In container deployments, simple operations in hybrid cloud and app-level protection are key. Discover how HPE storage container data protection leverages HPE CSI Driver for Kubernetes and Commvault software.
-By Parissa Mohamadi, Product Manager for Storage Data Protection Solutions, HPE
Did you know that container adoption is blazing ahead with a 33.1% CAGR and a USD $12 billion market size by 2028?*
Itโs really not a surprise for this massive deployment trend. containerized apps can be easily ported across different environments such as local desktops, virtual and physical servers, DevOps environments and private or public clouds. 
Modern Kubernetes environments have evolved to include stateful applications with persistent storage requirements. Persistent storage needs drive the requirement to protect containers from failures and disasters. and you want the ability to migrate a test and development environment to production through replication. In choosing a data protection solution, make sure the operations and policies are seamless across on-premises and cloud and that deploying these containers with their data management policies is simple. And remember, you want the ability to backup and restore at the application level โ not at physical host or cluster level.
Donโt look too far โ HPE offers end-to-end enterprise grade container protection with Commvault while leveraging the HPE CSI Driver for Kubernetes for data services offered by HPE primary storage such as HPE Alletra.
A winning solution: HPE Alletra (leveraging HPE CSI Driver for Kubernetes) and Commvault
To protect a Kubernetes cluster with Commvault software, we validated a solution as depicted in the diagram below. The specific use case showcases backing up a StatefulSet application, then restoring that application to an alternate namespace, thereby highlighting the ease at which a parent/production environment can be spun up in a separate cluster or namespace for development purposes. Restoring a backup of the original application to a new namespace allows for concurrent workflows.
Container data protection with HPE and Commvault
Solution components include:
HPE Apollo 2000 servers that deliver the flexibility to tailor the system to the precise needs of demanding HPC workloads with the right compute, flexible I/O, and storage options. This density-optimized compute platform doubles the density of traditional 1U servers, providing up to four 2P servers in a 2U form factor. The HPE ProLiant XL170r Gen10 server is an ideal node for compute-intensive and in-memory analytics in real-time, interactive, and batch workloads.
HPE Ezmeral Runtime Enterprise provides the Kubernetes cluster delivering a secure, enterprise-grade platform to deploy cloud-native and non-cloud-native applications at scale across your data centers, multiple clouds, and at the edge. It provides all the tools you need to build, modernize, deploy, monitor, and manage a wide range of AI and analytics workloads to unleash your dataโs full potential and accelerate your data-driven digital transformation.
HPE CSI Driver for Kubernetes enables a Container Storage Provider (CSP) to perform data management operations on storage resources provided by HPE primary storage such as HPE Alletra, HPE Primera, and HPE Nimble. The HPE CSI Driver for Kubernetes exposes array-level volume snapshots via the Kubernetes VolumeSnapshotClass. When configured, Commvault will use VolumeSnapshots as an efficient mechanism for persistent storage backup.
HPE Alletra is cloud-native data infrastructure powered by HPE GreenLake platform. Together, they provide a cloud operating and consumption experience wherever data lives. Built for every app, from traditional to modern, HPE Alletra spans workload-optimized systems to deliver architectural flexibility without the complexity of traditional storage management. By mobilizing data across clouds, HPE Alletra unleashes the true potential of the hybrid cloud.
Commvault Backup & Recovery helps to utilize, protect, and move data across on-premises and the cloud. It natively supports kube-apiserver, the core of the Kubernetes control plane, allowing the monitoring of the cluster and detection of new objects to protect. Snapshots and persistent volume creation are handled via native CSI integration. An example of the Commvault backup lifecycle of a Kubernetes resource could be a deployment of a temporary pod and the mounting of previously mentioned snapshot volumes.
Ready to learn more?
Watch a short demo video on protecting containers with Commvault leveraging HPE CSI Driver for Kubernetes.
Read the technical white paper showing how to configure a Kubernetes cluster to utilize HPE Alletra persistent storage and to protect associated namespaces with Commvault.
And always remember to check out the news on HPE CSI Driver for Kubernetes including highlights of the latest release and Commvault validation.
*Global News Wire Report Linker https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/10/03/2526600/0/en/The-Global-Application-Container-Market-size-is-expected-to-reach-12-billion-by-2028-rising-at-a-market-growth-of-33-1-CAGR-during-the-forecast-period.html
Meet Storage Experts blogger Parissa Mohamadi, Product Manager for Storage Data Protection Solutions, HPE
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