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Micro Focus Data Protector vs Tenable Nessus

Micro Focus Data Protector logo

Micro Focus Data Protector

Backup

Enterprise backup for multi-platform environments

From
$75/month
Free plan
No
Visit Micro Focus Data ProtectorFull review
Tenable Nessus logo

Tenable Nessus

Cybersecurity

Network vulnerability scanner

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit Tenable NessusFull review

The short version

  • Tenable Nessus has a free plan, then $2600/yr; Micro Focus Data Protector starts at $75/mo.
  • Only Micro Focus Data Protector lists zero downtime backup; only Tenable Nessus lists network scanning.
  • Where Tenable Nessus falls short: nessus Professional is $4,790 for one year, sold as an annual licence rather than a per scan or usage based fee.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Micro Focus Data Protector and Tenable Nessus actually diverge.

Attributes where Micro Focus Data Protector and Tenable Nessus differ
AttributeMicro Focus Data ProtectorTenable Nessus
Starting price$75/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Linux, WebWindows, Linux, macOS, Web
CategoryBackupCybersecurity
Founded19762002

Identical on both: pricing model (Subscription).

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 Micro Focus Data Protector

  • Zero downtime backup
  • Instant recovery
  • Application integration
  • Synthetic full backup
  • Granular recovery
  • Centralized management
  • VMware
  • Hyper-V

Only in Tenable Nessus

  • Network scanning
  • Vulnerability detection
  • Configuration assessment
  • Malware detection
  • Compliance checking
  • Cloud security assessment
  • Mobile scanning
  • API access

Both cover

  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

Micro Focus Data Protector

  • Data protectionnot Tenable Nessus
  • Disaster recoverynot Tenable Nessus
  • Business continuitynot Tenable Nessus
  • Ransomware protectionnot Tenable Nessus
  • Compliancenot Tenable Nessus

Tenable Nessus

  • Vulnerability scanning of servers, network devices and web applicationsnot Micro Focus Data Protector
  • Configuration and compliance auditing against hardening benchmarksnot Micro Focus Data Protector
  • Point in time assessments by consultants and penetration testersnot Micro Focus Data Protector

Where each one falls short

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

Micro Focus Data Protector

  • Micro Focus Data Protector was rebranded to OpenText Data Protector following the OpenText acquisition of Micro Focus; the vendor's own product pages carry no published pricing at either name (Internet Archive capture, 10 January 2022, and live site check)

Tenable Nessus

  • Nessus Professional is $4,790 for one year, sold as an annual licence rather than a per scan or usage based fee
  • Support beyond the base entitlement costs an extra $400 per year for Advanced Support with 24x365 phone and chat access
  • The on demand training course is a separate $275 purchase for a single person for one year
  • Multi year discounts require paying for two or three years up front

Pricing, plan by plan

Micro Focus Data Protector

$75/month
  • Data Protector$75/mo
    • Zero downtime backup
    • Instant recovery
    • Multi-platform

Tenable Nessus

Free
  • Nessus EssentialsFree
    • Up to 16 ips
    • Network scanning
    • Vulnerability assessment
  • Nessus Professional$2,600/yr
    • Unlimited targets
    • Enterprise features
    • Advanced analytics
  • Nessus Expert$5,200/yr
    • All Professional features
    • Cloud integration
    • Advanced reporting

Which should you pick?

Choose Micro Focus Data Protector if

  • You need zero downtime backup.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Web.
  • You also want instant recovery.
Micro Focus Data Protector review

Choose Tenable Nessus if

  • You need network scanning.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, macOS, Web.
  • You also want vulnerability detection.
Tenable Nessus review

Questions people ask

Is Micro Focus Data Protector or Tenable Nessus better?
Neither clearly leads. Micro Focus Data Protector starts at $75/month and Tenable Nessus at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Micro Focus Data Protector or Tenable Nessus?
Tenable Nessus has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $75/month for Micro Focus Data Protector and Free for Tenable Nessus.
Does Micro Focus Data Protector or Tenable Nessus run on more platforms?
Micro Focus Data Protector runs on Windows, Linux, Web. Tenable Nessus runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, Web.
Can I use Tenable Nessus for free?
Yes. Tenable Nessus has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Micro Focus Data Protector starts at $75/month.
What is Micro Focus Data Protector best used for?
Micro Focus Data Protector is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection. Of those, data protection and disaster recovery are not what Tenable Nessus is typically brought in for.
What can Micro Focus Data Protector do that Tenable Nessus cannot?
Micro Focus Data Protector covers Zero downtime backup, Instant recovery, Application integration, Synthetic full backup. Tenable Nessus covers Network scanning, Vulnerability detection, Configuration assessment, Malware detection. Both handle Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Tenable Nessus: What are the three Nessus offerings?

Nessus Essentials is a free introductory offering for educators, students, and career starters, limited to 16 IPs for scanning. Nessus Professional is designed for consultants and SMBs, providing unlimited IT scans across any location. Nessus Expert is the premium offering extending Professional with web application scanning, infrastructure-as-code scanning, and external attack surface assessment up to 5 domains.

Source
Tenable Nessus: What OS platforms does Nessus support?

Nessus runs on Debian/Kali Linux, Fedora, FreeBSD, Mac OS X, Red Hat/CentOS, SUSE Linux, Ubuntu, and various Windows versions including Server 2008, 2012, and Windows 7-10.

Source
Tenable Nessus: Can I use Nessus to scan third-party networks as a consultant?

Yes, Tenable permits you to use Nessus to scan third-party networks. Nessus Professional is ideal for consultants.

Source
Tenable Nessus: Can Nessus perform PCI external scanning?

Yes, you can use Nessus Professional to perform external network scans as required by the PCI DSS 11.2.2 requirement.

Source
Tenable Nessus: What additional features does Nessus Expert provide?

Web application scanning, which is dynamic application security testing (DAST) providing comprehensive visibility and insight into web application security issues; scanning code repositories for vulnerabilities; and assessing external attack surface with subdomain discovery.

Source
Tenable Nessus: What support options exist for Nessus Professional?

Standard Support includes software upgrades, patches, plugin access, and 24x7 support via chat and community portal. Advanced Support adds 24x7 phone access and committed SLAs: P1 less than 2 hours, P2 less than 4 hours, P3 less than 12 hours, P4 less than 24 hours.

Source
Tenable Nessus: How frequently are Nessus plugins updated?

Nessus plugins are updated daily, based on when vendors and security research sites publish new vulnerabilities.

Source
Tenable Nessus: How does licensing work in virtual machine environments?

Whether you are using Nessus in a physical or a virtual environment, the IP addresses or hosts that you are scanning from must be licensed.

Source
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