Third-party backup software

Hello,

  I have just read that you can restore Windows 2008 to a different hardware, like Windows 7.

  I was wondering: Is there the need of third-party software anymore?. I mean, you just backup the whole system in a network share or a san volume or elsewhere (outside the 2008 box), and that is that, no Acronis anymore.

  Am I missing something?. To me, it looks so great.

Thanks in advance!

Luis Olías Técnico/Admon Sistemas . Sevilla (España - Spain)