional method of restoring the entire VM to reclaim one file is not only inefficient but fraught with the risk of significant downtime and potential data loss from subsequent updates. This scenario underscores the importance of precision in the recovery process, a theme that resonates across various data recovery scenarios, including block backup environments prevalent in large databases or file systems. 

Tackling Data Loss: Granular Recovery in Action 

The real-world implications of data loss or corruption can be stark, ranging from operational disruptions to significant financial setbacks. Consider the accidental deletion of an essential financial report from a VMware-run virtual machine. The traditional recovery method, involving the restoration of the entire VM, is not only time-intensive but could also hamper other critical operations.

This is where the granular restore feature of Catalogic DPX and other backup solutions really shines, making it possible to quickly get back the deleted report and reducing the amount of downtime and business interruption.

Similarly, in block backup environments, the ability to restore specific data blocks is invaluable, particularly when dealing with large datasets. For instance, the quick restoration of a corrupted block containing vital configuration data for a production system can help you mitigate outages and potential revenue loss. 

Enhancing System Recovery with Catalogic DPX’s Precision 

Data recovery demands precision and flexibility, especially in environments where downtime can have significant operational and financial impacts. Catalogic DPX addresses these challenges head-on, providing a comprehensive suite of tools designed to streamline the recovery process. Whether dealing with accidental deletions, system crashes, or the need to recover specific data for compliance purposes, DPX offers a solution that is both efficient and effective. 

Streamlining Data Management with Versatile Backup Solutions 

DPX provides several options for granular file restoration, catering to a wide range of recovery scenarios: 

  • File Backup Jobs: For files protected by file backup jobs, DPX enables users to restore individual files or directories with ease.
  • Agentless File Restore: After backing up VMs in VMware or Microsoft Hyper-V, users can perform agentless file restores, offering a streamlined approach to recovering data from virtual environments.
  • Agent-Based File Restore: Specifically designed for files that were backed up using block backup, this option allows for the restoration of single or multiple files or directories at various levels, from node groups to individual files. 

Minimizing Downtime with Granular Recovery for Business Applications 

Beyond file and directory recovery, DPX extends its capabilities to application restores, supporting a range of critical business applications: 

  • Oracle Database
  • Microsoft SQL Server
  • SAP HANA
  • SAP R/3
  • Microsoft Exchange Server
  • Microsoft SharePoint Server
  • Micro Focus GroupWise
  • HCL Notes and HCL Domino 

This granular selection capability enables IT professionals to restore individual databases or application components, ensuring that critical business functions can be quickly restored with minimal disruption. 

Step-by-Step Guide to Faster Recovery with DPX Granular Restore 

The process of performing a file restore in DPX is designed to be straightforward and efficient. Here’s a brief overview of the steps involved: 

  • Initiate the Restore Job: Users start by accessing the Job Manager in the DPX sidebar and creating a new restore job.
  • Select the Restoration Type: Depending on the granular recovery needs, users can choose from agent-based file restore, agentless file restore, or application restore options.

  • Choose the Files or Applications to Restore: Through the intuitive file manager users can select the specific files, directories, or application components they wish to recover.

  • Configure Job Options: DPX offers a range of job options, including job naming, notification settings, and handling of existing files, allowing for a customized recovery process.

  • Execute the Restore Job: Once configured, the job can be run immediately or scheduled for a later time, providing flexibility to fit within operational schedules

Elevate your Disaster Recovery with DPX 

Catalogic DPX stands as a comprehensive solution for data recovery, offering precision, flexibility, and ease of use. Its intuitive Web UI, coupled with a wizard-driven process and granular selection capabilities, makes it an ideal choice for IT professionals tasked with safeguarding critical data.

Whether dealing with file restores, agentless recoveries in virtual environments, or application-specific recoveries, DPX provides the tools needed to ensure data is quickly and accurately restored.

Interested in seeing Catalogic DPX in action? Reach out to Catalogic Software at info@catalogicsoftware.com or schedule a demo to see how Catalogic DPX can elevate your data recovery strategies to new heights. 

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04/25/2024 0 Comments