Licences
- What drives it
- Number of physical servers, VMs and workstations
Acronis · Veeam · Windows, Linux, VMware, Hyper-V
Server and VM backup
We back up your physical servers and virtual machines to local and cloud storage, keep one copy attackers cannot delete, and prove the restores work.
Why Gulf Infotech
Why businesses across the Middle East trust us with server backup
Two tools, one recommendation
as an Acronis and Veeam partner, we design, deploy and support both, so we pick the one that suits your servers.
Since 2007
with 1,500+ active cloud customers across the Middle East.
Offices in Muscat (head office), Dubai and Doha
with local billing; setup, monitoring and support are delivered remotely, in English and Arabic.
350,000+ users migrated
Backup software and platforms
Acronis
- Hyper-V
- Windows Server
- Linux
Server backup · start here
Server backup keeps restorable copies of your Windows and Linux servers, virtual machines and databases, so you can recover from ransomware, deletion or hardware failure. Gulf Infotech, serving businesses across the Middle East since 2007 from Dubai, Muscat and Doha, sets up server backup with Acronis or Veeam, to local storage and the cloud, and tests restores on a schedule.
Server backup · At a glance
What servers and workloads can be backed up?
Both tools cover the servers most GCC offices run. The differences show up at the edges.
| Workload | Acronis Cyber Protect | Veeam Backup & Replication 13 |
|---|---|---|
| Windows and Linux servers | Yes | Yes, with Veeam agents |
| VMware vSphere and Hyper-V | Yes | Yes |
| Nutanix AHV and Proxmox VE | Yes | Yes |
| Other hypervisors | Red Hat Virtualization, KVM, Oracle, Virtuozzo in Backup Advanced | oVirt KVM, XCP-ng, Scale Computing and others |
| Azure and AWS virtual machines | Yes | Yes, plus Google Cloud |
| Databases (SQL Server and others) | Agent-based and agentless application backup | Yes, applications are a supported workload |
| Unix (AIX, Solaris) | Not listed | Yes, with agents |
| Laptops and desktops | Yes, same console | Yes, with agents |
| Microsoft 365, Google Workspace | Yes, both | Microsoft 365 through a separately licensed product; Google Workspace not listed |
Windows and Linux servers
- Acronis Cyber Protect
- Yes
- Veeam Backup & Replication 13
- Yes, with Veeam agents
VMware vSphere and Hyper-V
- Acronis Cyber Protect
- Yes
- Veeam Backup & Replication 13
- Yes
Nutanix AHV and Proxmox VE
- Acronis Cyber Protect
- Yes
- Veeam Backup & Replication 13
- Yes
Other hypervisors
- Acronis Cyber Protect
- Red Hat Virtualization, KVM, Oracle, Virtuozzo in Backup Advanced
- Veeam Backup & Replication 13
- oVirt KVM, XCP-ng, Scale Computing and others
Azure and AWS virtual machines
- Acronis Cyber Protect
- Yes
- Veeam Backup & Replication 13
- Yes, plus Google Cloud
Databases (SQL Server and others)
- Acronis Cyber Protect
- Agent-based and agentless application backup
- Veeam Backup & Replication 13
- Yes, applications are a supported workload
Unix (AIX, Solaris)
- Acronis Cyber Protect
- Not listed
- Veeam Backup & Replication 13
- Yes, with agents
Laptops and desktops
- Acronis Cyber Protect
- Yes, same console
- Veeam Backup & Replication 13
- Yes, with agents
Microsoft 365, Google Workspace
- Acronis Cyber Protect
- Yes, both
- Veeam Backup & Replication 13
- Microsoft 365 through a separately licensed product; Google Workspace not listed
Coverage from Acronis (June 2026) and Veeam (v13) documentation. Full side-by-side: Acronis vs Veeam for server backup.
Server backup · Explained
How long should server backups be kept, and how often should they run?
Back up business servers at least daily and critical databases every hour or more often. The backup interval is your RPO: nightly backups mean you can lose up to a day of work. For retention, a common pattern we set up is daily copies for a few weeks, weekly copies for a few months and monthly copies for a year or more, adjusted to your audit and VAT record-keeping rules. RTO, how fast a server must be back, decides whether a normal restore is enough or you need disaster recovery as a service.
Server backup · Explained
Where are server backups stored? Can they stay in-country?
We follow the 3-2-1 rule: three copies, on two kinds of storage, one off-site. Typically that is a local NAS or backup server in your office for fast restores, plus a cloud copy. For UAE companies, Acronis runs a cloud data centre in Abu Dhabi, opened in April 2024. In Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, a local copy stays in-country on your own storage, and the off-site copy can go to a second office you own, or to a cloud data centre after checking your regulator's rules. We can create your Acronis tenant in the Abu Dhabi data centre, so the cloud copy of UAE servers stays in the UAE. See in-country cloud hosting and data residency.
Server backup · Explained
Is server backup protected against ransomware?
It is when one copy cannot be changed. Attackers now go after backups first, using stolen admin passwords. We keep at least one immutable copy: Acronis immutable storage, or a Veeam hardened Linux repository where backups cannot be moved, modified or deleted during the set period and the setup credentials are used once and not stored. Acronis Backup Advanced and Veeam both scan backups for malware, which helps find a clean restore point. Backup admin accounts stay separate from your domain admins.
Step by step
How do we test restores?
After setup
restore a file, a folder and a full server to a test location, and open the application on it.
Automated checks
Veeam SureBackup can boot backups in an isolated lab to verify they recover; with Acronis we schedule test restores.
Scheduled tests
a full server or VM restore on a schedule you agree, with results recorded.
Daily monitoring
we watch job alerts and fix failed or skipped servers, such as a new VM missing from the policy.
After big changes
retest after an ERP upgrade, new server or storage change.
Server backup · Licensing and pricing
How is server backup priced?
Server backup is priced per protected server or VM, plus the storage it uses. Acronis is available through partners as a monthly service or as one- to three-year subscriptions; Veeam licenses per workload with its portable Veeam Universal License. Veeam sells through partners on request and Acronis pricing depends on the delivery model, so we quote per customer.
Local storage
- What drives it
- NAS or backup server size; we size it, and the hardware is bought separately
Cloud storage
- What drives it
- GB stored, retention, number of copies
Services
- What drives it
- Setup, monitoring, scheduled restore tests
Prices as of October 2026 · quoted per customer · exclude VAT where it applies (Oman and UAE 5%, Saudi Arabia 15%, Bahrain 10%, Qatar and Kuwait none).
Licences are one component: deployment and security configuration, migration, training and support are separate, paid components, quoted for your requirement.
Across the Middle East
Server backup in your country
Server backup · FAQs
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost?
Server backup is priced per protected server or VM per month or year, plus the storage the backups use. Physical servers and VMs usually cost more than workstations, and long retention or extra cloud copies add storage cost. Prices depend on the tool and delivery model, so we quote per customer after counting your servers and data size, excluding VAT.
Where is the backup stored?
On local storage in your office for fast restores, and in a second location for safety, following the 3-2-1 rule. The second copy can go to Acronis cloud, including its Abu Dhabi data centre, to your own second site, or to another cloud you use. Companies under in-country data rules keep both copies inside their country and we design around that.
How fast can we restore?
Single files restore in minutes. A full server restore from local storage typically takes from under an hour to several hours, depending on its size and the network. Restoring from the cloud is slower. Veeam Instant Recovery can run a VM directly from the backup in minutes, with reduced performance, while the full restore completes. We measure your times in each test.
Is it protected against ransomware?
Yes, when at least one copy is immutable and backup access is separate from normal admin accounts. We use Acronis immutable storage or a Veeam hardened Linux repository, where backups cannot be changed or deleted for a set period. Malware scanning of backups, in Acronis Backup Advanced and Veeam, helps pick a clean restore point before you restore.
Should we choose Acronis or Veeam?
Choose Acronis if you want one tool and one console for servers, laptops, Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, especially without a large in-house IT team. Choose Veeam for larger virtualised estates on VMware, Hyper-V or Nutanix where your IT team wants deep VM recovery features and its own storage. Our Acronis vs Veeam comparison sets the differences out side by side.
Can you take over our existing backups?
Yes. We review your current jobs, retention, storage and alerts, find gaps such as servers not backed up or restores never tested, and fix them. If you are changing tools, we run the old and new backups side by side until the new one has a full retention cycle, so you never have a period with no restorable copy.
Find out if your server backups would actually restore
Send us your server and VM list. We will review your backups, test one restore and quote the fixes.
Talk to us during office hours