In our recent Unbeatable Backup with On-Premise Immutability webinar, hosted in partnership with Object First, industry experts from both Central Technology and Object First shared insights into the critical role of immutable storage solutions in combating modern cyber threats. Here are the key insights from the on-premise immutability webinar, including highlights from the Q&A session.
Key Insights of On-Premise Immutability
1. The Growing Importance of Immutability
Matt Atkinson and Chris Barr from Central Technology emphasised that immutable backups are now essential in data protection strategies. Traditional backups are vulnerable to sophisticated ransomware attacks. Immutable storage solutions like Object First’s ootbi appliances offer a robust defence by preventing modification or deletion of data.
2. Simplifying On-Premise Backup Management
Chris Barr, Central Technology Co-founder and Technical Director, highlighted that on-premise immutability such as the ootbi device, simplifies backup management by integrating seamlessly with Veeam. Unlike traditional methods requiring complex configurations, these purpose-built appliances offer a user-friendly setup, with deployment taking as little as 15 minutes. This ease of use is crucial for IT teams managing large data volumes and seeking efficient disaster recovery solutions.
3. Enhanced Performance and Security
The ootbi appliances are designed to deliver exceptional performance, particularly in data recovery scenarios. Barr noted that these appliances significantly reduce recovery time, allowing businesses to restore operations swiftly after a data breach. Additionally, the built-in security features, such as no root access and automatic immutability, provide a high level of data integrity and protection against ransomware.
4. Addressing the Challenges of Ransomware
David Johnson, EMEA Channel Sales Director from Object First discussed the increasing sophistication of ransomware attacks and the necessity of advanced storage solutions. He outlined how traditional NAS systems are often targeted, leading to encrypted backups and extended downtime. Object First’s approach focuses on zero-trust data resilience, ensuring that backups remain secure and accessible even if primary systems are compromised.
5. Flexibility and Scalability
Walter Berends, EMEA Sales Engineer for Object First, elaborated on the scalability of the ootbi appliances, which can be expanded seamlessly as data storage needs grow. This flexibility allows organisations to adapt their backup infrastructure without significant disruptions, making it a cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes.
Q&A Highlights
During the webinar, several key questions were addressed by the experts from Central Technology and Object First. Here’s a summary of the Q&A session:
Q1: What’s involved in managing the ootbi appliance for On-Premise Immutability, including installing updates and detecting issues?
Chris Barr: Managing the ootbi appliance is straightforward. Installation and updates are easy, requiring you only to ensure that no backups or restores are running during updates. The appliances need internet access, and updates are hassle-free. Issue detection is automated via email alerts, covering scenarios from disk failures to storage capacity alerts.
Q2: Is hardware warranty included with the ootbi appliance?
Matt Atkinson: Yes, the ootbi appliance includes a three-year hardware warranty with options to extend to five years. This includes next business day onsite response for any component failures, providing built-in resiliency and proactive alerts to ensure minimal disruption.
Q3: With built-in immutability, when using Veeam’s incremental forever backup strategy, which merges incrementals into the full backup, will this trigger another full backup alongside the incremental backups?
Chris Barr: In Veeam’s incremental forever backup strategy, when a new backup is created, the latest full backup is merged with new incremental backups into a new file. This approach ensures that the full backup file remains immutable over time. For long-term retention, especially with backup copy jobs, using the GFS (Grandfather-Father-Son) functionality to create synthetic restore points weekly is recommended. This method allows you to retain older restore points while maintaining the integrity of the full backups.
Q4: How are updates and system hardening handled for the ootbi appliance?
Walter Berends: Updates cover the operating system, CVE patches, SVC software, and firmware as needed. The system remains secure with continuous updates and tested hardening measures.
Conclusion
The webinar highlighted the crucial role of immutable backup solutions in modern data protection strategies. Object First’s ootbi appliances offer a powerful, secure, and easy-to-manage option for organisations looking to bolster their defences against ransomware. By integrating seamlessly with Veeam and providing rapid deployment, these appliances help businesses recover swiftly and maintain data integrity.
For more information, you can view the full recording of the webinar here or download our powerpoint slides for your reference.
