Cloud Backups

[JaxIsland7575]

I am familiar with the VBR product, but was asked an interesting question about a configuration that I have never done, and I am sure most of you will agree its not in best practice. But here goes, can VBR backup directly to the cloud as the repository and not to an on-site repository? Is there advantages / disadvantages? What about restore times for files or whole VM's?
I have always setup on-site local storage and using the cloud or rotating drives for off-site storage but I have never thought about going straight to the cloud. I am curious what Veeam's position is on this.

Thank you.

[Shestakov]

Hello.
It`s possible to backup directly to cloud, but as you guess, it`s not considered as the best practice. Not a lot of advantages of doing this. Only if you don`t have a local repository at all. Among disadvantages are slower backup and restore, impossibility of using WAN accelerator etc.

You can perform a number of restore operations (otherwise what`s the reason to backup if you can`t restore ):
Full VM restore, VM files restore, VM disks restore, VM guest OS files restore (Microsoft Windows FS only. Multi-OS restore is not supported.), Application items restore.

So, the way you always do makes much more sense. Thanks!

[dellock6]

Not to say, since backup operations are so much slower, VM snapshots will have to remain open for a longer time creating all sort of well known issues once they have to be committed back into the original virtual disk...

[veremin]

But here goes, can VBR backup directly to the cloud as the repository and not to an on-site repository?

It might be interesting to hear which particular cloud is meant here. Public ones, such as Amazon, Azure, etc. or cloud solutions provided by members of our VCP program?

[JaxIsland7575]

Not to say, since backup operations are so much slower, VM snapshots will have to remain open for a longer time creating all sort of well known issues once they have to be committed back into the original virtual disk...

Just so I understand dellock6, you mean backing up directly to cloud would create well known issues with the file remaining open?

It might be interesting to hear which particular cloud is meant here. Public ones, such as Amazon, Azure, etc. or cloud solutions provided by members of our VCP program?

If they decide to use cloud in any form direct backup or offsite copy, I was only looking at vendors that participate in the VCP program based on interoperability and certified to comply with HIPAA.

[veremin]

If they decide to use cloud in any form direct backup or offsite copy, I was only looking at vendors that participate in the VCP program based on interoperability and certified to comply with HIPAA.

Understood.

Just so I understand dellock6, you mean backing up directly to cloud would create well known issues with the file remaining open?

It's just a common sense. Jobs that are running through WAN are expected to take longer than local ones. Thus, VMs snapshots required for backup/replication activity will stay open longer; that will lead to bigger snapshot size and longer commit operation.

[JaxIsland7575]

I appreciate the info, it all backed up what I suspected all along, but I wanted to double check myself before I dug my heels in and pushed for the on-site storage as the main repository.

[veremin]

Yep, the strategy (local backup repository for short retention and fast restore and cloud one for additional copy) looks good and is inline with the recommended approach. Thanks.