Cove Data Protection (Cove) is N-able’s cloud-first backup, disaster recovery and archiving service for physical and virtual servers, workstations and Microsoft 365 data. It is sold as a standalone product and can also be managed from N-central and N-sight RMM.[9] Cove is licensed per protected device, and per unique user for Microsoft 365. Cloud storage is not bought separately: “Cloud storage (including archiving) is included in your price”, subject to fair use policies.[9] The Software Services Agreement and EULA govern the service, and both contain a Cove product addendum.[7]
Editions
| Offering | Coverage | Licence |
|---|---|---|
| Backup Manager, server | Physical or virtual servers; files, system state, applications such as SQL Server, Exchange, Hyper-V and VMware[9] | Cove server license[1] |
| Backup Manager, workstation | Workstations and laptops[9] | Cove workstation license[1] |
| Documents | Key office files on Windows and macOS workstations and laptops only, “at a price point similar to antivirus software”[5] | Cove Documents device |
| Cove for Microsoft 365 | Exchange, OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams[3] | Cove Microsoft 365 user license[1] |
| Cove Data Protection Plan (DPP) | Expanded Backup Manager usage[2] | Add-on to server and workstation licences |
The Invoice Details usage breakdown for Cove groups devices into sections such as Servers, Workstations and Continuity.[4] Standalone Cove has replaced N-sight RMM’s older integrated Backup and Recovery feature, which offered Documents and Professional editions for workstations.[11]
Metrics
Two storage measures sit alongside the device and user licences. Neither is sold as a separate licence. Both define how much protected data the licences cover:
- Selected Size: “Selected Size is equal to the amount of data on the protected computer.” For Microsoft 365 it is “the amount of protected data on the Microsoft 365 domain”.[1]
- Used Storage: “the amount of data on the remote storage after deduplication, with all available retention and archive restore points”.[1]
Microsoft 365 protection “is licensed per unique user, whether that license is being used to protect an Exchange mailbox, a OneDrive account, a SharePoint site, or any combination of these three”.[1] The billing policy defines who counts. Billable users are those with at least one of Exchange (regular mailbox), OneDrive, SharePoint or Teams protected. If only an Exchange shared mailbox is protected, “this is not billed”. A shared mailbox is billable when OneDrive, SharePoint or Teams is also protected for that user.[3] Catalog proof: Cove for Microsoft 365 is licensed per unique user with 1 TB pooled per tenant; Shared-mailbox-only users are not billed in Cove for Microsoft 365.
Counting / floors
Fair use limits (policy as of 2021-03-01). Each server licence adds 500 GB Selected Size and 1000 GB Used Storage to the included usage. Each workstation licence adds 100 GB Selected Size and 200 GB Used Storage. Included usage “is pooled across protected server/workstation data sources only”.[1] Each Microsoft 365 user licence adds 1 TB to a separate pool, limited to one Microsoft 365 tenant and kept apart from server, workstation and Documents storage.[1] Catalog proof: Cove fair use allowance per server and workstation licence; Cove for Microsoft 365 is licensed per unique user with 1 TB pooled per tenant.
Data Protection Plan. “When a customer licenses the Data Protection Plan (DPP), they are entitled to expanded usage of Backup Manager.” Each physical or virtual server licence then adds 2 TB Selected Size and each workstation licence 500 GB. The DPP does not change the Microsoft 365 limits.[2] The public Fair Use Policy page, dated 2021-03-01, does not mention the DPP. The two sets of figures therefore reflect two entitlement levels, and the customer’s order shows which applies. Catalog proof: Data Protection Plan raises Cove fair use to 2 TB per server and 500 GB per workstation.
Overage. “Additional usage above the fair use limits will be automatically invoiced at the rate established by N-able.” The policy applies “unless otherwise documented in an order form”.[1][12] Invoice Details shows each customer’s fair use limit, any overage, and the individual devices that exceed it. N-able suggests using it to spot a backup “that has been deployed more than once”.[4] Catalog proof: Cove usage above fair use limits is invoiced automatically.
Monthly activity. Where backup is enabled from N-central, “N-able checks for licenses that have been active that month for billing purposes”. Backup devices are not shown in N-central’s own license usage report.[10] Catalog proof: Backup enabled from N-central is billed by devices active in the month.
Product addendum and data risks
The Cove addendum in the EULA and SSA warns that customer data “MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE OR RESTORABLE” in eight situations. They include using the services in excess of the amount ordered, deselecting or deleting a device, backing up unsupported sources, and terminating or failing to renew the subscription.[7] The Cove FAQ confirms that a deleted device cannot be restored: “Devices are removed together with all data that has been backed up for them.”[13] After termination of the agreement the customer has 30 business days to retrieve its data.[8] Licence reductions and exits therefore need to be timed against retention requirements. Catalog proof: Cove data may not be restorable if usage exceeds the order; No refunds on termination; data retrieval within 30 business days.
Virtualization & partitioning
Cove counts protected machines, whether physical or virtual. The DPP allowance is stated per “physical or virtual server license”.[2] Backup Manager supports VMware and Hyper-V as data sources.[9] The retrieved documents do not say whether a host-level virtual machine backup consumes one server licence or one licence per guest. Customers should confirm this against their order.
Cloud / BYOL
Cove is a SaaS service with storage in N-able’s private cloud, which has data centres on four continents.[9] The Disaster Recovery as a Service addendum makes the customer responsible for the risk of options that expose recovered systems to the public internet. It prohibits misuse of N-able-assigned public IP addresses.[8] Cove is one of four N-able services that may process HIPAA protected health information.[8]
Programs
- Cove Data Protection Fair Use Policy and Cove Data Protection Plan, described above.
- Recovery Testing and Standby Image. Recovery Testing restores critical Windows devices every 14 or 30 days into a temporary virtual machine and screenshots the boot. It is limited to 2 TB selected size per device and is unavailable for the RMM-integrated backup. A device already on a Standby Image plan cannot be added to it.[6] Catalog proof: Cove Recovery Testing cannot share a device with a Standby Image plan.
- Trial. A 30-day free trial is available from N-central and N-sight RMM.[9][11] Moving a trial to production requires accepting the EULA and asking for an upgrade from the Management Console.[13]
Out of scope
- Prices for server, workstation, Documents and Microsoft 365 licences and for overage, which N-able does not publish.
- Standby Image and Disaster Recovery as a Service pricing units, which the retrieved documents do not state.
- Backup for Google Workspace, which appears in N-able’s product menu but for which no licensing document was retrieved.