>And this is my recommendation - CAREFULLY analyze
>your needs as you look at other backup programs.  Make sure you
>can map your needs to the products features!!!

Rick,

I couldn't agree more.  No backup product meets everybody's needs, so
figure out what you need -- THEN see who best fits that.  Those needs
should also be based on business requirements, from which you derive
your technical requirements.  

For example, your business requirement was RTO/RPO of x at those remotes
sites (I don't know what it was, but I'll assume you had one.)  In order
to do that with NetWorker (at that time), you would have had to install
and manage tape at the remote sites.  OR you could do progressive
incrementals with TSM without installing remote tape.  Both solutions
would work, but the TSM solution would cost less in your environment
because you didn't need to buy all those remote tape drives and contract
with an offsite media management company to manage those tapes at all
those remote sites.  It was also less risky because tapes aren't moving
around in many different locations.  (As you said, NetWorker now has
synthetic full backups, so someone evaluating those same requirements
today would need to consider other factors.)

If all the products that you're looking at meet your basic requirements,
as was the case in your environment, then you look at cost.  (And ALWAYS
include cost of operation, not just hardware & software.  It's in
operations where the true costs are.)  If all products that meet your
base requirements are the same cost, THEN you look at whiz-bang
features.  I'm not saying whiz bang features aren't important; I get
excited about them as much as anybody.  But they are secondary to your
business and technical requirements.

If someone is forced from management to re-examine their backup product
because another vendor is offering a cheap apple, they should start this
same process over again.

1. What are the business requirements?
2. What are the technical requirements based on those business
requirements?
3. Does this new product meet those requirements?
4. How much more management will this product require, and how does that
impact our cost?  (IMHO, the only way to answer that question is to talk
to independents that have used both products, such as yourself, or an
independent PS company.  Most vendors mis-represent their products in
this area.)
5. How much will the migration cost and how long will it take?  (Again,
don't believe what the vendor says here.  It ALWAYS takes longer.)
6. Based on all that, when do we actually begin to save money?

If the answer to 6 is three years out, then I'd say it's a wash, as
you're likely going to reconsider your backup product in three years
anyway.

This is a great discussion!