Reliable Backup Windows
EC’s data consists of VMware and Citrix servers, SQL databases, file servers, and a Viewpoint server that houses critical information on job sites, bids, and other records. Hollett has found that using ExaGrid has improved replication from remote jobsites to its main headquarters. “In addition to VMware and ESXi servers at our primary site, we also have QNAP NAS storage at each of our job sites. We like the way that ExaGrid handles deduplication and replication. It works better than our previous system.”
Hollett backs up EC’s data daily, as well as with partial backups Wednesday through Friday, and a full on Saturday. “Our backups used to run into each other, and that was causing CPU issues, but we haven’t had any problems with that since moving to ExaGrid – the system sets them up, knocks them down, and the backup jobs are done very quickly.” In addition to short backup windows, Hollett has found that restoring data from ExaGrid’s landing zone is also a short, straightforward process. “We are able to restore data very quickly, and even a full VM restore is lightning-fast,” he said.
ExaGrid and Veeam can instantly recover a file or VMware virtual machine by running it directly from the ExaGrid appliance in the event that the file is lost, corrupted or encrypted or the primary storage VM becomes unavailable. This instant recovery is possible because of ExaGrid’s Landing Zone – a high-speed disk cache on the ExaGrid appliance that retains the most recent backups in their complete form. Once the primary storage environment has been brought back to a working state, the VM backed up on the ExaGrid appliance can then be migrated to primary storage for continued operation.