125 replies to this topic

[AldoB]

Hello Roxio,

Are you willing to give us an update? A timeframe?
Or just any other professional feedback we can use to plan setting up backup infrastructure.

Thanks

[lylehm]

Now that Retrospect isn't being lateraled from company to company, and there is active development, I think a public beta release is worth consideration - If it gets the product in our hands sooner.

Cheers.

[GMR Mac Backup]

Seeing Retrospect from a different perspective now that we're working with another product. Some of the really powerful features already within Retrospect are sadly missing in a much more expensive product. I didn't realize how much I depended on the OS integration that Retrospect has to offer, I'm talking about the ability to target a folder for backup activity by color. This is such a powerful feature, have a user tag a folder with a particular color and Retrospect can apply a backup strategy to it. It can move a red folder offline then archive it a week later. A simple, elegant solution that puts the users in charge of archiving folders in an 'ad hoc' fashion. I may keep Retrospect around just for that feature alone.

C'mon Roxio, time for your contributions to Retrospect to be recognized!

[btovsky]

here we are in october...

[SeaDave]

Since we seem unable to receive an update, any recommendations for backup software to use instead of Retrospect??

[Habakuk]

mayoff, on 23 August 2011 - 03:34 PM, said:

The release is coming very soon.

By "very soon"... do you still mean while Lion is the actual OS? Or are you waiting for 10.8?

I do have so many issues with retrospect that we are actively evaluating other solutions. We lost so many hours trying to make 8.2 run stable... last hope is a HUGE fix round in 8.3.
If that doesn't come soon (and that really means SOON), then we will abandon this ship and be quite actively communicating this.

[GMR Mac Backup]

SeaDave, on 03 October 2011 - 07:55 AM, said:

Since we seem unable to receive an update, any recommendations for backup software to use instead of Retrospect??

We've just installed Archiware PresSTORE XXL and it's a whole new beast. There have been a few challenges to adapt to the new terminology but I am very satisfied with it's performance. As I mentioned previously I am really missing some of the features I used for years in Retrospect, we will need to radically change our workflow to accommodate the new software. We have archival tapes going back to 2004 that I will need to restore with Retro and re-archive to make recoveries less of a hassle, so I'll be maintaining our current Retro installation until I can make the transition.

If 8.3 turns out to be a free upgrade I will probably install it for the promise of better stability, if Roxio decides it's a paid upgrade to 9 then it's unlikely I'll make the jump.

[cpguru21]

GMR Mac Backup, on 04 October 2011 - 08:56 AM, said:

We've just installed Archiware PresSTORE XXL and it's a whole new beast. There have been a few challenges to adapt to the new terminology but I am very satisfied with it's performance. As I mentioned previously I am really missing some of the features I used for years in Retrospect, we will need to radically change our workflow to accommodate the new software. We have archival tapes going back to 2004 that I will need to restore with Retro and re-archive to make recoveries less of a hassle, so I'll be maintaining our current Retro installation until I can make the transition.

If 8.3 turns out to be a free upgrade I will probably install it for the promise of better stability, if Roxio decides it's a paid upgrade to 9 then it's unlikely I'll make the jump.

Im in the same boat.  After making the initial investment of 2 standalone server installs (25 users each) from EMC, I hope to someday re-install Retro.  My experience with other software is stability, however not intuitive to setup as Retrospect (my opinion).

I have been using a combination of BRU which works, just took a while to understand their terminology and backup methodology.  Example:  in retro you just select incremental and viola you have incremental (I know i know, oversimplification) in BRU you have to first create a full backup job, then add an incremental child job.  The full backup has to run first (at least thats my understanding).

I also use CCC with its new backup to netwrok drives.

I am strictly disk to disk on my apple servers, we use tivoli on our AIX to backup to tapes.

I too am hoping on an update, since there has not been many changes (for me) since I purchased 8.0.  Still here silently (well not now) watching these forums hoping for some news.  With silence (from roxio as example), people form opinions that may be un-founded.  My unfounded opinion is that Roxio just dumped a bunch of dough into this, and if/when they come out with something new, they will charge, and probably target a new market, leaving us here to purchase new or go home.  That, to me, from a business perspective, might make the most sense.  That does not make it right...

[Pocatello Tech]

I'm a sys admin at a small school in Idaho.   I’m so done with Retrospect.

We are in the process of migrating everything over to a BRUapp from Tolis group.    

http://www.tolisgrou...ardware/bruapp/

Network backups are so much more stable although the new software is a bit unnecessarily complex.  If you have any questions on the process of migrating from Retrospect please contact me.  The day for Retrospect is long since past.  

The Bru appliance is very expensive, but you get what you pay for.  Anyway one failed restore from Retrospect was enough for me.  Retrospect almost cost me my Job so good riddance.

[prl]

At what point does it stop being "very soon" after 23 August?

[jlbrown]

mayoff, on 23 August 2011 - 03:34 PM, said:

The release is coming very soon. Rather then release a product before it is ready, we made a business decision to continue testing and bug fixes a little longer. I think everyone would agree that a stable product is much better then a product released too quickly.

Well Mayoff, as others have pointed out, 'very soon' has come and gone, just like July 2011 did.

You now have people on this forum openly discussing alternatives to Retrospect and how to migrate to them! You obviously know how serious this is, but does anyone apart from yourself at Roxio read the forums?

I hate to sound negative, but the impression that this delay and lack of communication gives is that the next release is a complete disaster. Ie it's much worse than the current one so you can't possibly release it.

There has been no reply to the suggestion of extending the private beta to people on this forum. That would 1) help you get a lot of extra testing done under many different situations and 2) give people here the sense that progress is actually being made. This would let them defer their decision to switch to a competitor's product.

Contact people who've posted to this thread privately if you are worried about offering a link to the beta in this thread.

Endless promises with no supportive evidence are really making us feel that 8.3 is just vapour-wear.

Currently I'm running 8.2.0 (399), and have to put up with it losing its clients and media sets. And having to restart proactive backups of Windows clients when they get stuck. After a year this gets very tiresome.

James.

Edited by jlbrown, 17 October 2011 - 06:47 PM.

[Cygnis]

jlbrown, on 17 October 2011 - 06:44 PM, said:

You obviously know how serious this is, but does anyone apart from yourself at Roxio read the forums?

Eric Ullman (the product manager) wrote a single post in September:
http://forums.suppor...me-server-2011/
That's all I'm aware of apart from Mayoff. Maybe other staff are reading but not posting. In any case, I agree it's a shame we don't see more staff activity on here, despite it officially being a 'community' forum.

The Retro-Talk e-mail list is another option to discuss Retrospect:
http://list.dantz.co...info/retro-talk
The list has been really quiet lately, but if more people join and start being vocal on there too, maybe we'll start seeing a bit more official communication.

There's also Twitter and Facebook:
http://www.twitter.com/RoxioRetrospect
http://www.facebook....etrospectBackup

Edited by Cygnis, 18 October 2011 - 07:14 AM.

[btovsky]

coming on november....
i'm also one who thinks that communication is always better than silence, if only to say "we hear you and we're doing the best that we can" - i think many of us would go back to patiently waiting if that was the case. hard to make angry clients unangry again.....
cheers
b

[hvar]

On page 9 in MacTech september 2011 issue there is a full page ad for "New Roxio Retrospect 9". Listing all the new features and a "Download a FREE 45-day trial at www.retrospect.com/trail"

Amongst the new features it lists Cloud Storage support, Great performace, WebDAV, new administrative controls and 10.7 Lion support.

So I think at least someone is expecting a release soon.



edit:typo

Edited by hvar, 25 October 2011 - 02:32 AM.

[cpguru21]

hvar, on 25 October 2011 - 02:19 AM, said:

On page 9 in MacTech september 2011 issue there is a full page ad for "New Roxio Retrospect 9". Listing all the new features and a "Download a FREE 45-day trial at www.retrospect.com/trail"

Amongst the new features it lists Cloud Storage support, Great performace, WebDAV, new administrative controls and 10.7 Lion support.

So I think at least someone is expecting a release soon.



edit:typo

Not sure if this is real or not.  It is not on the mactech website, the url you posted says trail, not trial, but either way doesn't go to a "trial" page to download products.  Would be great if they (Roxio) posteed something here, or on their retrotalk mailing list.  basic quick searches on the internet about Retrospect 9 produces nothing.

Edited by cpguru21, 25 October 2011 - 04:32 AM.

[Cygnis]

cpguru21, on 25 October 2011 - 04:31 AM, said:

basic quick searches on the internet about Retrospect 9 produces nothing.

I found a couple of small bits of info:

http://fall.smbnatio...d=77&Itemid=124
Near the bottom of the page: "Stop by Exhibit Hall booth 406- learn how new Roxio Retrospect 9 for Mac makes backing up to cloud storage profitable, secure and easy!"

http://www.google.co..._DYXkMA&cad=rja
This second one is Italian, which I don't speak, so I ran it through an online translator. The last sentence seems to suggest it will be a free upgrade for users of version 8, but not available at upgrade pricing for users of version 6 and earlier:

"Advances Imminent the launch of version Roxio Retrospect 9 for MAC The new version Retrospect 9 for MAC he will be available give October and between the innovationes that are been implemented are one new and intuitiva interface customer all' vanguard and functions of level enterprise. Between the functionalities announced we will find the management remote of or a more serveur than backup, the support of the new one OS Lion and of WebDAV cloud storage, the restoration of the data started dall' customer… and a lot other anchor will come rendered famous to short. The modernization to version 9 of Retrospect for Mac it will be possible only from the precedence versions 8.x and for those who they will acquire in this period version 8,2 of Retrospect for MAC the modernization it will be free."

Best not to take this too seriously, being a loose translation of unofficial information, but if it's correct, I'm sure disgruntled users of version 8 will be pleased. I hope the bit about users of earlier versions not being eligible to upgrade is wrong, given how many people have probably stuck with 6 due to 8's problems.

Edited by Cygnis, 25 October 2011 - 05:33 AM.

[hvar]

cpguru21, on 25 October 2011 - 04:31 AM, said:

Not sure if this is real or not.  It is not on the mactech website, the url you posted says trail, not trial, but either way doesn't go to a "trial" page to download products.  Would be great if they (Roxio) posteed something here, or on their retrotalk mailing list.  basic quick searches on the internet about Retrospect 9 produces nothing.

Here is a picture of the ad. It is in the paper magazine MacTech, september 2011 issue.
sorry, my typo: url in ad is <www.retrospect.com/trial>

(You only get the 8.2 version trial version there)

 retro9.jpg   95.38K   6 downloads

Edited by hvar, 25 October 2011 - 06:38 AM.

[cpguru21]

hvar, on 25 October 2011 - 06:37 AM, said:

Here is a picture of the ad. It is in the paper magazine MacTech, september 2011 issue.
sorry, my typo: url in ad is <www.retrospect.com/trial>

retro9.jpg

Thanks hvar and Cygnis.  Not sure if I will switch back or not, or get the approval.  Plus the feeling of purchasing a product that was unstable to begin with, then forced to purchase the next version.  Of course i do understand if Roxio does this, im just not sure I like it.

thanks,

[GMR Mac Backup]

Why is it so hard for Roxio to acknowledge they have a new product in the works? It's just over two months since Robin Mayoff last participated in this discussion, a short message indicating "The release is coming very soon", are you still with us Robin? If this is the release that was being discussed then why not flood the forum with a little hope? Let us know what the new software can do, get us excited about the new features, capabilities and reliability. Now that the marketing arm of Roxio has let the cat out of the bag you would think the feature set has been locked down and a list of enhancements and fixes would be near enough for release. Is anyone from Roxio participating in this group discussion?

[mayoff]

Everyone, the product is coming. I can promise that. We had a few delays but everything is almost done.  WebDAV support is one of the many new features.