What has changed with the new name?
StorageCraft released a new version of ImageManager along with rebranding it as StorageCraft® ImageManager. That was version 6, and the newest feature was cloud replication, which allows you to rapidly replicate ShadowProtect backup images to the StorageCraft Cloud. In addition, StorageCraft added scheduled replication throttling, rolling consolidation, and updated several other features in ImageManager 6.
StorageCraft ImageManager has continued to evolve since the rebrand. To find out what’s new in the latest version, please see the StorageCraft ImageManager ReadMe.
Is ImageManager free?
Yes, you can download StorageCraft ImageManager free of charge. Features include local replication to direct-attached storage (USB, ESATA, etc…), consolidation of backup images, retention policy manager, backup image verification and notification.
There is additional functionality that you need to license (purchase) in order to use. These features include network replication, offsite replication, and cloud replication via ShadowStream® and intelligentFTP® technologies and pre-staged recovery via HeadStart Restore® technology.
How is ImageManager licensed?
The StorageCraft ImageManager application is free, but certain functions do require a license to use. These are licensed per job, or for each server that uses the licensed functions.
Job Licenses Available for Purchase:
- Network replication
- intelligentFTP® replication
- ShadowStream® replication
- HeadStart Restore
Every time you use HeadStart Restore to pre-stage a server as a virtual machine, it requires one job license.
If you’d like to replicate your server offsite, it will require either a ShadowStream license or an intelligentFTP license.
Replication to a Network share (via UNC path) is also a licensed feature and is an option when purchasing an IntelligentFTP License.
Can I purchase a HeadStart Restore license and switch it to a ShadowStream license instead?
Yes. One of the new features in ImageManager is the ability to port licenses from one feature to another. You will need to deactivate the licensed job first, before activating it to a new feature.
If I bought ImageManager 5.x jobs and I have maintenance, what do I get with my upgrade?
Customers who purchased ImageManager 5.x jobs are eligible for the same number of jobs with ImageManager 6. For each license purchased with 5.x, you received one HeadStart Restore job and one intelligentFTP job. With your upgrade you will still have one HeadStart Restore job and one intelligentFTP job. If you are unlikely to use your HeadStart Restore job and would like to receive two intelligentFTP jobs, we are happy to provide those to you instead.
I used to be able to activate multiple installations with one product key. Can I do that now?
You need a separate product key for each system where ShadowProtect is installed. You can generate and manage those keys yourself through the StorageCraft MSP Portal. You no longer need to call StorageCraft for additional product keys, or if you need to deactivate or reactivate a product key.
What should I do if I’m running ImageManager 5.x jobs, but I haven’t bought maintenance?
We recommend that you check your maintenance contract. If the contract has expired, we recommend that you upgrade your license by going to http://upgrade.storagecraft.com . If you decide not to upgrade your license to ImageManager 6, we recommend that you keep your current version of the software.
If you install ImageManager 6 over your current installation, your installed jobs will no longer be active and will not work. If you’ve already installed ImageManager, you should uninstall it and then reinstall ImageManager 5.x. After reinstallation, your licensed jobs will need to be recreated.
Why the previous change in your licensing?
We found that many customers did not want to run both HeadStart Restore and intelligentFTP. They preferred to use one or the other and didn’t want to pay for jobs they were not using. With this change, we simplified licensing and now provide customers with exactly what they want.