I’m pretty sure there is no one ‘enterprise backup solution’ that can handle all of the above. If it’s possible for an application to be quiesced/frozen while a storage array snapshot it taken, the snapshot can be backed up (a number of ways) block for block, which can be good for quick easy image backup/bare metal recovery. We’ll still probably need more than one file-based/application-based backup, in addition to this.

As far as the comment above about Linux being a “Windows Wannabe” – I beg to differ. I’ve been in a position to hire linux engineers as well as windows, and the one thing I can definitively say about the difference is that Windows engineers are really good at following procedures and whitepapers, but often fold when the time comes to troubleshoot/think creatively. This is the result of M$ engineers having a severly myopic view of the world. If it’s not Microsoft, it’s not worth knowing.

Linux engineers on the other hand want to know as much as they can about as much as they can.

When it comes time to hire a windows person, I will often toss the resume of anyone who puts MCP/MCSE etc, directly into the trash, and instead look for a Linux/Unix engineer who also knows windows. That way I’m getting someone who learns and grows beyond their original programming.