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How to enable StorageGRID in your environment

Backup and recover data using StorageGRID and Commvault

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Commvault and NetApp have partnered to create a joint data protection solution combining Commvault Complete Backup and Recovery for NetApp software with NetApp StorageGRID software for cloud storage. Commvault Complete Backup and Recovery and NetApp StorageGRID provide unique, easy-to-use solutions that work together to help you meet demands of rapid data growth and increasing regulations around the world.

Many organizations want to migrate their storage to the cloud, scale their systems, and automate their policy for long-term retention of data. Cloud-based object storage is known for its resilience, ability to scale, and operational and cost efficiencies that make it a natural choice as a target for your backup. Commvault and NetApp jointly certified their combined solution in 2014 and since then have engineered deeper integration between their two solutions. Customers of all types around the world have adopted the Commvault Complete Backup and Recovery and StorageGRID combined solution.

About Commvault and StorageGRID

Commvault Complete Backup and Recovery software is an enterprise-level, integrated data and information management solution, built from the ground up on a single platform and with a unified code base. All of its functions share back-end technologies, bringing the unparalleled advantages and benefits of a fully integrated approach to protecting, managing, and accessing your data. The software contains modules to protect, archive, analyze, replicate, and search your data. The modules share a common set of back-end services and advanced capabilities that seamlessly interact with each other. The solution addresses all aspects of data management in your enterprise, while providing infinite scalability and unprecedented control of data and information.

NetApp StorageGRID as a Commvault cloud tier is an enterprise hybrid-cloud object-storage solution. You can deploy it across many sites, either on a purpose-built appliance or as a software-defined deployment. StorageGRID enables you to establish data management policies that determine how data is stored and protected. StorageGRID collects the information you need to develop and enforce policies. It examines a wide range of characteristics and needs, including performance, durability, availability, geographic location, longevity, and cost. Data is fully maintained and protected as it moves between locations and as it ages.

The StorageGRID intelligent policy engine helps you choose either of the following options:

  • To use erasure coding to back up data across multiple sites for resilience.

  • To copy objects to remote sites to minimize WAN latency and cost.

When StorageGRID stores an object, you access it as one object, regardless of where it is or how many copies exist. This behavior is crucial for disaster recovery, because with it, even if one backup copy of your data is corrupted, StorageGRID is able to restore your data.

Retaining backup data in your primary storage can be expensive. When you use NetApp StorageGRID, you free up space on your primary storage by migrating inactive backup data into StorageGRID while you benefit from the numerous capabilities of StorageGRID. The value of backup data changes over time, as does the cost of storing it. StorageGRID can minimize the cost of your primary storage while increasing the durability of your data.

Key features

Key features of the Commvault software platform include:

  • A complete data protection solution supporting all major operating systems, applications, and databases on virtual and physical servers, NAS systems, cloud-based infrastructures, and mobile devices.

  • Simplified management through a single console: You can view, manage, and access all functions and all data and information across the enterprise.

  • Multiple protection methods including data backup and archiving, snapshot management, data replication, and content indexing for e-discovery.

  • Efficient storage management using deduplication for disk and cloud storage.

  • Integration with NetApp storage arrays such as AFF, FAS, NetApp HCI, and E-Series arrays and NetApp SolidFire® scale-out storage systems. Integration also with NetApp Cloud Volumes ONTAP software to automate the creation of indexed, application-aware NetApp Snapshot™ copies across the NetApp storage portfolio.

  • Complete virtual infrastructure management that supports leading on-premises virtual hypervisors and public cloud hyperscaler platforms.

  • Advanced security capabilities to limit access to critical data, provide granular management capabilities, and provide single-sign-on access for Active Directory users.

  • Policy-based data management that allows you to manage your data based on business needs—not physical location.

  • A cutting-edge end-user experience, empowering your users to protect, find, and recover their own data.

  • API-driven automation, allowing you to use third-party tools like vRealize Automation or Service Now to manage your data protection and recovery operations.

For details on supported workloads, visit CommVault's supported technologies.

Backup options

When you implement Commvault Complete Backup and Recovery software with cloud storage, you have two backup options:

  • Back up to a primary disk target and also back up an auxiliary copy to cloud storage.

  • Back up to cloud storage as the primary target.

In the past, cloud or object storage was considered to be too low-performing to be used for primary backup. The use of a primary disk target allowed customers to have faster backup and restore processes and to keep an auxiliary copy on the cloud as a cold backup. StorageGRID represents the next generation of object storage. StorageGRID is capable of high performance and massive throughput as well as performance and flexibility beyond what other object-storage vendors offer.

The following table lists the benefits of each backup option with StorageGRID:

Primary Backup to Disk and an Auxiliary Copy to StorageGRID Primary Backup to StorageGRID

Performance

Fastest recovery time, using live mount or live recovery: best for Tier0/Tier1 workloads.

Cannot be used for live mount or live recovery operations. Ideal for streaming restore operation and for long-term retention.

Deployment architecture

Uses all flash or a spinning disk as a first backup landing tier. StorageGRID is used as a secondary tier.

Simplifies the deployment by using StorageGRID as the all-inclusive backup target.

Advanced features (live restore)

Supported

Not supported

Where to find additional information

To learn more about the information that is described in this document, review the following documents and/or websites: