Backup Software: How to Get the Absolute Most Out of It

In the past, we couldn't get a consistent backup. Operations would read files from disk in sequence as quickly as possible.

However, if a file changed after the backup was copied but before the job completed, the backup's content would be inconsistent. If a file is open in another program, the backup usually skips it.

Microsoft solved these issues with the Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS). The backup application can inform VSS when a job starts. In response, VSS halts disk I/O and creates a "snapshot" of the system's state.

The snapshot isolates all files from changes occurring during the backup job. When the backup finishes, it signals VSS, which then merges the changed data into the checkpoint and restores the system to normal operation.

With this technique, files on the disk are completely consistent.

However, it cannot capture memory contents. If you restore this backup, the system would appear to have crashed exactly as it was during the backup. Hence, we call this kind of backup "crash consistent." It only partially solves the open file issue.

Applications that use VSS can ensure full consistency of the files they control. Authors can write a component that registers with VSS ("VSS Writer"). When VSS initiates a snapshot process, it notifies all registered VSS writers. In return, they can flush all pending operations to disk and prevent other operations from starting until the checkpoint completes.

Because there's no active I/O (sometimes called "in motion") during the backup, the backup captures everything related to the program. We call this a "application-consistent" backup.

When shopping for backup software, remember that not everyone uses the terms "crash consistent" and "application consistent" in the same way. Also, Linux distributions don't have a native analog to VSS. Investigate how each candidate application deals with open files and running applications.

Hypervisor-Aware Backup Software

If you're using any hypervisors in your environment, you definitely should consider a backup solution that works directly with them.

You can back up guest operating systems by installing agents just like you would on physical systems. In addition, hypervisor-aware backup applications can appropriately schedule guest backups to avoid conflicts and use optimization strategies that significantly reduce time, bandwidth, and storage needs.

When it comes to your hypervisors, investigate Hornetsecurity VM Backup for the same level of flexibility.

You can install it directly on a Hyper-V host and run it from there, use a management console from your PC, or manage all your backup systems through Hornetsecurity's Cloud Management Console via a web browser. These kinds of options allow you to manage your backups in a way that suits you best.

Agent-Based and Agentless

Usually, backup solutions require you to install a software component on every system you want to protect. This software will collect data from the system and send it directly to media or a central system. You've seen examples of both in the article "The Golden Rules of Choosing a Backup Service Provider". The part of the software that is deployed to your targets is called an "agent."

Other products can back up a system without installing an agent. You won't find much in this category for full backups of physical servers. Some software backs up network-attached file storage.

These "agentless" products manage the virtual world. Hornetsecurity VM Backup is the best example. You install the software on your Hyper-V or VMware environment and back up virtual machines without changing them.

VM Backup and similar programs can interact with guest operating systems to give them a chance to prepare for a backup, while also being able to work without affecting virtual machines.

Without an agentless solution, you'd need to install a piece of software inside every virtual machine. This brings more potential points of failure, increases your attack surface, and adds more work for you.

You'd need to carefully plan all your backup jobs so they don't interfere with each other. Agentless systems automatically coordinate operations. In addition, they have more visibility into your data, which makes it easier for them to perform operations like data deduplication for smaller, faster backups.

Standard Physical System Backup Software

Few organizations have fully transitioned to virtualized distributions. Therefore, you likely have physical systems that need protection in addition to your virtual machines. Some vendors, like Hornetsecurity, offer a separate solution that covers physical systems.

Others use customized agents or modules within a single application. However, some companies focus on one system type and cannot protect the other.

Single-Vendor and Hybrid Application Solutions

In small environments, administrators rarely consider solutions involving multiple vendors. Each separate product has its own expertise requirements and licensing costs. You cannot manage backup software from multiple vendors using a single control pane.

You may not be able to find an efficient way to store backup data from different manufacturers. Using a single vendor allows you to cover most systems with the least amount of effort.

On the other hand, organizations with more than a handful of servers almost invariably have some hybridization—in operating systems, third-party software, and hardware. Using different backup programs might not pose a major challenge in those situations. Using multiple programs allows you to find the best solution for all your problems instead of accepting one that does "enough."

I once had a customer that was almost fully virtualized. They placed high priority on a granular backup of Microsoft Exchange with the ability to rapidly restore individual messages. Several vendors offer that level of coverage for Exchange in addition to virtual machine backup.

Unfortunately, no single software package could handle both to the customer's satisfaction.

To solve this problem, we selected one application to handle Exchange and another to cover the virtual machines. The customer achieved all their goals and saved substantially on licensing.

Putting It in Action

Using the above guidance and the plan you created in earlier articles in this series, you have enough information to start investigating programs that will satisfy your requirements.

Phase one: Candidate software selection

Begin by collecting a list of available software. You will need to find a way to quickly narrow down the list.

To that end, you can apply some quick criteria while you search, or you can build the list first and work through it later. Maintain this list and the reasons that you decided to include or exclude a product.

Create a table to use as a tracking system. As an example:

It might seem like a bit much to create this level of documentation, but it has benefits:

• Historical purposes: Someone might want to know why a program was tested or skipped
• Reporting: You may need to provide an accounting of your selection process
• Comparisons: Such a table forms a feature matrix

Because this activity only constitutes the first phase of selection, use criteria that you can quickly verify. To hasten the process, check for any deal-breaking problems first. You can skip any other checks for that product. While the table above shows simple yes/no options, you can use a more nuanced grading system where it makes sense.

Keep in mind that you want to shorten this list, not make a final decision.

Second phase: In-depth software testing

This is where you'll spend the most time. The first phase should leave you with a manageable list of programs to explore more thoroughly. Now, you'll need to spend time working through these to find the best solution for your organization.

Remember that you may be able to use more than one product if it works better than a single solution.

For this phase, you'll need to obtain and install trial versions of the software. Some suggestions:

• Install the trial software on templated virtual machines that you can quickly rebuild;
• Use test systems that run the same programs as your production systems;
• Test backing up multiple systems;
• Test encryption/decryption;
• Test full and partial restores.

Expand the table you created in phase one. If you used spreadsheet software to create it, consider creating tabs for each program you test. You can also use a form created in a word processor.

Make sure you thoroughly test each program. Never assume that any program will behave like the others.

Third phase: Final selection

I hope you've completed the second phase with an obvious choice. In either case, you'll need to inform key stakeholders about your selection from the first phase. Work on any additional steps or administrative approvals you may need to complete the process.

Unless you've selected a fully cloud-based disaster recovery approach, you'll still need to acquire some hardware. Remember that all business continuity plans should include an on-premise solution that you can take offline and out of the workplace due to threats from malicious software and malicious actors.

To properly protect your virtual environment and all your data, use Hornetsecurity's VM Backup to safely back up and replicate your virtual machine.

Our comprehensive 365 Total Protection Enterprise Backup and 365 Total Backup solutions ensure the security of your Microsoft 365 environment.

For comprehensive guidance, get our indispensable resource, the Backup Bible, containing invaluable information about backup and disaster recovery.

To stay up to date with the latest articles and applications, visit our Hornetsecurity blog now.

Final Thoughts

Optimizing your backup software is very important to ensure the integrity and consistency of your data. When dealing with virtualization and hypervisors, consider solutions that use hypervisors and agentless approaches, as they can provide more flexibility and efficiency.

For organizations with both physical and virtual systems, selecting a solution that adequately covers both is very important.

When deciding between a single-vendor or hybrid approach, carefully weigh the pros and cons to meet your unique needs. Because a step-by-step approach to selecting the right backup software includes candidate selection, in-depth testing, and final selection, it ensures you make the best choice for your organization's data protection and recovery needs.

Source: How to Get the Absolute Most Out of Your Backup Software - Hornetsecurity