Paragon Software releases New Hard Disk Manager 15

Paragon Software Group (PSG) announces the release of Paragon Hard Disk Manager (HDM) 15 Suite and Professional – complete, all-in-one data management solutions for Windows PC users working in physical or virtual environments. The new HDM 15 lets users create backups directly in the form of virtual disks in any of the supported formats (pVHD, VMDK, VHD, VHDX). The Professional edition now delivers high-performance file exclusion filters for efficient backup and recovery operations, the capability of editing virtual hard disks, Hyper-V guest system backup, powerful scripting, and expanded support for virtual machines. Both editions allow the creation of bootable recovery media. HDM 15 Suite unites more than 20 advanced data management technologies, including partitioning, boot correction, file and image backup, disk copying, secure data wiping (even on SSDs), and flexible recovery options. The Professional version is packed with even more features. HDM 15 Suite and Professional users get an update to Windows 10 support for free!

New functions in HDM 15 Suite:
· Embedded Recovery Media Builder 3.0 makes it extremely easy and flexible to create your own personal recovery environment
· File-level backup/restore for virtual containers
· Wipe SSDs user-friendly and permanently
· Revised User Interface for easier navigation

New functions in HDM 15 Professional include all of the above, plus:
· Agentless protection of Hyper-V guest machines
· P2V-Restore from virtual containers

Typical usage scenarios for PC users include:
System & data backup
The entire system, individual partitions or just selected files can be backed up manually or on a schedule. The incremental and differential backup technologies make continuous system backups exceptionally efficient. A one-time full backup of the entire computer followed by regular incremental backups keep the latest status of the PC safe. Backup containers in the pVHD (Paragon Virtual Hard Disk) format speed up backups to network storage up to 10 times.

The Professional edition provides scripting to automate frequently used operations. A variety of virtual backup containers are available, including the space-saving pVHD format as well as Hyper-V (VHDX) and other containers that can be used as base for virtual systems. The full selection of backup options (sector and file-based, differential or incremental backups or special file complements) are available in all cases. Password protection keeps sensitive data safe, and BitLocker encrypted volumes are supported.

Partitioning & optimization
Whether preparing a hard disk for use with multiple operating systems or redistributing storage space among several partitions, automatic partition alignment maximizes the performance of SSDs and hard disks with 4K sectors, and RAID volumes.

Paragon ConnectVD (Virtual Disk) included in the Professional edition makes it easy to manage virtual drives – anything from partitioning or MFT defragmentation to data exchange. The advanced mode provides precise analysis and repair tools useful when fixing booting problems or analyzing the hard drive’s status.

Recovery
In case of a disaster, backups can be restored to different hardware. The Universal Image Mounter (UIM) gives full access to archived files at all times. The user simply maps a backup archive as a network drive and the contained files will be accessible, just like a physical hard disk. HDM 15 lets the user restore the entire system, specific partitions or individual files.

Dependable data wiping
HDM’s wiping function helps free up storage space and permanently deletes sensitive data using Paragon’s efficient wiping algorithms or user-developed algorithms. SSDs can be wiped without shortening their service life.

Hyper-V backup (Professional edition only)
HDM 15 backs up Hyper-V guest systems without requiring installation on the virtual system in question (agentless backup). This allows the protection of multiple Hyper-V systems from a central location, whether or not they are running.