Poll : immutable object storage appliances


Userlevel 7
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Hi all,

This week no top-10 or top-15 or a best practice from me, but a poll this time ;-)

Since object-storage is more and more interesting for putting backups onto, I want to implement object-storage appliances using SOBR capacity tier at our biggest customers and also on our VCC infrastructure. This especially for having an airgapped/immutable copy of the primary backups.

Requirements it must meet, are : 

  • it has to be IMMUTABLE object-strorage, so implementing the object-lock functionality
  • it needs to be VEEAM READY (must be on the list Veeam Alliance Partner Technical Programs)
  • it has to be an appliance (so no need to use Linux CLI, but just a user-friendly web-interface, an all-in-one box, all included)
  • easy scalable
  • cost-effective

I think on Cloudian, Nutanix and Quantum object storage appliances.

What is your personal expericence with those and others regarding : 

  • cost-effective?
  • easy scalable - modular?
  • what is the minimum setup? number of appliances?
  • what is the minimum storage?
  • experience with support cases?
  • sustainable?
  • advantages - disadvantages?
  • Possible to use as object-storage for immutable SOBR capacity tier in combination with object-storage for VBO365 ?
  • what is included - exluded in the price?

Thx for you feedback!

 

regards

Nico


18 comments

Userlevel 7
Badge +12

We will take our first steps in to the s3 object storage world with Cloudian. 

I don‘t have it yet, it should be delivered soon.

it will be easy scalable if we need another Node. But the space should be enough for a few years.

It will be a target for our hosted vcc, vbr and vbo365. Each customer will get it‘s own bucket. Object lock can be enabled on bucket level. One disadvantage, Vbo365 doesn‘t have immutability.

 

I can‘t tell about the cost-effectiv. This is something for our product managers :)

Userlevel 7
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thx @Mildur , like you are more or less in the same boat. We will first put a copy of VCC on the object storage, then normally migrate VBO365 from Azure to the object storage (indeed not yet immutable, I asked during VEEAMON 2021, but not yet a date - first a copy job in VBO365 will be available soon) and then BaaS as immutable capacity tier for the tenant ;-)

Userlevel 7
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We use Cloudian as our primary one currently.  We are working towards implementing HCP Cloud Scale by Hitachi as well but tests are not going too well at the moment.  We are also testing MinIO as well in a small cluster.

We do offer an object storage also that does S3 to Tape in the backend to get data offsite and offline as well for vaulting.

I have tested at home Backblaze as I have storage there and Wasabi which both work very well with Veeam but those are not on-prem solutions.

Userlevel 7
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@Nico Losschaert : Thanks for the share buddy !

Userlevel 7
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Hello, we’r in contact for object storage with quantum. There is some news functionnalities to active scale with tiering on tape library.  It will look like more glacier on prem.

The airgap part is in redesign, we struggle to have security validation from French information system security agency for object storage vs tape.

I’m wondering, are there people who implemented minio on physical server with large storage?

Userlevel 7
Badge +20

Hello, we’r in contact for object storage with quantum. There is some news functionnalities to active scale with tiering on tape library.  It will look like more glacier on prem.

The airgap part is in redesign, we struggle to have security validation from French information system security agency for object storage vs tape.

I’m wondering, are there people who implemented minio on physical server with large storage?

This sounds interesting with Quantum storage. Might need to look at this one too.

Userlevel 7
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Thx @Chris.Childerhose  and @BertrandFR for your feedback!

Userlevel 7
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Because we have a good chance to get S3 support for primary backup target: does any of you think about commodity hardware running a “filer”-OS supporting S3 for production?

Userlevel 7
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Never though of that, @vNote42 

Our new hardware Cloudian was already ordered in May.

Today i have begun to build a POC with a virtual cloudian installation (Trial).

It works very good, installation process was very easy.

Now I have to create a script for on onboarding all of our customers (dedicated SOBR for each customer for easier billing process)

Userlevel 7
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Good luck @Mildur 

Userlevel 7
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Good luck @Mildur 

Thanks, i have all the veeam powershell commands and aws cli commands for creating buckets on the s3 storage.

Building them together to a working script is the interesting part :D

Userlevel 7
Badge +10

I really like this thread and discussion, one thing to add everyone also is that you can easily get into “Double Play” or “Triple Play” immutability. Using the Hardened Linux Repository *AND* the Object Immutable targets with the Scale-Out Backup Repository. This is a really strong configuration that gives high confidence of data restores in light of attacks on data!

Userlevel 7
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@Rick Vanover

This is my design for our new backup environment. Already testing it with a Cloudian Demo Virtual Appliance :)

 

 

Userlevel 7
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I really like this thread and discussion, one thing to add everyone also is that you can easily get into “Double Play” or “Triple Play” immutability. Using the Hardened Linux Repository *AND* the Object Immutable targets with the Scale-Out Backup Repository. This is a really strong configuration that gives high confidence of data restores in light of attacks on data!

Definitely something we need to test for an offering to clients.  Would be a great way to ensure safe and sound backups.

Userlevel 6
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Thank you

Userlevel 7
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I really like this thread and discussion, one thing to add everyone also is that you can easily get into “Double Play” or “Triple Play” immutability. Using the Hardened Linux Repository *AND* the Object Immutable targets with the Scale-Out Backup Repository. This is a really strong configuration that gives high confidence of data restores in light of attacks on data!

Fully agree Rick! 

I am already curious how the implementation rate of hardened repo will be, when VBR is able to backup to S3 directly.

Userlevel 7
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Thx @Rick Vanover !!! The reason why I didn’t mention the hardened linux repository, is because in my company (Veeam reseller partner and service provider) we don’t use Linux. The engineers are having less knowledge, so we can’t use things we cannot fully support ;-). What would we really great is that a hardened immutable Windows repository would be possible in the future… Probably very difficult to achieve I think.

Userlevel 7
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Thx @Rick Vanover !!! The reason why I didn’t mention the hardened linux repository, is because in my company (Veeam reseller partner and service provider) we don’t use Linux. The engineers are having less knowledge, so we can’t use things we cannot fully support ;-). What would we really great is that a hardened immutable Windows repository would be possible in the future… Probably very difficult to achieve I think.

Immutable Windows - this should be a good debate for sure.  Would be nice but I think it would be as you say much harder to implement over Linux.

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