Yosemite is geared to a file-based backup methodology and tape storage, though hard drives are perfectly acceptable storage media.

Yosemite's strength is its ecumenical, cross-platform operating-system support (though not the widest support among products we tested). Yosemite makes a Microsoft Small Business Server edition, (then a Standard, the version we tested) and advanced server (geared to support more than 20 servers).

Yosemite installs as a server application on Microsoft Enterprise Server editions (Windows NT Server 4.0 and up), NetWare or SUSE Linux.

Installation was a breeze, though, Yosemite users could benefit from a way to deal with the default settings in XP-client firewall settings (we had to poke a hole in XP's firewall to let the client connect to the backup server).

Administrators and users can set up ad-hoc and scheduled backups. Yosemite doesn't encrypt data being backed up, which we find to be insecure, though data is compressed, which removes the very easiest of downloadable protocol analyzer data spying and theft compromises.

Licensing is done by tape libraries and additional tape devices mean additional licensing costs. Libraries can be easily accessed or, if online storage is preferred, libraries as large as 8TB can be maintained. Although the libraries are easily accessible and understandable in layout, there's no provision for mass client installation.

The GUI provides a Windows Explorer-like view of the available files, from which users select the files they want to access and the version they want to restore.

Bare-metal restoration capabilities for Windows, NetWare and Linux platforms are available as an extra-cost option, as are other high-availability options, including modules for Exchange and Oracle.

Yosemite's product does offer some basic logging functions, and that information can be saved to a file or e-mailed. It also has a feature that lets you set up audit logs on critical file-backup procedures.

Our overall impression of Yosemite was favorable, and while its costs can be comparatively high, it easily encompasses Windows and Linux servers and clients with an understandable management and administration console, and backups and restorations can be done by administrators or adventurous and trained users.