We are excited to share some important news with you today. Based on feedback from customers and partners during our Tech Demos at the end of last year, the next release of Backup Exec (formerly referenced as Backup Exec 2012 R2), will be named Backup Exec 2014*. We will be rolling out the Beta in two stages:
- Stage one is planned to start next week with a select group of customers.
- Stage two will likely start the first or second week of March and will be available for all users who have been approved for the Beta program.
This Beta is an important milestone and we wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for your patience. Our top priority is to release a high quality version of Backup Exec. This means we will not compromise on quality to ship a product before it’s ready. While it has taken us a bit longer to reach this milestone, it enables us to provide you with a higher quality product.
Finally, if you haven’t signed up the Beta program, there is still time. This is your chance to try out and test the upcoming Backup Exec release before it’s generally available to the market later this year. This version of the Backup Exec Beta program is very unique. Most vendors, Symantec included, typically support Beta programs in test environments only. This year, we decided to do things a little differently. We will support you running the Beta in test or production environments right up until GA date.
To sign up, visit: www.backupexec.com/2014beta and as a reminder, here’s a quick recap of why you should sign up to the Beta program today:
· Get support for Windows 2012 and 2012 R2
· Get granular recovery capabilities for Exchange 2013 and SharePoint 2013
· Gain access to a dedicated Beta feedback team who are standing by to assist you throughout the Beta
program
· Upgrade to newer builds throughout the Beta program
· Upgrade from Beta code to Gold code without having to uninstall/reinstall
· Leverage the job monitor multi-server jobs functionality that’s back!
We look forward to receiving your valuable feedback on the Beta and helping us attain our goal of a high quality release.
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*We are still working through the exact eligibility requirements for customers no longer current on maintenance and will provide an update ahead of general availability (GA).