AOMEI Cyber Backup

AOMEI Cyber Backup is enterprise-level software for centralized, agentless, automatic backup and recovery of VMware ESXi and Hyper-V virtual machines. It also supports Microsoft SQL Server databases and physical Windows PCs and servers. A web console centralizes operations and daily task monitoring. Users can schedule full, incremental, and differential backups, then use instant recovery, point-in-time recovery, or restore data to another location. Backup destinations include hard drives, NAS drives, network shares, and cloud storage such as AWS S3. The maker describes immutable backups as a way to prevent ransomware changes, and backup encryption as protection against unauthorized access. Monitoring reports task status, while email notifications can report successful backups or issues. A free edition covers basic enterprise backup and recovery. Annual customized licenses are sold in minimum quantities of five; virtual-machine coverage is $99 a year and SQL database coverage is $39 a year. Unlimited annual virtual-machine coverage is $999 a year. On Linux installations, the product currently backs up virtual machines only; other workloads are described as planned for future versions.

AOMEI Cyber Backup brings virtualization, database, and Windows-system protection into a web-console workflow. Linux users should note its current virtual-machine-only backup limitation, and buyers should check license minimums and workload pricing.

It suits organizations that need centralized backups for virtual machines, SQL Server databases, or physical Windows systems. The listed customer groups include small and medium businesses, universities, IT organizations, and large companies.

Overview

AOMEI Cyber Backup is business backup software for teams protecting virtual machines, SQL Server databases, and Windows PCs and servers. It suits organizations that want centralized management across those workloads; its strongest fit is virtualization, while Linux installations currently back up virtual machines only.

Scheduled backups, multiple recovery options, and a web console give administrators a broad set of tools in one workflow. Workload-based licenses and five-unit minimums on several plans make it less straightforward for small deployments or buyers seeking a single low-cost, all-purpose license.

Key features

The web console centralizes backup administration and monitoring. Cyber Backup supports VMware ESXi and Hyper-V virtual machines, Microsoft SQL Server databases, and physical Windows PCs and servers. VMware coverage spans vSphere, ESXi, and vCenter versions 6.0 through 8.0; Hyper-V coverage includes listed Windows client and Server editions.

Administrators can schedule full, incremental, and differential backups, then use instant recovery, point-in-time recovery, or restore to another location. Hard drives, NAS drives, network shares, and cloud storage such as AWS S3 are supported destinations. Bare-metal restore, bootable recovery media, incremental and differential images, and image encryption add flexibility for recovery planning.

AOMEI describes immutable backups as protection against ransomware changes and encryption as a way to protect confidential information from unauthorized access. Task reports show backup status, and email notifications can report successes and issues. These options broaden the protection and monitoring toolkit, but they do not remove the need for organizations to plan and verify their own recovery procedures.

Pricing

The Free Edition costs nothing and is positioned for basic enterprise backup and recovery. It offers a way to begin without a subscription, but the paid plans show that licensed capacity and workload type matter as deployments grow.

Yearly Customized plans are billed annually and sold in minimums of five: VMs cost $99 a year for at least 5 VMs, MSSQL Databases cost $39 a year for at least 5 databases, and Windows PCs cost $59 a year for at least 5 PCs. These suit buyers with a known, limited workload, but the minimums can be a poor fit for smaller fleets. A Perpetual Customized VMs plan costs $499, paid once and also requires at least 5 VMs, offering a one-time-payment option for that workload.

Yearly Unlimited plans are billed annually: VMs cost $999 a year, MSSQL Databases $499 a year, Windows PCs $699 a year, and Windows Servers $999 a year. Their unlimited workload counts make them the clearer fit for larger or growing deployments, though buyers should compare the price against the number and type of workloads they need to protect.

Additional customized entries specify Windows Server licenses for Windows Server 2025, 2022, 2019, 2016, 2012, SBS 2011, and SBS 2008 at no cost; MSSQL Database licenses at $39 a year, with a five-database minimum; and Windows PC licenses at $59 a year, with a five-PC minimum and support for Windows 11, 10, 8.1/8, and 7 (32/64-bit). Buyers should confirm which customized licensing structure applies to their deployment before choosing a plan.

Platforms

The product lists Linux, web, and Windows platforms, with supported systems including Windows 7/8/8.1/10/11, Windows Server 2008 R2–2025, and Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. The Linux caveat is material: an installation on Linux can currently back up virtual machines only, with other workloads described as future additions. Organizations needing Linux-hosted protection for databases or physical machines should look elsewhere for those workloads.

Who it's for

Cyber Backup is aimed at organizations that need business continuity across virtual infrastructure, SQL Server, and Windows systems. Its workload-specific licenses can suit IT teams that know their capacity needs, while unlimited tiers may better match larger environments. AOMEI names personal and SME customers, universities, IT organizations, and large companies among its broader customer base, but the product's enterprise workload focus and plan minimums make it less compelling for an individual PC backup need.

Sales and technical support are available by email, a useful route for questions about fitting workload licensing to an environment.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Broad workload coverage. Virtual machines, SQL Server databases, and physical Windows systems can be managed in one product.
• Pros: Multiple recovery paths. Instant and point-in-time recovery, alternate-location restores, bare-metal restore, and bootable media support different recovery needs.
• Pros: Flexible destinations and safeguards. Local and network storage plus cloud destinations such as AWS S3, immutable backups, and encryption support varied backup plans.
• Cons: Linux workload restriction. Linux installations currently back up virtual machines only, limiting their usefulness for Linux database or physical-system protection.
• Cons: Minimum quantities on customized plans. Five-workload minimums can force smaller teams to pay for more capacity than they need.
• Cons: Workload-specific pricing requires planning. Separate VM, database, PC, and server tiers mean buyers must match licenses to their environment rather than assume one plan covers every need.

Alternatives

For a broader look at this category, browse Disk Imaging Software.

Acronis True Image is a paid alternative with Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows support; its Essentials plan is $49.99 a year for up to 5 PCs/Macs and unlimited mobile devices. Consider it when that device mix and personal-computer coverage suit the need better than Cyber Backup's business workload licensing.

Active@ Disk Image offers a free edition and a 21-day fully functional Professional Trial. It may suit readers comparing a Windows or self-hosted disk-imaging option with a trial period.

AOMEI Backupper has a perpetually free Windows PC backup plan and a Professional Yearly plan at $39.95 a year. It is a reasonable alternative when the need is Windows PC backup rather than Cyber Backup's wider server and virtualization focus.

HDClone offers a free Linux and Windows edition for private use, with a 4 TB and 70 MB/s limit. Its Basic Edition costs €19.90, paid once for private use. It is worth considering for private-use disk imaging within those stated limits.

Buddi is a free budgeting application, rather than a backup product.

Clonezilla is free and open source software under GPL version 2; consider it if those terms and its listed platform range match your requirements.

MiniTool ShadowMaker offers a free Windows plan for file, system, partition, and disk backup and restore. It is a closer option for Windows backup needs that do not require Cyber Backup's listed business workload mix.

MSP360 Backup has a free personal workstation plan with file and image-based backup and forum-based support. It may suit personal workstation backup across its listed Linux, macOS, and Windows platforms.

Verdict

AOMEI Cyber Backup is a strong fit for organizations that want centralized protection for virtual machines alongside SQL Server and Windows workloads, with several recovery paths and storage choices. Its main reason to choose it is that breadth in a web-console workflow; its main reason to look elsewhere is the Linux virtual-machine-only limitation, compounded by five-unit minimums on customized plans. Match the license to each workload and expected capacity before committing.