Backup running on EC2 too expensive

[xrated]

Hello
i need to backup all 365 data for example to S3 without any local server. So i found this:
https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/pp/p ... f3s233ft54

but it seems to require at least t2.2xlarge which costs around 300USD per month + costs for S3 (~0,01 per GB = ~20USD) + Veeam licenses (40 users, ~60USD per month).
So the cost for EC2 is way to high, is such a strong server really required? Are there any other solutions?

I estimated 365 Backup would be around 320€ monthly for 2,1TB.

[Gostev]

Hello, for 40 users you should probably consider using Veeam Data Cloud instead, it's way cheaper than your estimates. Alternatively yes, look for the cheapest server that meets minimum system requirements, as you don't have too many users to protect. Thanks

[xrated]

In AWS i cannot select any lower tier than t2.2xlarge i guess because its Win2019.

The veeam data cloud flex $2.63/user is only valid if you have >250 users?
So this is the express $5 the right one?

[xrated]

Also i would like to know if the AWS option is used, if it can import old backups from a local Veeam 365 Backup machine.

[Mildur]

You always have the option to deploy your own Windows VM with the selected EC2 instance type and then install Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 yourself.

Keep in mind the system requirements recommendation for the backup server and proxy.

Also i would like to know if the AWS option is used, if it can import old backups from a local Veeam 365 Backup machine.

Backups are transferable to a new backup server. The process varies depending on the type of repository you previously used on your local backup server:
- Jet db-based Repositories: Copy the entire repository directory to the AWS machine and add it as a new repository to the backup server.
- Public Object Storage-Based Repositories: Disconnect your bucket from the old backup server and connect it to the new backup server.

Please note that migrating backups from one object storage to another object storage target is not supported at this time. If you have used on-premise object storage, a supported migration path to AWS S3 does currently not exist.

For migrating Jet DB-based repositories to AWS S3, there is a migration option available. However, we recommend waiting for our upcoming version of Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 for this type of migration. The upcoming version will enable you to migrate from Jet Database to Object Storage while allowing your backup jobs to continue running. Currently, such a migration would halt all backup jobs until the migration is complete.

The veeam data cloud flex $2.63/user is only valid if you have >250 users?
So this is the express $5 the right one?

I can't provide information on the VDC Flex question. I recommend reaching out to our sales team to discuss pricing.
As Anton suggested, our VDC offering may be much more cost-effective than using your own solution on AWS or Azure. It's important to note that with AWS/Azure, you'll not only need to cover the cost of the VM but also fees for storage and S3 API calls. With VDC, you will have a fixed price that includes the license, API calls, and storage. An additional benefit of VDC is that you won't have to worry about maintaining your backup server environment; this is all managed for you.

Best,
Fabian

[xrated]

Whats the recommended type of EC2 instance for this scenario? I would not expect a lot CPU usage. Currently it runs on i5-3470T with only sharepoint backup, which is far away from recommendations.
t3a.large or t3a.xlarge?
I would also not expect too high storage costs with for example S3 One Zone IA but its hard to estimate.

[xrated]

For t3a.xlarge it looks like costs are similar to Cloud solution, so not really worth it. But i guess old backups can not be imported.

[Mike Resseler]

@xrated

In AWS i cannot select any lower tier than t2.2xlarge i guess because its Win2019.

The veeam data cloud flex $2.63/user is only valid if you have >250 users?
So this is the express $5 the right one?

--> There is a difference between flex and express. Flex is using the Veeam technology to backup, express is our integration with Microsoft Backup Storage. It depends on your exact business needs what is best for you, but I think that flex is what you need to look at for pricing. Premium is a combination of protecting your users with flex AND with express method.

[xrated]

ok, this is not mentioned at all here
https://www.veeam.com/products/saas/bac ... d=platform

so the MS Backup storage is just faster?

[Mike Resseler]

Yes, but has limitations. For example, you can't do item-level restore. The backup is on a shielded storage (that you own) but fully hidden and not reachable. Restore to other location is not possible, export of data is not possible...

Basically express is a method for disaster recovery... You lost 1000 mailboxes, or your entire SharePoint farm documents are encrypted or something like that, and you need to do a fast restore. Express can restore between 2 to 5 TB an hour, where Flex will probably only get 2 to 5 TB a day. But Flex does have all the other options, legal possibilities, compliance things, item-level restore and so on

[BradM2]

Since you are obviously in the UK you might want to check out OVHcloud. They are the #1 hyperscaler in Europe and way cheaper that Azure and AWS and you won't be susceptible to the US Cloud Act by accident.

[djohnsonbb]

Using a combination of Vultr or DigitalOcean for compute and Backblaze B2 for cloud storage would also be a very cost-effective option. Cloud compute instances from Vultr and DigitalOcean are vastly less expensive than EC2. And B2 Cloud Storage is $6/TB/mo with egress included between those compute providers.

[edh]

Any VSCP will be cheaper than your solution and will provider a Cloud to Cloud BaaS solution without need of infraestructure.