The Top 5 Active Directory Recovery Tools

RecoveryManager Plus is a comprehensive backup and recovery solution for enterprise Active Directory, Azure Active Directory, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Zoho WorkDrive environments. The solution is best suited for large IT environments.

ManageEngine RecoveryManager Plus Features:

RecoveryManager Plus excels at backingup up data at a granular level, ensuring data integrity and operational continuity.

• Backup all changes made to schema classes and attributes, with instant restore capabilities.
• Extensive backup of AD assets including groups, GPOs, OUs, Exchange attributes, DNS information, computers, and contacts.
• Flexibility to define your own retention period, allowing you to strike the balance between security and storage.
• Use automated, incremental backups to save every change to Active Directory objects, giving granular control over data recovery.
• Store backups in various locations, including on-premises or Azure Blob Storage, with custom retention policies for efficient storage management.

Pricing and Plans: RecoveryManager Plus for AD and Entra ID starts at $475/yr for 250 user objects. Contact ManageEngine directly for information on custom plans, or to include other services like Google Workspace, SharePoint, and Exchange backup.

Expert Insights’ Comments: RecoveryManager Plus is a versatile backup and recovery tool that offers comprehensive coverage for large IT environments. It streamlines data recovery processes, mitigates risks such as ransomware, and enhances control with features like automated backups and technician auditing.

Microsoft Azure Backup is a secure, one-click backup solution that is scalable and will meet your specific backup storage needs. This solution is part of Azure Recovery Services and offers users simple and reliable methods of managing and protecting data. There is limitless storage, making this a cost effective long-term solution.

Microsoft Azure Backup Features:

• Centralized management – allows for monitoring, operating, governance, and optimization of data protection at scale
• Application consistency – backup and restore data from Virtual Machines (VMs)
• Multiple workload support – back up Azure Virtual Machines, on-premises servers, SQL Server, and SAP HANA on Azure Files
• Store backups in Locally Redundant Storage (LRS), Zone Redundant Storage (ZRS), Geo-Redundant Storage (GRS)

Microsoft Azure Backup Pricing: There is an estimated cost calculator on the Microsoft Azure website. For an actual price quote, contact a sales specialist via their website.

Expert Insights’ Comments: Microsoft Azure Backup supports organizations in managing their data at scale, securing their backups, reducing costs associated with additional backup infrastructure, and protecting diverse workloads. This is a strong, well rated solution, which we would recommend to organizations with a particular interest in scalability, simplicity, and cost effectiveness in their Azure AD recovery tool.

Netwrix is an IT security software company who work to support organizations in controlling and managing their sensitive, regulated, and business critical data, wherever it resides. Their solution, Netwrix Recovery for Active Directory, works to simplify the process of reverting unwanted changes and restoring domain control for swift recovery and minimal costly downtime for business operations.

Netwrix Recovery for Active Directory Features:

• Comprehensive recovery – recover deleted user and computer objects, DNS entries, GPOs, etc.
• Granular rollback – easily search the full timeline of changes to an object and roll back unwanted alterations, to the previous backup or to an older version
• Protect your AD forest backups from data theft with encryption
• Track Access Control Lists (ACLs) and other critical changes – makes it easy to increase or decrease a user’s privilege if altered
• Control when AD backups are created – ensure you meet any recovery point objectives or compliance regulation
• Perform backup and recovery tasks from AD users with a fully integrated Microsoft management console

Netwrix Recovery for Active Directory Pricing: Contact Netwrix directly for pricing information.

Expert Insights’ Comments: Netwrix’s solution allows organizations to reduce the chances of security breaches and the resulting loss of data. It will also prevent network downtime after an attack, and ensure faster, more efficient troubleshooting and remediation. Users praise the simple installation and configuration of this solution, as well as the excellent rollback feature. We would recommend Netwrix Recovery for Active Directory to organizations looking for a comprehensive solution that can overcome the limitations of the AD Recycle Bin.

Quest is a software solutions provider whose solutions empower and protect users and data and help to bolster security while streamlining IT operations. Their solution, Quest Recovery Manager for Active Directory, enables organizations to back up Active Directory at the object and attribute level, while also allowing users to pinpoint alterations to their AD environment at a granular level.

Quest Recovery Manager for Active Directory Features:

• Comprehensive recovery – restore any object in AD with reduced downtime, without the need to restart domain controllers
• Highlights changes made since the last AD back up with comparison reporting – compare multiple backups for deletions or changes
• Change Auditor identifies which user has made recent changes
• Recovery roadmap – generates a detailed playbook for an effective recovery process
• Recovery console fault tolerance – share configuration data between recovery consoles for faster restoration of operations in the event of an unexpected interruption
• Delegated recovery – assign tasks to specific user to reduce recovery time and senior level resource requirements

Quest Recovery Manager for Active Directory Pricing: Contact the Quest sales team directly for a pricing quote.

Expert Insights’ Comments: Quest Recovery Manager for Active Directory allows users to compare backups to uncover any differences at the object level and ensure the recovery process is quick. Current users paise how backups can be performed with reduced user impact, as well as the highly detailed log of incidents which allows for granular control over backup and recovery. We would recommend this solution to organizations that are interested in AD recovery and want clear insights into all actions, their impact, and what to roll back.

Semperis is an enterprise identity protection company who support the quick recovery of organizations from accidental or malicious changes affecting Azure Active Directory. The solution arms organizations with the capability to automatically restore their AD environment. Semperis AD Forest Recovery promises fast, safe, and easy recovery from cyber disasters.

Semperis Active Directory Forest Recovery Features:

• Anywhere recovery lets you restore AD to any site – physical or virtual, on premises and in the cloud
• Clean restore – prevents the re-introduction of rootkits and other malware
• With advance automation the whole recovery process can be streamlined
• Eliminate the need to develop and maintain scripts or manually update configuration information
• Backup verification and notification of any anomalies
• Quickly set up a recovery environment using a PowerShell-based tool to prepare virtual machines for a full ADFR recovery

Semperis Active Directory Forest Recovery Pricing: Semperis offer a personalized demo, which you can request on their website. Contact Semperis directly for pricing information.

Expert Insights’ Comments: Semperis Active Directory Forest Recovery is a powerful solution designed to help businesses expedite their recovery from any downtime. Current users rate the solutions well, praising the ease of deployment, and user-friendly interface. We would recommend this solution to organizations looking for a solution that is feature rich and capable of delivering quick and efficient recovery.