Take advantage of the free 1TB StoreOnce VSA option. It’s ideal for evaluating the benefits before purchasing the licensed version of the platform. But first: your questions answered here.
In an earlier post, I covered the latest enhancements announced for our software-defined data protection solution HPE StoreOnce VSA.
Here, I’ll cover a compelling aspect of the StoreOnce VSA platform: the free 1TB StoreOnce VSA designed for users who 
To get going, here are some of the commonly asked questions I’ve heard from our users on the Free 1TB StoreOnce VSA.
What do you need to know about the 1TB StoreOnce VSA?
The free 1TB (without support) StoreOnce VSA option allows you to have the flexibility to deploy the HPE StoreOnce VSA as per your standard data protection requirements, with licensing options available at 4 B, 10TB, 20TB, 32TB and 50TB capacity points. StoreOnce VSA offers support for VMware vSphere and Microsoft Hyper-V Server environments. This prevents hypervisor lock-in for your organization and enables cost-optimized data protection in mixed hypervisor environments.
Who can use the free 1TB StoreOnce VSA?
The free version of the StoreOnce VSA can be used like an extended evaluation of the StoreOnce VSA platform before you decide to purchase the higher capacity StoreOnce VSA versions. Anyone can deploy this as a production backup target, if they are willing to utilize a limited capacity product without vendor support in your environment.
How does this free 1TB StoreOnce VSA differ from the other StoreOnce VSA versions (4 TB/10TB/20TB/32TB/50 TB)?
Functionally, the free 1TB StoreOnce VSA is identical to the other StoreOnce VSA options. All the product features available on the larger VSA platforms are available with the free 1TB StoreOnce VSA. However, the three key differences are:
- The free 1TB StoreOnce VSA can only enable 1TB of usable storage or 20TB of logical capacity (20:1 dedupe ratio.
- No technical support services from HPE are available for the free 1TB StoreOnce VSA version.
- No Care Packs are available to purchase for the 1TB StoreOnce VSA.
Is there a limit to the number of free 1TB StoreOnce VSA that a customer can download?
There is no limit. You can download the free 1TB StoreOnce VSA according to your requirements.
How many backup targets does the free 1TB StoreOnce VSA support?
You can configure up to four backup targets with the 1TB StoreOnce VSA. They can be a mix of StoreOnce Catalyst stores, VTLs, or NAS shares.
Can I upgrade the free 1TB StoreOnce VSA to other scalable StoreOnce VSA versions?
Absolutely! This is a very simple upgrade process. To upgrade, you need to purchase the license for the 4 TB/10 TB/20 TB/32 TB/50 TB StoreOnce VSA version and enter the product license key. Once the license key is added, your StoreOnce VSA automatically upgrades to enable the new licensed capacity and you will be entitled to HPE technical support. All stored backup data is accessible, and there will not be any changes to the configuration settings.
How can I download the free 1TB StoreOnce VSA?
The 1TB StoreOnce VSA is downloadable from the HPE Software Depot.
To continue you must have an HPE Passport account (which is easily created if you do not already have one). After this, you need to enter your HPE Passport credentials and some user information. This takes you to the download page where the StoreOnce VSA software can be downloaded. From the same download page, there is also a link to download the License Key Entitlement Certificate.
Do I need a license?
Yes. The software can be run using the embedded evaluation license for up to 60 days from installation. After that, a free license will be required for continued use. This license will enable you to use the StoreOnce VSA for up to three years. At the end of the three years, it will operate in read only mode i.e. all backup data can be restored or replicated but no new backup data can be written. You’ll need to purchase additional licenses if you want to use it beyond three years.
Download your free 1TB StoreOnce VSA here.
When you download the 1T B StoreOnce VSA the following documents are included in the download package:
- HPE StoreOnce VSA User Guide
- HPE StoreOnce VSA Deployment and Configuration Guide
- HPE StoreOnce VSA Release Notes
(Note: The free 1TB StoreOnce VSA doesn’t include any technical support. No Care Packs are available to purchase for the 1TB VSA).
6 great features with StoreOnce VSA
StoreOnce VSA provides secure backup with drastically reduced storage costs, power consumption and rack space requirements. Ideal for protecting small amounts of data and for extended evaluation. Top features include:
- StoreOnce Catalyst.
- StoreOnce Security Pack, including data-at-flight encryption, secure erase (data shredding) and data-at-rest encryption)
- Compatibility with all HPE StoreOnce systems
- Flash-integrated data protection, including compatibility with Recovery Manager Central (RMC)
- Support for VMware and Hyper-V environments
- Flexibility to deploy in Microsoft Azure Cloud
Find out more
HPE StoreOnce
HPE StoreOnce VSA
One more time: Download your free 1TB StoreOnce VSA here.
Meet Around the Storage Block blogger Ashwin Shetty, Product Marketing, HPE Storage. @ashwinkshetty
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