The latest HPE SimpliVity 4.1.0 software is integrated with HPE Cloud Volumes Backup, providing a comprehensive data protection solution, on-premises to the cloud. This blog explains how to set up, register, and manage backups in the environment.
Now with the latest HPE SimpliVity 4.1.0 software and HPE Cloud Volumes Backup, you can take HCI backups to the cloud. HPE Cloud Volumes Backup is a service offering that lets you seamlessly back up data from your on-premises arrays to the cloud through a subscription model where you pay-as-you-go. These backups can be restored without egress fees back to your on-premises infrastructure.
The integration of the two HPE Storage offerings means users can now access HPE Cloud Volumes from their hyperconverged platform. No additional software is required. Using the HPE SimpliVity REST API, HPE SimpliVity CLI, or the HPE SimpliVity plug-in, you can perform the following actions, just like you would with any HPE SimpliVity interface:
- Register or unregister HPE Cloud Volume Backup Store as an external store
- Show HPE Cloud Volume Backup Stores
- Perform a manual or policy-based backup
- Cancel, copy, delete, rename, restore, or show backups
- Generate a backup report for an external store on a centrally managed federation
- View external backups on HPE InfoSight
In this blog, I will show you how simple it is to set up, register, and manage HPE Cloud Volumes Backup in an HPE hyperconverged environment. Iโll also share new HPE SimpliVity features for disaster recovery.
Letโs start at the beginning: Day 0.
Day 0: Setting up the HPE Cloud Volumes Backup Store, the Secure Client, and registration
To start off, create a store on the HPE Cloud Volumes portal by navigating to the Backup Stores tab and selecting New Store. Download the Secure Client zip file and the credentials file.
You may have to open the required ports in your firewall for the connection to complete. Detailed prerequisites and steps for this operation can be found at HPE Cloud Volumes โ Help under the HPE Cloud Volumes Backup section.
Next, register the HPE Cloud Volumes Backup Store as an external store in HPE SimpliVity. For customers familiar with HPE StoreOnce systems, this process is similar to using the HPE StoreOnce Catalyst interface. You can register your store in two ways:
- Right click cluster -> All HPE SimpliVity Actions -> Register External Store, or
- Select cluster -> Configure tab -> HPE SimpliVity -> External Storage -> Register
To complete the registration, provide Secure Client details, the HPE Cloud Volumes Backup Store name, and the username and password from the credentials file that you downloaded previously. Once successfully registered, you can see the store under the HPE SimpliVity External Storage tab.
Day 1: Managing the HPE Cloud Volumes Backup Store and taking backups
Once the registration is complete, you can back up a virtual machine (VM) to the cloud the same way you would in any HPE SimpliVity environment. All available backups for the HPE Cloud Volumes Backup Store are created, deleted, and managed via standard HPE SimpliVity backup policies.
For a manual backup of a VM, specify the backup target or destination as external store, and select a specific store.
As with other HPE SimpliVity environments, VM management for the HPE Cloud Volumes Backup Store is policy-based. You can create a new backup policy -- or choose to edit existing policies. For existing backup policies, simply add a rule to back up to HPE Cloud Volumes Backup Store for policy-based backups. A single new rule for policy-based backups can direct hundreds of virtual machines to back up to the cloud.
The HPE SimpliVity external storage window lets you view and manage all the registered stores, update the storage settings, and search for backups on individual stores. You can also generate a report on these backups in a centrally managed federation.
The HPE InfoSight portal lets you view the HPE Cloud Volumes Backup Stores, including the backup count and logical space occupied for each store under the External Backups tab.
Day 2: Offloading backups to the cloud and creating multiple copies with HPE SimpliVity RapidDR
For long term storage or compliance purposes, you might want to offload existing HPE SimpliVity backups to the cloud or create multiple copies of backups, keeping one on-premises and another in the cloud. Both operations are easily automated through the HPE SimpliVity RapidDR application. The latest version allows you to easily move selected backups, or copy all of your existing HPE SimpliVity backups to external storage targets like HPE Cloud Volumes Backup or HPE StoreOnce. You can create a plan in the application or simply select the cluster directly for the virtual machines whose backups need to be processed.
Disaster recovery from backups in the cloud
Disaster strikes in various ways, from ransomware to acts of nature, to simple human error. In a minor incident, you might lose just a file; in a major disaster, you could end up completely cut off from your infrastructure. New features in HPE SimpliVity 4.1.0 provide more options for keeping your data safe.
Restoring data from backups stored in the cloud is just as easy as restoring it from another on-site appliance, and with HPE Cloud Volumes Backup there are no egress fees. Simply perform a right-click operation from the backup search window. With HPE SimpliVity 4.1.0, you can choose to do an in-place restore to the existing virtual machine, or you can create a new virtual machine.
HPE SimpliVity RapidDR can also be used to automate disaster recovery. Create a recovery plan for the cloud with external stores and execute a failover from backups in the cloud to your on-premises infrastructure.
In extreme cases, such as a natural disaster, you may lose entire clusters. This situation is known as a โcluster burn downโ scenario. There is no need to fret with a backup in the cloud. Customers can contact the support team to restore backups on HPE Cloud Volumes to another HPE SimpliVity cluster or federation with the help of the aptly named โSupport Tool for Cluster Burn Down Scenarios.โ
HPE SimpliVity data protection resources
Integration with HPE Cloud Volumes Backup extends HPE SimpliVity data protection from the edge to the cloud. Learn how to register an HPE Cloud Volume Backup Store and start backing up from HPE SimpliVity in this video.
To learn more about protecting data in HCI environments, check out Rakesh Vugranamโs Data Protection with HPE SimpliVity blog series. Part 1 explains how the hyper-efficient infrastructure was designed to protect data.
New to HPE SimpliVity? HCI expert Luke Pruen covers how artificial intelligence and hyperconverged infrastructure can simplify management and control costs at the edge. Start with Part 1 of his technical blog series here.
Ready to try out the technology?
- Book a Hands-On-Lab or POC today to check out the latest features of HPE SimpliVity 4.1.0.
- You can try HPE Cloud Volumes Backup for free for 90 days!
DId you catch our latest World Watch Webinar this week? Don't worry! "Power and protect from edge to cloud with HPE SimpliVity" is available on replay!
Learn more about HPE SimpliVity solutions.
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