This is what my VAIO has in it,
"Phoenix FirstWare Recover Pro is an always-available and tamperproof recovery tool built into the core of the PC. As part of the Phoenix Core Managed Environment™ (cME), this ideal recovery solution stores user data, applications, and the operating system (OS) in the secured host protected area (HPA) of the hard drive. Users can easily recover systems to their original factory conditions or to a more recent state without factory-supplied restore CDs or the assistance of technical support teams. This significantly reduces your warranty costs."