commvault.com commvault.com
Question

Commvault Backup vs. Azure Backup (MABS)

  • 13 June 2023
  • 4 replies
  • 986 views
N
Rank
Badge +2

Hello Everyone,

 

I have been researching the differences between using Commvault backup and Azure backup for backing up Azure Virtual Solution (AVS) VM instances, especially when dealing with a potentially large number of VMs (up to 1000). Here are a few points I have found so far:

  • Commvault backup allows for selective file and folder recovery from Linux VMs, while Azure Backup (MABS) may not provide this capability.
  • Azure Backup (MABS) might have blind spots when it comes to VMware vApps, whereas Commvault backup offers better support in these cases.
  • App-consistent backups with native Azure Linux instances may require manual scripting with Azure Backup (MABS), but it's unclear if this applies to Azure VMware Solution (AVS) backups.

However, I would greatly appreciate your input and validation of these points, as well as any additional insights or considerations regarding the advantages of choosing Commvault backup over Azure Backup for backing up Azure VM instances. Thank you in advance for your help!

4 replies

N
Rank
Badge +2

Here is what I have learned so far from working with Veeam and Commvault SMEs, reviewing documents, and looking at community responses. I wanted to share this in case anyone else is searching for similar information. Feel free to correct me or add any details you think might be relevant for how these products handle backups specifically for Azure VMware Solution (AVS) instances:

Scalability

  • Commvault: Commvault can accommodate a high number of AVS instances due to its ability to scale out by including more nodes in its backup environment. It's compatible with vSphere in various setups, including on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments, and is therefore suitable for Azure VMware Solution.
  • Veeam: Thanks to its distributed architecture, Veeam can also handle numerous AVS instances. Its Backup & Replication tool provides a wide range of backup, replication, and recovery features for AVS.
  • Azure Backup (MABS): Being a cloud-native solution, Azure Backup can scale to manage many AVS instances. However, it may have some limitations, like the number of VMs that can be backed up in a single Azure Backup Recovery Services vault. This might necessitate managing multiple vaults for very large deployments.

Feature Set

  • Commvault: Commvault's Live Sync feature for AVS instances allows for nearly instantaneous recovery of VMs by continuously replicating changes to a standby VM. Additionally, it supports deduplication and encryption to optimize storage and maintain security.
  • Veeam: With Veeam's Instant VM Recovery feature, downtime during a disaster can be minimized by promptly restoring any virtualized application. Its SureBackup feature can automatically verify the recoverability of backups.
  • Azure Backup (MABS): Azure Backup can provide simple, automated backup of AVS instances with easy recovery in case of data loss. However, its feature set might be more basic compared to Commvault and Veeam, and may not include advanced features such as global deduplication or automated backup verification.

Integration

  • Commvault: With strong integrations with both Azure and VMware, Commvault is well-suited to work with AVS, which combines both technologies.
  • Veeam: Veeam's robust integrations with Azure and VMware, and its product specifically designed to protect Azure workloads make it a good choice.
  • Azure Backup (MABS): As a native Azure service, Azure Backup offers the smoothest integration with AVS, manageable from the same console as your other Azure resources and uses the same RBAC.
N
Rank
Badge +2

I am also considering using Metallic, your cloud-based data protection solution into AVS, but in my research, I came across information suggesting that AVS only supports the hotadd transport mode for data protection.

 

Currently, I am considering situating our backup server (potentially Azure MABS/Metallic services server) within a dedicated VNet and establishing connectivity to AVS via ExpressRoute (this is to isolate internet facing devices in a separate vNet). This would allow our backup solution to communicate with the AVS vCenter, take a snapshot, and then transfer the data to a local disk on the Media Agent. Subsequently, a copy of the data would be pushed to the Metallic Cloud Library/Azure Blob for additional data protection.

 

Given the requirement for the hotadd transport mode, I'm looking to confirm whether a proxy must be present within the AVS environment to facilitate the backup process. Could you please provide clarification on this? Or please suggest a best approach here?

I'm uncertain if the Metallic community has visibility over these posts, so I'm contemplating making a post in that community as well.  Thanks in advance!

N
Rank
Badge +2

:)

F
Rank
Userlevel 3
Badge +5

Nicky
   What did you end up going with for your cloud backups?  We have been a long time CommVault on-prem customer.   As we start to move to the cloud, debating on what we want to use for Backups moving forward.

Thank you in advance

Bill

Reply


Terms & ConditionsCookie settings