Comet Backup for MSPs Review

Last updated: April 2026

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Quick Answer

Datto BCDR, a key business continuity and disaster recovery solution, offers AI-powered screenshot verification with more than 99% accuracy, significantly reducing false positives in backup validation.
Datto SIRIS integrates hardware, software, and a disaster recovery cloud into a single, unified platform, simplifying management for IT teams and MSPs.
Datto's platform provides multilayered security, which includes immutable backups, end-to-end encryption, and ransomware detection, ensuring data resilience against various threats.
Datto SIRIS features a transparent, flat-fee pricing model that eliminates ad-hoc costs for elements like cloud administration, ingress, egress, DR testing, or disaster recovery, allowing for predictable budgeting.

Datto SIRIS is a comprehensive business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR) solution designed to keep business operations running smoothly, even during unexpected disruptions. It unifies backup capabilities with integrated cloud disaster recovery, offering a complete stack for MSPs and IT teams to protect critical data. This all-in-one approach combines hardware, software, and a dedicated disaster recovery cloud, removing the complexities of managing multiple, disparate point products. One of its standout features is AI-powered screenshot verification, which boasts more than 99% accuracy in confirming backup recoverability by intelligently analyzing boot states and UI screens. This high accuracy rate helps reduce false positives and saves technician time, giving partners confidence in their backups. The solution also emphasizes robust security with multilayered protection and transparent, flat-fee pricing that helps manage IT budgets without hidden costs.

What is Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BCDR)?

Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BCDR) solutions are vital tools that help organizations maintain operations and secure their data during disruptions. These disruptions can range from cyberattacks like ransomware to natural disasters or hardware failures. The core purpose of BCDR is to protect critical data, minimize the duration of downtime, and ensure that systems can be quickly restored, allowing businesses to continue functioning without significant interruptions.

In our analysis, we see that Datto defines SIRIS as an all-in-one, turnkey BCDR solution. It is specifically built for MSPs and IT teams. This solution unifies backup capabilities with integrated cloud disaster recovery, providing a complete stack of tools needed to protect critical data. The goal is to ensure seamless business continuity, even when unexpected events occur.

The Importance of BCDR for Modern Businesses

Modern businesses face an increasing array of threats that can jeopardize their operations. A robust BCDR strategy is no longer a luxury but a necessity. It involves planning for potential disasters and having the systems in place to recover swiftly. Without effective BCDR, businesses risk significant financial losses, reputational damage, and potential regulatory penalties due to data loss or extended downtime.

Effective BCDR solutions ensure that data is not only backed up but also readily recoverable. This includes everything from individual files to entire workloads and critical systems. The ability to quickly restore operations is paramount. When disruptions happen, every minute of downtime can translate into lost revenue and productivity. A well-implemented BCDR solution acts as an insurance policy, safeguarding a business's digital assets and operational integrity.

Key Components of a Comprehensive BCDR Solution

A comprehensive BCDR solution typically includes several key components working in concert. These components ensure that data is protected, accessible, and recoverable under various scenarios. One essential component is reliable backup technology, which captures and stores data at regular intervals. This backup process needs to be efficient and secure, often involving both local storage and offsite cloud storage for redundancy.

Another critical component is disaster recovery capability. This involves the ability to restore systems and data quickly after an incident. This might include virtualizing systems instantly, either locally on an appliance or in the cloud. The goal is to get essential services back online as fast as possible, minimizing the impact of the disruption. Furthermore, robust security measures are integral to any BCDR solution. These measures protect backups from corruption, unauthorized access, and cyber threats. This includes features like encryption, immutable backups, and ransomware detection.

For MSPs, managing these components across multiple clients can be complex. An all-in-one solution simplifies this management by consolidating different functionalities into a single platform. This reduces the overhead of managing disparate systems and ensures a consistent level of protection across all client environments. Datto SIRIS aims to provide this unified approach, making it easier for MSPs to deliver reliable BCDR services.

Datto SIRIS as a Turnkey BCDR Solution

Datto SIRIS positions itself as a turnkey BCDR solution. This means it offers a complete, ready-to-use package that includes all necessary elements. It integrates hardware, software, and a disaster recovery cloud into a single platform. This integration is designed to simplify the process of backup and disaster recovery, removing the hassle of aligning various point products from different vendors.

The unified nature of Datto SIRIS means that MSPs do not have to piece together a BCDR strategy from disparate tools. Instead, they get a cohesive system that handles data resilience across physical, virtual, and cloud environments. This consolidation helps minimize the complexity often associated with robust data protection. Whether for small businesses or larger IT infrastructures, SIRIS aims to eliminate the headaches of managing separate systems, ensuring backups are handled effortlessly.

The solution focuses on enabling quick restoration, even during unexpected disruptions. By providing a comprehensive set of tools, Datto SIRIS helps businesses stay operational and secure at all times. This commitment to seamless business continuity is central to its design. It means that when a disaster strikes, MSPs can rely on SIRIS to help their clients recover quickly and efficiently, protecting their critical data and minimizing downtime.

How Does Datto SIRIS Ensure Recovery Certainty?

Datto SIRIS ensures recovery certainty through a combination of advanced technologies, with a particular emphasis on its AI-powered screenshot verification. This feature is crucial for confirming that backups are not just successful, but genuinely recoverable. It tackles a common challenge in backup management: the uncertainty of whether a backup will actually work when needed.

The AI-powered screenshot verification for Datto BCDR delivers more than 99% verification accuracy. This high level of precision is achieved by intelligently analyzing various aspects of a backup. It looks at boot states and UI screens, essentially simulating a system restore to confirm that the operating system and applications start correctly. This automated process significantly reduces the need for manual validation by technicians. It also helps to identify and reduce false positives, providing clearer insights into any potential failure points. This feature is included at no additional cost, making it a valuable part of the Datto SIRIS offering. It gives partners confidence that when a backup is marked successful, it is truly recoverable, which is paramount for business continuity.

The Role of AI in Backup Verification

Artificial intelligence plays a transformative role in enhancing the reliability of backup verification. Traditionally, verifying backups could be a time-consuming and often manual process. Technicians might have to perform test restores or visually inspect logs to confirm the integrity of a backup. This approach is prone to human error and can be inefficient, especially for MSPs managing numerous client environments.

Datto's use of AI in its screenshot verification automates and streamlines this critical step. The AI algorithms are trained to recognize normal boot processes and user interface states. When a backup is verified, the system essentially "boots" a virtual machine from the backup image and takes screenshots. The AI then analyzes these screenshots to determine if the system has booted successfully and if the user interface is functioning as expected. This intelligent analysis goes beyond simple file integrity checks; it verifies the operational readiness of the entire system.

By achieving more than 99% verification accuracy, the AI-powered system drastically improves the trustworthiness of backups. This level of accuracy means that MSPs can have a high degree of confidence that their clients' data and systems can be restored when an incident occurs. This confidence is vital for delivering reliable business continuity services and for building trust with clients.

Reducing False Positives and Saving Technician Time

One of the significant benefits of AI-powered verification is its ability to reduce false positives. A false positive occurs when a backup is reported as successful, but it is actually corrupted or unrecoverable. Such situations can lead to critical failures during a real disaster, as the "successful" backup turns out to be useless. The AI's intelligent analysis helps to catch these issues before they become problems. By meticulously examining boot states and UI screens, the AI can detect subtle anomalies that might indicate an underlying issue, even if basic checks passed.

This advanced detection capability saves valuable technician time. Without AI, technicians would spend considerable effort manually validating backups, often on a regular basis. This repetitive task diverts resources from other critical IT management activities. With the AI handling the verification, technicians are freed up to focus on more complex issues, proactive maintenance, or strategic client initiatives. The system provides clearer failure insights, meaning that if a backup does fail verification, the MSP team receives more specific information about the cause, enabling faster troubleshooting and resolution.

The fact that this feature is included at no additional cost further enhances its value proposition for MSPs. It represents an investment in reliability and efficiency without adding to the operational expenses. This allows MSPs to offer a higher level of service to their clients without increasing their own costs, contributing to a more profitable business model.

Verified, Tested Backups and High Availability

Beyond AI-powered verification, Datto SIRIS is built on a foundation of verified and tested backups, coupled with the high availability of the Datto Cloud. This multi-pronged approach ensures that recovery is not just possible but highly probable and efficient. The platform enables rapid recovery from any downtime scenario. Critical systems can be virtualized instantly, either locally on the SIRIS appliance or directly in the Datto Cloud. This capability means businesses can get back to operations quickly, minimizing the impact of disruptions.

Datto's hardened platform is designed to avoid extended downtime and data loss. This involves not only the robust backup process but also the infrastructure supporting the recovery. The ability to quickly restore data, from individual files to full workloads, is a hallmark of the system. This flexibility ensures that regardless of the scope of the data loss, a recovery path is available and proven.

The high availability of the Datto Cloud is another critical factor. This geographically distributed cloud infrastructure ensures that backup data is stored securely and is always accessible for recovery. Even if a local appliance is compromised or unavailable, the cloud copy provides a reliable failover option. This redundancy is essential for true business continuity. The combination of AI-powered verification, instant virtualization, and a resilient cloud infrastructure gives MSPs and their clients confidence that their data is protected and recoverable, keeping their businesses up and running.

What Makes Datto SIRIS an All-in-One Solution?

Datto SIRIS stands out as an all-in-one solution because it simplifies backup and disaster recovery by integrating all necessary components into a single, unified platform. This includes hardware, software, and a dedicated disaster recovery cloud. This integrated approach is designed to remove the hassle and complexity that often comes with aligning disparate point products from multiple vendors. Instead of managing separate tools for backup, storage, and recovery, MSPs get a cohesive system that works together seamlessly.

This unified platform also provides robust security features and operates under a transparent, flat-fee pricing model. This pricing structure helps eliminate hidden costs and the confusion associated with juggling multiple vendors and their varied billing structures. SIRIS aims to minimize the complexity of data protection across physical, virtual, and cloud environments, making it easier for businesses of all sizes to achieve data resilience.

Consolidating Backup and Disaster Recovery Management

The primary benefit of an all-in-one solution like Datto SIRIS is the consolidation of backup and disaster recovery management. In many traditional setups, IT teams or MSPs might use one vendor for backup software, another for storage hardware, and yet another for cloud-based disaster recovery. This creates a fragmented environment that is difficult to manage, monitor, and troubleshoot. Each product might have its own interface, licensing model, and support channels, leading to increased administrative overhead and potential compatibility issues.

Datto SIRIS addresses this by bringing everything under one roof. It provides a seamless platform that delivers data resilience across diverse environments, including physical servers, virtual machines, and cloud-based systems. This means that whether a client's infrastructure is on-premises, virtualized, or a hybrid model, SIRIS can protect it. This consolidation eliminates the headaches of managing disparate systems, allowing MSPs to streamline their operations and ensure that backups are handled effortlessly. The unified dashboard and management console simplify monitoring and reporting, giving MSPs a clear overview of their clients' backup status from a single pane of glass.

This approach not only improves efficiency but also enhances the overall reliability of the BCDR strategy. When all components are designed to work together, there is less chance of misconfigurations or integration challenges. This leads to a more robust and dependable data protection framework, which is critical for maintaining business continuity.

Integrated Hardware, Software, and Cloud Disaster Recovery

A key aspect of SIRIS being an all-in-one solution is its tight integration of hardware, software, and cloud disaster recovery. The SIRIS appliance itself serves as the on-site backup device, providing local storage and the capability for instant local virtualization. This hardware component is specifically engineered to work with Datto's proprietary backup software. This software manages the backup schedules, data deduplication, compression, and replication processes.

Beyond the local appliance, SIRIS includes access to the Datto Cloud, which acts as the offsite disaster recovery cloud. This cloud infrastructure is designed for robust security and high availability. It stores copies of the backups, providing an additional layer of protection and enabling cloud-based recovery options, such as instant virtualization in the cloud. This three-pronged integration ensures that data is protected at multiple levels: locally on the appliance, and remotely in the secure Datto Cloud.

This tightly coupled system means that MSPs don't have to worry about compatibility issues between different vendors' products. The hardware is optimized for the software, and both are seamlessly connected to the cloud infrastructure. This integration simplifies deployment, configuration, and ongoing management. It ensures that the entire BCDR process, from data capture to recovery, is handled within a single, coherent ecosystem, making it easier for MSPs to deliver comprehensive data protection services to their clients.

Robust Security and Transparent Pricing

As an all-in-one solution, Datto SIRIS also incorporates robust security measures and a transparent pricing model. The security aspect is multilayered, designed to keep data resilient against various threats. This includes features like immutable backups, which prevent data from being altered or deleted after it's been saved. End-to-end encryption secures data both in transit and at rest, protecting it from unauthorized access. The geographically distributed cloud infrastructure adds another layer of security, ensuring data redundancy and availability even if one location is affected.

Other critical security features include ransomware detection, which helps identify and alert MSPs to potential ransomware attacks on client systems. Forced two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of access control, preventing unauthorized users from accessing the management console. The patented Cloud Deletion Defense™ further protects against accidental or malicious deletion of cloud backups. This comprehensive security suite is built directly into the SIRIS platform, offering peace of mind to MSPs and their clients.

The transparent, flat-fee pricing model is another hallmark of the all-in-one approach. Datto SIRIS combines backup, disaster recovery, and cloud storage under one simple, predictable pricing structure. This eliminates the complexity and uncertainty of multiple vendors, each with their own billing cycles and potential hidden costs. There are no ad-hoc costs for cloud administration, ingress, egress, DR testing, or disaster recovery. This predictable pricing allows MSPs to confidently manage their IT budget or drive profitability for their business, without unexpected fees impacting their bottom line. Datto SIRIS BCDR solution provides everything needed to keep a business running smoothly, without hidden fees or the confusion that comes with juggling multiple vendors.

How Does Datto SIRIS Protect Against Threats and Downtime?

Datto SIRIS is engineered to provide comprehensive protection against various threats and to minimize downtime through rapid recovery capabilities and multilayered security. Its design focuses on ensuring that businesses can quickly bounce back from any disruption, whether it's a cyberattack, hardware failure, or natural disaster. The platform allows for instant virtualization of critical systems, either locally on the SIRIS appliance or directly in the secure Datto Cloud. This capability is key to getting businesses back online fast, preventing extended downtime.

The hardened platform of Datto SIRIS is built to avoid prolonged periods of unavailability and data loss. It enables quick restoration of data, ranging from individual files to entire workloads. Beyond recovery, SIRIS protects data with a robust, multilayered security framework. This framework includes features like immutable backups, end-to-end encryption, and a geographically distributed cloud infrastructure. Additional safeguards such as ransomware detection, forced two-factor authentication, and patented Cloud Deletion Defense™ further strengthen its resilience against threats.

Rapid Recovery from Any Downtime Scenario

The ability to recover quickly is paramount in any BCDR solution, and Datto SIRIS excels in this area. It offers rapid recovery from virtually any downtime scenario, ensuring that critical business operations can resume with minimal interruption. The core of this capability lies in its instant virtualization feature. This allows MSPs to spin up a virtual copy of a client's server or workstation directly from a backup, either on the local SIRIS appliance or within the Datto Cloud. This means that even if a physical server fails completely, the business can continue operating from the virtualized instance within minutes, not hours or days.

This instant virtualization capability is a game-changer for minimizing downtime. Instead of waiting for new hardware to be procured, configured, and data to be restored, businesses can immediately access their critical applications and data in a virtual environment. This keeps employees productive and customer-facing services operational. The flexibility to virtualize locally or in the cloud provides options depending on the nature and scale of the disaster. Local virtualization offers the fastest recovery times for on-site issues, while cloud virtualization provides a robust solution for site-wide disasters.

Datto's hardened platform is specifically designed to support these rapid recovery operations. It ensures that the recovery process is reliable and efficient, allowing for the quick restoration of data from individual files up to full system workloads. This comprehensive recovery capability gives MSPs confidence that they can meet their clients' recovery time objectives (RTOs) and recovery point objectives (RPOs), thereby safeguarding their business continuity.

Multilayered Security for Data Resilience

Protecting data requires more than just backups; it demands a robust, multilayered security approach to withstand various threats. Datto SIRIS incorporates several advanced security features to ensure data resilience. One critical feature is immutable backups. Once a backup is created, it cannot be altered, encrypted, or deleted by ransomware or other malicious actors. This provides a clean, uncorrupted copy of data that is always available for recovery, even if the primary systems are compromised.

End-to-end encryption is another foundational security measure. Data is encrypted when it is captured from the client's systems, as it travels across networks to the SIRIS appliance and the Datto Cloud, and while it rests in storage. This encryption protects sensitive information from unauthorized access throughout its lifecycle, ensuring confidentiality and compliance. The geographically distributed cloud infrastructure further enhances security and resilience. By storing backup data in multiple, separate data centers, it guards against localized outages or disasters, ensuring that data is always accessible from an alternative location.

Beyond these core protections, SIRIS includes advanced threat detection and prevention capabilities. Ransomware detection actively monitors for suspicious activity that could indicate a ransomware attack. If a threat is detected, the system can alert MSPs, allowing for rapid containment and recovery before widespread damage occurs. Forced two-factor authentication adds a crucial layer of security to access controls, requiring users to verify their identity through a secondary method, which significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access due to compromised credentials. The patented Cloud Deletion Defense™ provides an additional safeguard against accidental or malicious deletion of cloud backups, offering a grace period during which deleted backups can be recovered, further protecting against data loss. Datto Endpoint Backup for MSPs also leverages some of these robust security features.

Trust in Verified, Tested Backups and High Availability

The foundation of strong data protection and rapid recovery lies in trust. MSPs and their clients need to trust that their backups are valid and that the recovery process will work when needed. Datto SIRIS builds this trust through its verified, tested backups and the high availability of the Datto Cloud. As discussed, the AI-powered screenshot verification plays a pivotal role here, providing more than 99% accuracy in confirming backup recoverability. This automated testing ensures that every backup is scrutinized for its ability to boot and function correctly, eliminating guesswork and manual effort.

This continuous verification process means that MSPs can rely on the integrity of their backups. They know that when a disaster strikes, the recovery points they select have been pre-validated and are ready for use. This significantly reduces the stress and uncertainty during a crisis, allowing IT teams to focus on executing the recovery plan efficiently. The high availability of the Datto Cloud further reinforces this trust. The cloud infrastructure is designed for maximum uptime and accessibility, ensuring that backup data is always available for restoration, regardless of external circumstances.

The combination of rigorous backup verification and a resilient cloud infrastructure ensures that businesses can confidently keep their operations running. It provides the assurance that their critical data is protected against a wide array of threats and that they have the means to recover quickly and effectively. This comprehensive approach to data protection and recovery is what makes Datto SIRIS a reliable choice for MSPs aiming to provide top-tier BCDR services to their clients.

Why Do MSPs Choose Datto?

MSPs choose Datto for a variety of reasons, primarily because the company offers a comprehensive suite of tools designed to protect clients from downtime and data loss, while also simplifying IT operations. Datto provides a broad range of solutions that go beyond just backup, covering various aspects of business continuity, security, and IT management. This extensive portfolio allows MSPs to standardize on a single vendor for many critical services, which can lead to greater efficiency and easier management.

Their offerings include high-performance business continuity solutions like Datto SIRIS and more tailored options such as ALTO for small business continuity. Beyond these core BCDR products, Datto provides specialized solutions like SaaS Protection for cloud applications, Endpoint Backup for individual endpoint data, and Backup for Microsoft Azure. Furthermore, Datto extends its value proposition to security and operational tools, including Managed SOC, Endpoint Detection & Response, and Antivirus solutions, creating a holistic ecosystem for MSPs.

Comprehensive Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Tools

At the core of Datto's appeal for MSPs is its comprehensive set of business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR) tools. MSPs are tasked with ensuring their clients' operations remain resilient in the face of various threats, and Datto provides the necessary arsenal. Datto SIRIS, for example, is a high-performance business continuity solution that integrates hardware, software, and cloud recovery. This all-in-one approach simplifies the complex task of BCDR, making it easier for MSPs to deploy and manage across their client base.

For smaller businesses, Datto offers ALTO, which provides business continuity specifically tailored to their needs. This ensures that even clients with more modest IT budgets can access reliable data protection and recovery services. The ability to offer different tiers of BCDR solutions allows MSPs to cater to a diverse range of client requirements, from small shops to large enterprises. This flexibility is a key differentiator, enabling MSPs to scale their services and meet varying client demands effectively.

The depth of Datto's BCDR offerings means that MSPs can protect a wide array of client data and systems. This includes traditional servers, virtual machines, and critical applications. The goal is to provide maximum protection with minimum spend, ensuring that clients are shielded from the costly consequences of downtime and data loss. This comprehensive protection translates into peace of mind for both the MSP and their clients, knowing that a robust recovery plan is in place.

Specialized Backup and Protection Solutions

Beyond its core BCDR offerings, Datto provides several specialized backup and protection solutions that address specific client needs. This allows MSPs to offer granular protection for different types of data and environments. For instance, SaaS Protection is designed to secure, protect, and restore SaaS applications. As more businesses rely on cloud-based services like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, protecting this data becomes critical, and SaaS Protection ensures that this data is backed up and recoverable.

Endpoint Backup is another specialized solution that focuses on backing up, restoring, and protecting endpoint data. With the rise of remote work and distributed workforces, individual workstations and laptops hold significant amounts of critical business data. Endpoint Backup ensures that this data is protected, even if the device is lost, stolen, or compromised. There is also an Endpoint Backup with Disaster Recovery option specifically for endpoint server data, providing more robust protection for these critical systems.

Datto also offers Backup for Microsoft Azure, providing data protection for environments hosted on Microsoft Azure. As businesses leverage public cloud infrastructure, ensuring data resilience within these environments is crucial. Furthermore, File Protection allows for the backup and restoration of specific files and folders, offering flexibility for clients who might only need to protect certain data sets. The Workplace solution enables secure file syncing and sharing, adding another layer of data management and collaboration. Datto also provides Backup for Microsoft Entra ID, ensuring data protection for Microsoft Entra ID environments. This broad portfolio of specialized solutions allows MSPs to provide tailored, comprehensive data protection strategies for all their clients' diverse needs.

Simplifying Operations with IT Management Tools

Datto's value to MSPs extends beyond backup and recovery to simplifying IT operations as a whole. The company offers a suite of IT management tools designed to help MSPs manage, monitor, and support their clients more efficiently. These tools are crucial for MSPs looking to streamline their own business processes and improve service delivery.

One key offering is Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM). This tool allows MSPs to manage, monitor, and support client systems remotely. RMM solutions are indispensable for proactive IT management, enabling MSPs to detect and resolve issues before they impact client operations. This leads to reduced downtime, improved client satisfaction, and more efficient use of technician time.

Another important operational tool is Autotask Professional Services Automation (PSA). This platform helps MSPs manage their entire IT business operations, including ticketing, billing, project management, and reporting. A robust PSA system is vital for MSPs to organize their workload, track profitability, and ensure consistent service delivery. By integrating with other Datto products, Autotask PSA can provide a unified view of client environments and service requests, further enhancing operational efficiency.

Datto also offers Quote Manager software, which simplifies the quoting process and helps drive revenue growth for MSPs. Generating accurate and professional quotes quickly can be a time-consuming task. Quote Manager automates much of this process, allowing MSPs to focus on client relationships and business development. These operational tools, combined with Datto's networking solutions, demonstrate a commitment to powering the business of IT for MSPs. They help MSPs run their own businesses more effectively, which in turn allows them to provide better service to their clients.

How Does Datto Address Pricing and Budgeting?

Datto addresses pricing and budgeting with a clear and predictable model, designed to eliminate hidden and unexpected costs for MSPs. The company understands that MSPs need to manage their IT budgets confidently and drive profitability. For this reason, Datto SIRIS uses a simple, predictable pricing model that combines backup, disaster recovery, and cloud storage into a single fee. This approach simplifies financial planning and removes the complexity often associated with multiple vendors and their varied billing structures.

A key aspect of this pricing model is the inclusion of free-to-use hardware. This means MSPs do not need to make a separate capital expenditure for the on-site SIRIS appliance. Instead, the hardware is provided as part of the service. Combined with a flat-fee service, this model ensures there are no ad-hoc costs for elements like cloud administration, ingress, egress, disaster recovery testing, or actual disaster recovery events. This transparency allows MSPs to offer predictable pricing to their clients and better manage their own profitability.

Eliminating Hidden and Unexpected Costs

One of the most significant challenges for MSPs when dealing with multiple vendors for BCDR services is the potential for hidden and unexpected costs. These can arise from various sources, such as charges for data ingress (uploading data to the cloud), data egress (downloading data from the cloud), cloud storage overages, or fees for performing disaster recovery testing. These unpredictable costs can quickly erode an MSP's profit margins and make it difficult to provide consistent, transparent pricing to their clients.

Datto SIRIS's pricing model is specifically designed to eliminate these financial surprises. By combining backup, disaster recovery, and cloud storage under one simple, predictable fee, MSPs gain clarity and control over their expenses. This means that when an MSP quotes a price to a client for BCDR services using SIRIS, they can be confident that the actual costs will align with their projections. There will be no unexpected bills for using the cloud, for moving data in or out, or for conducting essential DR tests.

This transparency is crucial for building trust with clients and for maintaining a healthy business model. MSPs can confidently manage their IT budget or drive profitability for their business, knowing exactly what their costs will be. The removal of ad-hoc fees simplifies financial administration and allows MSPs to focus on delivering value to their clients rather than navigating complex billing statements.

Simple, Predictable Pricing Model

The core of Datto's approach to pricing is its commitment to a simple, predictable model. This model is constructed to cover all essential aspects of backup, disaster recovery, and cloud storage within a single, easy-to-understand fee. This stands in stark contrast to solutions that might charge separately for software licenses, hardware, cloud storage capacity, data transfer, and recovery services. Such fragmented pricing can be a nightmare for budgeting and forecasting.

With Datto SIRIS, MSPs benefit from a streamlined pricing structure that allows for consistent monthly or annual billing. This predictability is invaluable for both the MSP and their clients. For the MSP, it means they can accurately forecast their expenses and client charges, making it easier to plan for growth and manage cash flow. For clients, it means clear, straightforward billing without the worry of fluctuating costs based on usage or recovery events.

This simple model ensures that MSPs can confidently manage their IT budget. They can set their pricing for clients with the assurance that their underlying costs from Datto will remain consistent. This stability supports long-term client relationships built on trust and transparent service delivery. The predictable pricing helps MSPs drive profitability by allowing them to accurately calculate margins and ensure their services are both competitive and sustainable.

Free-to-Use Hardware and Flat-Fee Service

A significant component of Datto's predictable pricing model is the inclusion of free-to-use hardware. The SIRIS appliance, which is the on-site component of the BCDR solution, is provided without an upfront capital cost. This is a major benefit for MSPs, as it removes a substantial initial investment barrier. Instead of having to purchase expensive hardware for each client, MSPs can deploy the SIRIS appliance as part of the service, effectively making it an operational expense rather than a capital one. This helps improve cash flow for MSPs and makes it easier to onboard new clients without large hardware outlays.

Coupled with the free-to-use hardware is a flat-fee service model. This means that the ongoing service charge covers all aspects of the BCDR solution, including the software, the use of the Datto Cloud, and all associated services. There are no additional charges for cloud administration, which can often be a hidden cost with other cloud providers. Similarly, there are no fees for data ingress or egress, regardless of how much data is uploaded or downloaded.

Crucially, the flat-fee service also covers disaster recovery testing and actual disaster recovery events. This is a major differentiator, as many other solutions charge extra for these critical activities. For an MSP, knowing that they can perform regular DR tests without incurring additional costs is vital for ensuring compliance and validating their recovery plans. In the event of a real disaster, the flat-fee model means there are no unexpected charges for bringing systems back online, allowing the MSP to focus solely on recovery without financial concerns. This comprehensive, all-inclusive pricing model makes Datto SIRIS a financially attractive and predictable solution for MSPs.

What Are Alternatives to Datto SIRIS?

While Datto SIRIS offers a robust, all-in-one business continuity and disaster recovery solution, MSPs have several other options available in the market. These alternatives often provide similar functionalities, though they may differ in their approach to integration, pricing, or specific features. When considering alternatives, MSPs typically look at how well a solution fits their clients' needs, their own operational model, and their budget constraints.

Axcient x360Recover is one such alternative available for disaster recovery. It is a solution that MSPs might explore for data protection and business continuity. Another prominent option is Veeam Cloud Connect for Service Providers, which allows MSPs to offer cloud backup and replication services to their clients using Veeam's technology. These alternatives are frequently reviewed and rated on platforms like Gartner Peer Insights and SoftwareReviews.com, which provide insights from other users and industry analysts.

Axcient x360Recover as a Competitor

Axcient x360Recover is a notable competitor in the business continuity and disaster recovery space, particularly for MSPs. Like Datto SIRIS, Axcient x360Recover provides solutions aimed at protecting client data and ensuring rapid recovery from various incidents. While the specific features and architecture may differ, the core objective is the same: to minimize downtime and prevent data loss for businesses.

MSPs considering Axcient x360Recover would typically evaluate its backup capabilities, recovery options, and overall management interface. Solutions like Axcient x360Recover are often designed with MSPs in mind, offering features such as multi-tenant management, flexible deployment options, and predictable pricing models. Reviews and ratings for Axcient x360Recover can be found on platforms such as Gartner Peer Insights, which provides feedback from IT professionals who have experience with the product. SoftwareReviews.com and TrustRadius.com also offer customer reviews and ratings for Axcient x360Recover, detailing user experiences with its features and performance.

When comparing Axcient x360Recover to Datto SIRIS, MSPs would likely look at factors such as the level of integration (e.g., whether it's an all-in-one hardware/software/cloud solution or a more software-centric approach), the reliability of backup verification, the speed of recovery, and the security features offered. The pricing model, including any hidden costs for cloud storage or recovery, would also be a significant consideration. The choice between these solutions often comes down to specific feature sets that align best with an MSP's service offerings and their clients' technical requirements.

Veeam Cloud Connect for Service Providers

Veeam is another major player in the backup and recovery market, and its Veeam Cloud Connect for Service Providers offering is a direct alternative for MSPs looking to provide cloud-based backup and disaster recovery services. Veeam is widely recognized for its robust backup software, particularly in virtualized environments. Veeam Cloud Connect extends these capabilities by enabling MSPs to easily integrate their backup infrastructure with Veeam's cloud services or their own cloud infrastructure.

This solution allows MSPs to offer off-site backup and replication services to their clients, providing an essential component of a comprehensive BCDR strategy. Clients can leverage their existing Veeam backup agents and simply point their backups to the MSP's cloud repository, powered by Veeam Cloud Connect. This simplifies the process for clients and allows MSPs to build a recurring revenue stream by offering managed cloud backup services. Veeam Cloud Connect for Service Providers focuses on enabling service providers to deliver secure and efficient cloud backup and replication.

When evaluating Veeam Cloud Connect against Datto SIRIS or Axcient x360Recover, MSPs would consider several factors. Veeam is often favored by organizations already heavily invested in virtualized environments or those who prefer a software-defined approach to backup. MSPs would compare the ease of deployment, the management interface, the range of supported environments (physical, virtual, cloud, SaaS), and the specific features for disaster recovery, such as instant VM recovery or failover capabilities. Pricing models, including per-VM or per-GB costs, and the availability of bundled services, would also play a critical role in the decision-making process. The architectural differences, such as Datto's integrated hardware appliance versus Veeam's software-centric model, represent different philosophies that may appeal to different MSP operational preferences.

Evaluating BCDR Solutions on Review Platforms

When MSPs are researching alternatives like Axcient x360Recover or Veeam Cloud Connect, they often turn to independent review platforms for unbiased insights. These platforms aggregate feedback from actual users, providing valuable perspectives on product performance, usability, and customer support. Gartner Peer Insights is one such authoritative source where IT professionals can share their experiences with various software and services. Axcient x360Recover reviews on Gartner Peer Insights offer detailed ratings and written reviews from verified users, covering aspects like product capabilities, integration, and service & support.

Other platforms like SoftwareReviews.com and TrustRadius.com also provide comprehensive reviews and ratings for BCDR solutions. SoftwareReviews.com, for example, offers detailed reports and customer scores that can help MSPs understand the strengths and weaknesses of different products. TrustRadius.com provides similar in-depth reviews, often including buyer considerations and comparisons. These platforms are invaluable for MSPs conducting due diligence, as they offer real-world perspectives that might not be available directly from vendors.

When reviewing these platforms, MSPs typically look for consistent themes in user feedback, such as ease of use, reliability of backups, effectiveness of recovery, quality of customer support, and value for money. They also pay attention to any recurring issues or limitations mentioned by users. By leveraging these independent review sources, MSPs can make more informed decisions about which BCDR solution best meets the needs of their business and their clients, ensuring they select a robust and reliable platform for data protection and business continuity.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Datto SIRIS?

Datto SIRIS is an all-in-one, turnkey business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR) solution. It integrates hardware, software, and a disaster recovery cloud into a single platform. This unified approach helps MSPs and IT teams protect critical data, minimize downtime, and ensure seamless business operations even during unexpected disruptions. It is designed to simplify data protection across physical, virtual, and cloud environments, eliminating the complexity of managing disparate systems.

How does Datto SIRIS verify backups?

Datto SIRIS verifies backups using AI-powered screenshot verification. This advanced feature analyzes boot states and UI screens to confirm that a backup is truly recoverable, not just successfully created. It delivers more than 99% verification accuracy, helping to reduce false positives and the need for manual validation by technicians. This verification process is included at no additional cost, providing clear insights into potential failures and confidence in recovery certainty.

Does Datto SIRIS have hidden fees?

No, Datto SIRIS is designed to eliminate hidden and unexpected costs through a simple, predictable pricing model. This model combines backup, disaster recovery, and cloud storage under one flat fee. It also includes free-to-use hardware, ensuring no upfront capital expenditure for the appliance. There are no ad-hoc costs for cloud administration, data ingress, data egress, disaster recovery testing, or actual disaster recovery events, allowing MSPs to manage their budgets confidently.

What kind of security features does Datto SIRIS offer?

Datto SIRIS offers multilayered security to protect data against various threats. Key features include immutable backups, which prevent data from being altered or encrypted after creation, and end-to-end encryption for data in transit and at rest. It also utilizes a geographically distributed cloud infrastructure for redundancy, ransomware detection to identify attacks, and forced two-factor authentication for secure access. Additionally, it includes patented Cloud Deletion Defense™ to protect against accidental or malicious deletion of cloud backups.

What other backup solutions does Datto provide for MSPs?

Beyond SIRIS, Datto provides a range of other backup solutions for MSPs to address diverse client needs. These include ALTO for small business continuity, SaaS Protection for securing and restoring SaaS applications, and Endpoint Backup for protecting individual endpoint data. Datto also offers Backup for Microsoft Azure for cloud environments, File Protection for specific files and folders, and Backup for Microsoft Entra ID. These solutions, along with IT management tools like RMM and Autotask PSA, form a comprehensive ecosystem for MSPs.

— The MSP Directory Team