I’ve been tinkering with VMware’s Data Recovery for the last two weeks (as in configured it some time before Christmas) and had it running all that time. I have to say the integration into the vCenter Client GUI is amazing, I’d love to see that for VCB also. The Changed Block Tracking is a neat way to minimize the amount backup data as well as your backup window (which is nearly zero anyhow due to vDR using snapshots).
What I don’t like about Data Recovery is the fact that you ain’t allowed supported to install any kind of backup agent inside. I was looking into Data Recovery because I wanted to replace VCB’s functionality with something tightly integrated, that even our, well lets say — not so vCenter centered workers — could use (restoring a VM with vDR is real easy, just three clicks and you got a previous version of your VM — even if it has been deleted).
I guess, we do have to stick to Consolidated Backup for now, until VMware redesigns vDR or polishes VCB.