Arcserve ShadowProtect
Arcserve ShadowProtect creates image backups for Windows and Linux computers and servers, including physical and virtual machines.
What Arcserve ShadowProtect is
Arcserve ShadowProtect creates image backups for Windows and Linux computers and servers, including physical and virtual machines. Its supported workloads include Exchange, SQL Server, SharePoint, IIS, Hyper-V, Dynamics CRM, VMware vCenter, Oracle Database, and custom applications. It also lists support for Microsoft 365, Microsoft Entra ID, Azure DevOps, Dynamics 365, Power BI, Salesforce, Google Workspace, Zendesk, Jira Cloud, and Confluence Cloud. Backups can run multiple times daily, use incremental images, be encrypted, and target cloud destinations; immutable backups are supported. Recovery options include item-level restoration, bare-metal restore, and bootable recovery media. The software supports application-aware backup, audit logs, test failover, failover orchestration, and failback orchestration in a hybrid deployment. There is no free plan, but a 30-day trial is listed. Annual and two-year subscriptions include updates, upgrades, and standard technical support during the subscription period. A perpetual license covers one system in physical or virtual environments. Pricing is on request.
Good
- Supports Windows and Linux systems.
- Creates image and incremental backups.
- Offers item-level and bare-metal restores.
- Supports test failover and failback orchestration.
- Includes immutable backups and image encryption.
Watch out
- No free plan is listed.
- Pricing is available on request.
- The listed trial lasts 30 days.
Who it suits
ShadowProtect suits organisations needing image backup and recovery for Windows or Linux systems, including physical and virtual workloads. It may also fit teams that need failover options and protection for listed business applications or SaaS services.
Verdict
ShadowProtect covers backup, recovery, and failover needs across a broad set of listed workloads in a hybrid deployment. Buyers should account for its quote-based pricing and the absence of a free plan.
Plans and prices
From Arcserve ShadowProtect's own pricing page, checked 21 Sep 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Annual subscription | — | Access to updates and upgrades · Standard technical support during the subscription period |
| Two-year subscription | — | Access to updates and upgrades · Standard technical support during the subscription period |
| Perpetual license | — | One license per system · Applies to physical and virtual environments |
| ShadowProtect SPX Desktop (Windows) | $47 a year | Windows desktops and laptops · maintenance and standard support included · annual subscription |
| ShadowProtect SPX Desktop (Windows) - 2 Years | $83.96, paid once | Windows desktops and laptops · maintenance included · two-year subscription |
| ShadowProtect Basic listing | $99.95, paid once | Capterra listed starting price · quotation required · one-time, per feature |
| ShadowProtect SPX Server (Windows) | $511 a year | Windows servers · maintenance included · annual subscription |
The facts
Each one read from Arcserve ShadowProtect's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- API
- The June 2026 ImageManager 8.1 release added an API that exports verification data to dashboards, reporting systems and automation tools.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Backup scope
- imagechecked 21 Sep 2026
- Computer backup
- Yeschecked 21 Sep 2026
- Continuous backups
- SPX can run a full base image followed by incremental backups on a schedule as frequent as every 15 minutes.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Documentation depth
- Arcserve publishes SPX, ShadowProtect for Windows, ImageManager, ShadowControl, Recovery Environment, release notes and cross-platform user guides.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Encryption
- Backup images can be password-protected with RC4-128, AES-128 or AES-256 encryption.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Hyper-V host protection
- ShadowProtect 8.0 added native host-based Microsoft Hyper-V protection alongside agent-based backups.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Hypervisor coverage
- The virtual license documentation lists Citrix XenServer, Linux KVM, VMware, Hyper-V, VirtualBox, Proxmox, RHEV, everRun and VMware Workstation.checked 15 Oct 2026
- ImageManager
- ImageManager verifies, consolidates, replicates and reports on ShadowProtect backup images.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Immutable storage integration
- Arcserve Cloud Cyber Resilient Storage provides immutable cloud copies integrated with ShadowProtect and ImageManager.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The documentation bookshelf includes PSA integrations for Autotask and ConnectWise, plus ShadowControl and ShadowStream guides.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Legal name
- Arcserve documentation identifies the legal entity as Arcserve LLC.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: image-only backup
- PCWorld noted that ShadowProtect backs up complete drives or volumes rather than directly backing up individual files and folders.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: licensing and validation
- Gartner Peer Insights reviewers cited licensing-related backup failures, lengthy integrity validation and confusing process reporting.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: management complexity
- TrustRadius reviewers mentioned difficult remote management, occasional off-site replication problems and manual maintenance of backup chains.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: pricing
- PCWorld characterized the desktop product as expensive for end users, and Capterra reviewers commonly rated value for money below other categories.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: support and reliability
- Capterra reviewers reported slow support, bugs, backup failures and time-consuming troubleshooting when chains or restores failed.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Management
- SPX provides remote monitoring and management of other SPX systems over HTTP.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Notable news
- On June 4, 2026 Arcserve announced ShadowProtect 8.0 and ImageManager 8.1 with host-based Hyper-V protection and expanded verification reporting and API capabilities.checked 15 Oct 2026
The company
- Company facts
- LinkedIn lists Arcserve as a privately held IT services company founded in 1983 with headquarters in Eden Prairie, Minnesota and 501-1,000 employees.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 1983checked 28 Sep 2026
- Headquarters
- Eden Prairie, Minnesota, United Stateschecked 28 Sep 2026
Money
- Free plan
- Nochecked 21 Sep 2026
Where it runs
- Linux installation
- Linux SPX is installed from Arcserve's public repository and requires a sudo-capable user.checked 15 Oct 2026
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