Breaking News: System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 SP1 is RTW!

(RTW = Released to Web)

If you’re already managing the protection of your data with System Center Data Protection Manager 2007, you’ll definitely want to know that SP1 for DPM 2007 is out and available for download TODAY. (see below if you just want the download links)

And you probably also want to know that if you’ve been looking at DPM, and would be able to use some of the new functionality to your advantage.

“So.. what’s new?”

Here’s the text from an e-mail I received from Jason Buffington, the Senior Technical Program Manager for DPM:

Service Pack 1 for Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM) 2007 provides continuous data protection for Windows application and file servers using seamlessly integrated disk and tape media and includes the following expanded capabilities:

• Protection of Hyper-V™ virtualization platforms, including both Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V and the Microsoft Hyper-V Server, has been added to the existing set of protected workloads, building on the virtualization protection originally delivered for Virtual Server 2005.
• Enhanced SQL Server 2008 protection, including the addition of new protection capabilities for mirrored databases, support for parallel backups of databases within a single instance, and the ability to move data from SQL Server 2005 to SQL Server 2008 for migration scenarios.
• Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 and Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 receive index protection, significant catalog optimization, and support for mirrored content databases.
• Added protection for Exchange Server 2007 Standby Cluster Replication (SCR), enabling a complete disaster recovery solution that leverages SCR failover alongside DPM point-in-time restores.

In addition to enhancing the protection of each of the core Microsoft application workloads, additional capabilities have also been introduced with the release of DPM 2007 SP1, such as:

• Local Data Source Protection enabling the DPM 2007 SP1 server to act as a branch office server offering self-protecting File Services and Virtualization hosting within one platform.
• Cross-Forest Protection allowing large enterprise customers with multiple Active Directory® forests to now have even more flexibility in their DPM deployments.
• Provision for a Client DPML answers customer demand for a more cost-effective way to protect Windows XP and Windows Vista clients using the same DPM 2007 infrastructure that protects their servers
• Disaster Recovery capabilities within DPM 2007 SP1 now include the ability to leverage a third-party vaulting partner via the cloud (SaaS)

All of this new functionality builds on the features released in the DPM 2007 ‘Rollup Update’ in June 2008, which provided protection of Windows Server 2008, including Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 core, Windows Server 2008 System State and BitLocker™ support – as well as new tape media capabilities around tape sharing and media library sharing. 

Between ‘Rollup Update’ and Service Pack 1, most of the core features of DPM 2007 have seen incremental capabilities or workload advancements which promises to keep Data Protection Manager on a trajectory toward improving how Microsoft customers protect and recover their Windows application and file servers with the Microsoft backup and recovery solution.

“Where do I go for more information?  Where’s the download?”

Here are the links for you:

• What’s new in Service Pack 1
  http://www.microsoft.com/SystemCenter/DataProtectionManager/en/us/WHATs-NEW.aspx
• DPM 2007 sp1 x86
  http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=125991
• DPM 2007 sp1 x64
  http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=125992
• SP1 videos on TechNet Edge
  http://edge.technet.com/tags/DPM
• Upcoming Webcast on SP1 (January 8th, 2009)
  http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032399151