The latest version of Norton Ghost is 10.0. And yet, Symantec has recently sent out e-mails to beta testers chosen to test drive version 12.0 of their backup and restore product. As usual, users must accept the invitation by simply clicking a link included in the e-mail. Norton Ghost 12.0 will offer typical Symantec Norton Save & Restore functions as well as advanced features like Remote Management, Physical to Virtual image conversion, and LightsOut Recovery.
Symantec says they are only interested in "advanced computer users" because the software "may not be easy to use" for "novice users". Norton Ghost 12.0 will support 32-bit and 64-bit versions of both Windows XP and Windows Vista RTM but does not support Windows 2000 platforms or Windows Server 2003. Testing is expected to last until March 2007. Expect the retail version to be released a few months later.