Feature request: backup to the cloud

[m.novelli]

Feature request: Veeam Backup with cloud destination

http://www.bink.nu/data-protection-mana ... loud-azure

Marco

[dellock6]

Hi Marco,
that solution is possible by Microsoft since they own both the backup software and the cloud infrastructure. Veeam does only have the backup software, but there has already been some third party solutions to address these needs (not a complete list)
- Veeam has a partnership with Twinstrata, and their backup appliance can also act as a cloud gateway towards many cloud storages (http://www.twinstrata.com/CloudArray-Ve ... eplication)
- you can setup a Veeam repository role in a Windows VM inside cloud provides like amazon and save data there

Luca.

[Gostev]

Keep in mind this free offering as well:
http://www.twinstrata.com/veeam-cloudarray-for-free

And, just as Luca set - Veeam already provides architecture optimized for remote backup (and most of our customers backup offsite), so you can simply setup a Windows or Linux box in any cloud provider, and make it a Veeam backup repository.

[gkettmann]

I apologize up front that this reads like an advertisement. That’s not my intent but I suppose it’s inevitable.

There are certain disadvantages to placing a Windows or Linux box in the cloud as a backup or replication target. Most notably:

1) Lack of recovery flexibility – you’ll be committed to a particular cloud environment
2) The storage used will likely not be true cloud storage but the storage provided to the cloud compute environment. For example, Amazon uses EBS for local machines, not S3. AWS S3, like most cloud storage, has greater redundancy and is typically geographically disbursed providing enhanced recoverability in a disaster situation.
3) In addition to storage costs you’ll incur license and machine costs.

CloudArray has DR Anywhere™ capabilities. That simply means we’ve images for many cloud environments (Amazon, IBM SmartCloud Enterprise, AT&T CaaS, RackSpace, WindStream, etc.) as well as for existing hypervisors. We have virtual or physical appliances, all of which can be quickly recovered, in minutes, to the environment of your choice, whether that’s Cloud, Hosted, Co-Lo or alternate site.

CloudArray supports over a dozen Cloud Storage Providers giving freedom to choose or change CSP’s. Up to eight CSP’s can be used concurrently. This freedom of choice allows you to pick the CSP that provides the data availability and geographic disbursement that fulfills your specific DR/BC requirements.

There is no need to run any equipment in the Cloud and so there are no monthly recurring cloud equipment fees, just storage.

With CloudArray you specify a single target for your backups that will automatically, securely and seamlessly be replicated to the Cloud in the background. This is a SAN volume, presented via iSCSI, so the volume will be integrated with your backup server. Multiple volumes can be created with flexible cache easily assigned to each volume by simple policies. This cache can be set to any size, but for backups we typically recommend a cache size equal to the volume size, providing a full local copy of your data with redundancy in the Cloud.

Greg Kettmann
TwinStrata, Director of Solutions Architecture
gkettmann.at.twinstrata.com

[dellock6]

Hi Greg,
thanks for your post and clarification.
I know a "pure" cloud storage is not the same as a virtual machine running inside a cloud environment, at least you have an extra layer to deal with. Anyway OP was asking about which ways there are to backup to the cloud, I listed both solutions like your and VMs running in the cloud.
About the lock-in avoidance you suggest in your post, I beg to differ: there is always a lock-in, I will be locked in even by choosing Veeam or Twinstrata, or even an open source software. Problem to me is not the lock-in, but its quality: I have no problem in beeing lockedin for example on Veeam technology.

Luca.

[tietzjd]

I know your looking for pure cloud offering using Veeam as backup. We been working hard on this solation at the service provider I am running. But one of the great things about the cloud is it has self service.

As of right now, we have mastered being a target for backup data from Veeam. My current struggle is that I can not use enterprise manager to allow multiple tenants access only there jobs. Yes I can give them just restore access, but that gives them access to do restores for entire Veeam B&R server. With mutiple data stores and ACL's I can secure each clients data. I could also give them full access if we install Veeam B&R at there site, it much cleaner managed service if we just add proxy to each client and have them backup to master server.

Any idea's would rock.

[gkettmann]

Luca:

Nice conversation, thanks. Yes, you're right and you did a great job of defining that there are two distinct methods of cloud backup. This is particularly helpful since Microsoft has adopted the "machine in the cloud" model for Azure. My preference is for a "pure" cloud storage solution, primarily because I feel it's more flexible and offers more choices as the technology evolves.

I would also agree that there is some amount of vendor lock-in regardless of solution. It is more pronounced in some solutions than in others. The acceptable lock-in will be determined by each of us as we create our solutions.

Greg

[dellock6]

Thanks Greg.
Any plan to support also AWS Glacier? Twinstrata already supports S3, so I think is a logical improvement. Glacier has some weird price calculations, but for really cold data seems a good cloud storage...

Luca.

[mongie]

Hi Luca,

I use TwinStrata appliances with Veeam at the moment, and I asked them on twitter as soon as Glacier was annouced - the twitter account said they weren't planning on it due to complexities with the setup.

The main thing I'd like to see with TwinStrata is a simplified configuration - They don't give us access to the underlying console and there is no way to configure routes etc on the appliance.

I'm still hanging out for Azure compatibility as well - strangely (or not) - Azure is fastest for a couple of my sites, but not supported at the moment.

[gkettmann]

TwinStrata CloudArray does not support Amazon Glacier. Glacier data retrieval time is listed as "several hours". CloudArray uses asynchronous replication to exchange data with the cloud. The Glacier response times fundamentally break that replication model making it incompatible. Glacier is more aligned with the concept of tape, not an online volume.

Greg

[dellock6]

Thanks for details, Greg. Sounds a good reason for not going to Glacier, from your perspective.

Luca.

[Starman]

I spent a lot of time talking to the Veeam guys at the booth at VMworld about this. I want the ability to connect Veeam strait to my Amazon account. Now, I am running the Amazon AWS gateway device on my network and I am pushing files shares to it to the tune of 800 gigs but I've seen this functionality in mom-and-pop type programs and seems like a pretty easy thing to add to Veeam as a small module.

[Gostev]

Let's imagine we implement this, and then the next day you want to jump to Azure or Google Drive, because they provide much better deal all of a sudden. Then what? This is why I am not particularly fancy integrating with specific providers directly. I think solutions such as TwinStrata provide much better flexibility, letting you avoid cloud storage vendor lock-in.

[mongie]

I'm particularly keen on replication to the cloud for the purpose of DR.

I own several cloud arrays, but they have their own inherant problems and apart from already being built, I don't really see a difference between a CloudArray and a Veeam Replica in the cloud. If you store your backups on a cloudarray and you decide you want to change cloud providers - sure, you can change, but you still have to upload all your data to a new provider.

Couldn't Veeam support a couple of major API's and provide some sort of automated replica import/export? (Sure, it would require some development, but it would be an awesome feature). I picture something along the lines of Veeam installing a proxy in an EC2 instance and then importing the VMs from your local environment into EC2.

[sbos]

I'm particularly keen on replication to the cloud for the purpose of DR.

me too.

I'm (well, the company I'm working with) discussing hard with a local cloud provider, in order to setup a DR service, based on their infrastructure.
I don't see particular problems with backup: I will set up a Veeam target proxy VM "receiving" the backups from the "local" Veeam, and storing on a huge disk.
The "local" infrastructure is a classic dedicated VMware setup, so we have no problem when backing up the VM (excluding from performance/ timing/ bandwidth issues, but that's another story).

The point comes up when planning the restore in the cloud: remember, that's a cloud infrastructure, so there is no way we can access/connect the virtual center.
The only tool the provider gives me is an "import snapshot" command (I'm discussing with them if they can give me an "import from OVA/OVF" option) .

However ALL the configuration I have seen so fare requires connection to the VC to perform such task.
If I have well understood the B&R Cloud editions allows to store/retrieve the data not to "convert into a cloud suitable" format.
I'm missing something? any workaround for this? May be this can be the "next release" feature?

Thank you in advance

Sergio

[veremin]

If I have well understood the B&R Cloud editions allows to store/retrieve the data not to "convert into a cloud suitable" format.

Yep, you’re right CE is only responsible for taking your backup data offsite and it can’t help you in replication scenario you’re after.

I'm missing something? any workaround for this? May be this can be the "next release" feature?

Unfortunately, by now there is no such built-in functionality.It’s ESXi host that needs to be selected as a target for replication job, so, if you find a way to deploy it in cloud, then, I assume, you would be able to replicate to it.

Anyway, thanks for the feedback; highly-appreciated.

[sbos]

Unfortunately, by now there is no such built-in functionality.It’s ESXi host that needs to be selected as a target for replication job, so, if you find a way to deploy it in cloud, then, I assume, you would be able to replicate to it.

Yes, but I'm (purposely) talking about backup, NOT replica.
Is there any way to publish a backup as a vmdk image even if the server is not connected to a ESX?
or, put in another way, is there a way to export Veeam backups to a more open format (vmdk, OVA, ....)
speed would be a plus

Anyway, thanks for the feedback; highly-appreciated

Well, some more help / working ideas would be also highly appreciated

[Vitaliy S.]

or, put in another way, is there a way to export Veeam backups to a more open format (vmdk, OVA, ....)

The only way to achieve that is to use extract.exe utility (targeted to the VBK file) which will grab the VM image from the backup and will put all VM files in the native VMware format.