V11: Immutable primary backup storage

[jrafter]

Our current Veeam B&R environment runs on windows 2016 backing up VMware 6.7 VMs using iSCSI to NIMBLE arrays. Has anyone converted to a Linux based backup infrastructure that could take advantage of the immutable backup option in v11? We have no Linux based staff in house so experience is an issue!

[Gostev]

Hardened repositories should ideally be using internal or direct attached storage.

When using SAN, immutability can always be bypassed if an attacker takes over the SAN management interface and just deletes repository LUNs. So you'd really have to focus first and foremost on hardening SAN management interface. However, as soon as you're confident about it, then simply scheduling periodic repository LUN snapshots will provide the level of protection similar to a Hardened Repository that is backed by SAN LUN. Because in both cases, SAN management interface is the weakest part of the design.

Bottom line: as long as you use SAN LUNs to host your backups, implementing Hardened Repository will not give you a better protection comparing to SAN snapshots of repository LUNs. While the latter does not require you to learn anything new.