Hasleo Backup Suite V5.6.2.1 Released!

[admin]

Thank you all for the discussion and suggestions! To release a Linux version, we need to address some technical challenges.

As Froggie and Gork mentioned, implementing "hot snapshots" and ensuring data consistency in a Linux environment is far more complex than on Windows. Feasible solutions (such as LVM, btrfs, and ZFS snapshots) mostly rely on users having pre-configured specific filesystems or volume management environments, and they cannot achieve the automatic coordination with applications (like databases) that Windows VSS provides. Additionally, the Linux ecosystem includes a vast number of filesystem types, and achieving full parsing and compatibility would require a tremendous development effort.

At the same time, there is still a significant amount of development and maintenance work to be done on the Windows version, and our team has limited manpower. For these reasons, we currently have no plans to release a Linux version of the backup tool.

Of course, we will continue to monitor the development of the Linux ecosystem, and should circumstances allow in the future, we will be sure to make an announcement. Thank you again for your understanding and feedback!

[chmichael]

Well you're only competitor for this kind of "Backup" software for linux is veeam (which can do VSS like snapshot backups with kernel driver), so you have a change to get customers due of your price and support.

[Froggie]

@chmichael, VEEAM's current implementation is exactly the same as the early Microsoft adopters... home made drivers using a copy-on-write function to accommodate the running System.  This is the method above that didn't quite meet the consistency requirements of many apps using disk-based or cache implemented datasets.  Under Windows, Macrium and Terabyte Unlimited's early implementations of this approach proved to be a bit troublesome... with both adopting Microsoft's VSS approach as soon as it was implemented for use.  VSS has its quirks as well but almost all of the original imaging anomalies have been dealt with along the way.

This was the approach by most of the Windows imaging applications circa 2015... I'm sure VEEAM will get here eventually with its Linux implementation but it will just take time.

Now, to ask a very small set of imaging developers, a group that is still trying to get their excellent product to its pinnacle while using state of the art operating System snapshot functionality from the leading OS provider... that's quite an ask.  Something requiring developing their apps own snapshotting capability (and forget about CBT <Changed Block Transfer>) is a major effort.  I guess if the group felt they were swift enough to pull this off in an OS market that's still miniscule compared to Microosoft Windows... and produce an indispensable product (which would give them the lion's share of the Linux imaging market, hopefully), then they might consider the effort.  My take on this group is YES, they're swift enough, but NO, the effort and market size probably isn't worth it at this time.  And remember... these folks are primarily Windows developers (APIs well known)... a Linux effort would be a significant learning curve (my guess).

I wish them all the luck in the world as they move forward with their decisions... so far, they've been "on the money" so to speak 

[garioch7]

@chmichael,

I must concur with both @admin and @Froggie in their replies to you.  You do raise a question that should be considered, no question.  The problem is that the Linux market is limited, compared to the Windows installed user base, and there are SO many different variations of the Linux OS currently.

There might be a reason why VEEAM is the only serious imaging solution in the Linux ecosystem ...

I wish them all the luck in the world as they move forward with their decisions... so far, they've been "on the money" so to speak  Wink

I totally agree with that assessment by @Froggie.  The Hasleo Team are listening to their Windows clients.  They are continually perfecting the Hasleo Backup Suite, Free and Professional.  I think that they have been very prudent in their product decisions during my limited time as a HBSP client.  I have never before encountered an imaging company so dedicated to responding to their Windows user base.  Considering that this small company's foray into imaging is relatively recent, their progress has been remarkable!

Just my two cents. Have a great day.

Regards,
Phil

[admin]

Thank you @chmichael, @Froggie and @garioch7 for the excellent discussion!

We fully understand the potential in the Linux market that @chmichael mentioned. However, as @Froggie and @garioch7 analyzed, Hasleo's core user base is currently concentrated on the Windows platform, and our team's expertise primarily lies in Windows development. Implementing reliable and efficient snapshot backup on Linux (especially meeting enterprise-level consistency requirements) would indeed require significant R&D resources, and the fragmentation of the Linux ecosystem further amplifies this challenge. Of course, Linux's open-source nature and the accessibility of file system-related resources provide some convenience for development, but the trade-off between overall investment and market size requires careful evaluation—especially since we don't have resources as abundant as Veeam's.

In the short term, we will continue to focus on improving the Windows version of Hasleo Backup Suite to ensure the best possible experience for our existing users. At the same time, we will keep monitoring market changes and technological trends, and we do not rule out the possibility of exploring Linux support at an appropriate time in the future.

Once again, thank you for your valuable suggestions and recognition! Discussions like these help us chart our direction more clearly.

Best regards,
Hasleo Software Team