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Backup & Disaster Recovery · head to head

Cohesity DataProtect vs Apple Time Machine

Cohesity DataProtect logo

Cohesity DataProtect

Backup & Disaster Recovery

Hyperconverged secondary data protection

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Apple Time Machine logo

Apple Time Machine

Backup & Disaster Recovery

Built-in backup for every Mac

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Apple Time Machine has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cohesity DataProtect primarily focused on enterprise customers; less suitable for small businesses; Apple Time Machine apple states the Time Machine backup disk should be used only for Time Machine backups and not for storing other files, unless you split it into a separate APFS volume
  • They diverge on capability: Cohesity DataProtect covers Hyperconverged architecture, Apple Time Machine covers Automatic backup.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cohesity DataProtect and Apple Time Machine actually diverge.

Attributes where Cohesity DataProtect and Apple Time Machine differ
AttributeCohesity DataProtectApple Time Machine
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelUnknownfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsOn-premises, AWS, Azure, Google CloudMac
Founded20131976

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Backup & Disaster Recovery).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Cohesity DataProtect

  • Hyperconverged architecture
  • Instant mass restore
  • Global deduplication
  • Global search
  • Ransomware protection
  • Cloud tiering
  • VMware
  • Hyper-V

Only in Apple Time Machine

  • Automatic backup
  • Hourly snapshots
  • Visual restore interface
  • Network backup
  • Encryption
  • System restore
  • macOS
  • AirPort Time Capsule

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Cohesity DataProtect

  • Data protectionnot Apple Time Machine
  • Disaster recoverynot Apple Time Machine
  • Business continuitynot Apple Time Machine
  • Ransomware protectionnot Apple Time Machine
  • Compliancenot Apple Time Machine

Apple Time Machine

  • Automatic versioned local backups of a Mac to an external drivenot Cohesity DataProtect
  • Restoring a Mac or migrating to a new one from a local backup historynot Cohesity DataProtect

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Cohesity DataProtect

  • Primarily focused on enterprise customers; less suitable for small businesses
  • Requires significant IT expertise to optimize deduplication and retention policies
  • High upfront infrastructure costs for on-premises deployment

Apple Time Machine

  • Apple states the Time Machine backup disk should be used only for Time Machine backups and not for storing other files, unless you split it into a separate APFS volume
  • Apple recommends the Time Machine volume be twice the storage capacity of the Mac being backed up
  • It requires an attached external storage device or network disk; there is no built-in cloud destination
  • It backs up Macs only

Pricing, plan by plan

Cohesity DataProtect

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Cohesity DataProtect review.

Apple Time Machine

Free
  • Built-inFree
    • Automatic backup
    • Visual restore
    • Network backup

Which should you pick?

Choose Cohesity DataProtect if

  • You need hyperconverged architecture.
  • You work on On-premises, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud.
  • You also want instant mass restore.
Cohesity DataProtect review

Choose Apple Time Machine if

  • You need automatic backup.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want hourly snapshots.
Apple Time Machine review

Questions people ask

Is Cohesity DataProtect or Apple Time Machine better?
Neither clearly leads. Cohesity DataProtect starts at On request and Apple Time Machine at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cohesity DataProtect or Apple Time Machine?
Apple Time Machine has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cohesity DataProtect and Free for Apple Time Machine.
Does Cohesity DataProtect or Apple Time Machine run on more platforms?
Cohesity DataProtect runs on On-premises, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud. Apple Time Machine runs on Mac.
Can I use Apple Time Machine for free?
Yes. Apple Time Machine has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cohesity DataProtect starts at On request.
What is Cohesity DataProtect best used for?
Cohesity DataProtect is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection. Of those, data protection and disaster recovery are not what Apple Time Machine is typically brought in for.
What can Cohesity DataProtect do that Apple Time Machine cannot?
Cohesity DataProtect covers Hyperconverged architecture, Instant mass restore, Global deduplication, Global search. Apple Time Machine covers Automatic backup, Hourly snapshots, Visual restore interface, Network backup.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cohesity DataProtect: What is the main benefit of Cohesity DataProtect's instant recovery?

Cohesity uniquely reduces downtime by enabling instant mass restoration of any number of VMs, large volumes of unstructured data, and Oracle databases to any point in time.

Source
Cohesity DataProtect: How much can Cohesity reduce data protection costs?

Cohesity DataProtect reduces data protection costs by 70% or more through unified management and deduplication.

Source
Cohesity DataProtect: What platforms and workloads does Cohesity DataProtect support?

Cohesity DataProtect protects on-premises systems, multiple cloud environments, and SaaS applications through a single unified platform.

Source
Cohesity DataProtect: Does Cohesity use security best practices for backup protection?

Yes. Cohesity DataProtect uses multilayered security architecture designed to minimize the risk of backups becoming a ransomware target.

Source
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