Veeam has introduced a backup software appliance to make it easier to deploy, install, and operate its Data Platform backup and cyber-resilience product on physical or virtual servers, on-premises and in the cloud.
This Veeam Software Appliance is delivered as a pre-configured, bootable ISO image or as a virtual appliance, and runs on a hardened, Veeam-managed, Linux-based “Just Enough OS” (JeOS), optimized for security best practices and maintained automatically, eliminating most patching and configuration tasks. It is x86 server hardware-agnostic, meaning no hardware supplier lock-in and, Veeam says, lower costs than purchasing a combined hardware-software appliance.
Veeam CEO Anand Eswaran stated: “Whether you’re deploying a new data resilience strategy or expanding protection to new locations, our pre-hardened, Linux-based solution delivers instant protection and reduces ongoing management headaches, without compromising on security or flexibility. Unlike rigid alternatives that require deep setup expertise, the new Veeam Software Appliance runs out of the box.”
The company says “it delivers robust cyber resilience immediately upon deployment,” with instant recovery to Microsoft Azure, which Veeam claims is an industry-first. It features built-in immutability and zero trust controls to protect against ransomware. There is a web UI with SAML single sign-on.
Backup data can be stored in the appliance using local drives, on network-attached storage, in deduplicating backup target devices, such as Dell PowerProtect and ExaGrid, the ObjectFirst Ootbi appliance, or in the public cloud via, for example, Veeam Cloud Connect.
The Veeam Software Appliance is intended for use in new deployments and edge sites by IT teams that need a “fast, secure backup solution without infrastructure headaches.”
The Veeam Software Appliance is available globally as an early release supporting Veeam Data Platform Foundation and Advanced editions, with support for Premium expected in Q4. There is a free 30-day trial option for new customers.
Comment
Other data protection suppliers, such as Acronis Cyber Protect, offer bootable appliances. Veeam has previously partnered with Scality to provide a combined Veeam backup software + Scality ARTESCA object storage appliance. There are many backup target appliances that receive backup data from a source data protection software offering from suppliers such as Assigra, Atempo, Cohesity, Commvault, HYCU, Rubrik, and many, many others, but these are target appliances and not source backup data appliances.
Bootnote
A JeOS is a basic operating system that only has the parts needed to support a specific application, Veeam backup and restore in this case. Typically, JeOS appliances are smaller, faster, and more secure than full OS environments. Many installation issues that can occur with a full OS are sidestepped by configuring the JeOS and app together in one package.
For example, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server JeOS is a slimmed-down version of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server that is ready to run in both cloud and virtualization environments such as VMware, Hyper-V, KVM, and Xen. It provides server images for KVM/Xen Fully Virtualized, Xen Paravirtualized, Microsoft Hyper-V, and VMware.
