Efficient Data Protection with Veeam Data Platform: A Comprehensive Review
Updated September 08, 2024
Efficient Data Protection with Veeam Data Platform: A Comprehensive Review
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Software Version
Veeam Backup & Replication
Overall Satisfaction with Veeam Data Platform
In my organization, NSW Health, Veeam Data Platform is used for data backup, recovery, and protection. It helps prevent data loss, minimize downtime, and ensure data availability across various healthcare-related systems and environments, including virtualized, physical, and cloud-based workloads. This is crucial for maintaining critical healthcare services and safeguarding patient data. Veeam also supports disaster recovery and multi-cloud data management within the scope of NSW Health's IT infrastructure.
Pros
- Efficient Backup and Recovery
- Cloud Integration
- Application-Aware Backups
- Cross-Platform Recovery
- Monitoring and Reporting
Cons
- Simplified Licensing and Pricing Models
- Advanced Data Analytics and Insights
- Deeper Integration with Cloud-Native Services
- Enhanced Compliance and Auditing Features
- Virtualized workloads
- Endpoints and physical servers running Windows & Linux
- Cloud-hosted VMs within AWS or Azure
- In addition to back up, we also replicate some of these workloads
- In addition to back up, we also snapshot some of these workloads
- Enterprise UNIX servers running Solaris & IBM AIX
- Enterprise applications such as Oracle or SAP HANA
- NAS filers
- Application-centric recovery using Veeam Explorers (for Exchange, SQL, Sharepoint, etc)
- Capacity Tier to store data within object storage for longer term retention
- Immutable storage to protect against ransomware
- “Instant” recovery or portability between platforms (physical > virtual > cloud-hosted)
- Accessing data for data mining or re-use of backup copies via API
- Immutable storage to protect against ransomware
Currently, Veeam Data Platform protects over 1,500 cloud, virtual, and physical workloads in our organization. This is slightly more than we initially anticipated when we first acquired the product. The increase is due to the platform's ease of integration and scalability, which allowed us to expand our use of Veeam beyond the original scope, covering additional workloads as our infrastructure grew.
- Increased Productivity
- Scalability
- Training and Expertise
- Unused Features
The decision to transition to Veeam Data Platform was driven by performance issues and the lack of modern features in our previous backup solution. Our old system struggled with slow backups and limited recovery options, which became increasingly problematic as our infrastructure grew. After implementing Veeam Data Platform, we experienced significantly improved performance, with faster backup and recovery times. Additionally, the platform's scalability and advanced features allowed us to better protect our expanding environment, making it a clear upgrade from our previous solution.
Our organization has significantly benefited from the cloud capabilities of Veeam Data Platform. By leveraging its cloud-based data protection, we’ve ensured that our critical workloads are securely backed up, enhancing our overall data security. The platform’s scalability has allowed us to efficiently manage growing data volumes without incurring excessive costs. Additionally, the cloud disaster recovery options have provided us with a robust failover plan, ensuring business continuity. With Veeam, we also support remote work seamlessly, providing global accessibility to our backups, while maintaining strong security protocols to safeguard sensitive information.
Our organization has not yet utilized the NAS/File-share backup solution offered by Veeam Data Platform. While we recognize the importance of protecting unstructured data, we currently rely on other methods for backup and data protection. However, we are aware that implementing this capability could enhance our overall data management strategy by ensuring the protection of critical file shares and improving our data recovery processes in the future.
When comparing Veeam Data Platform to Backup Exec, several factors influenced our choice of Veeam:Performance and Scalability: Veeam excels in handling large-scale environments, offering high-speed backup and recovery, while Backup Exec can struggle with performance in larger setups.Cloud Integration: Veeam provides robust cloud capabilities for protecting cloud workloads and storing backups, whereas Backup Exec has limited cloud functionality, making it less suitable for organizations focused on cloud strategies.Advanced Features: Veeam includes features like instant recovery, data deduplication, and replication, which are essential for minimizing downtime. Backup Exec lacks some of these modern features.User Experience: Veeam’s intuitive interface simplifies backup management and recovery processes, while Backup Exec can feel complex, especially in larger deployments.Cost Efficiency: Veeam's licensing model offers better value for organizations looking to scale, considering the comprehensive features included.Overall, Veeam Data Platform's superior performance, advanced features, and strong cloud integration made it the preferred choice, aligning with our strategic objectives and growth plans.
Do you think Veeam Data Platform delivers good value for the price?
Yes
Are you happy with Veeam Data Platform's feature set?
Yes
Did Veeam Data Platform live up to sales and marketing promises?
Yes
Did implementation of Veeam Data Platform go as expected?
Yes
Would you buy Veeam Data Platform again?
Yes
Veeam Data Platform Feature Ratings
Using Veeam Data Platform
15 - System Administrators
Backup Operators
Network Admins
Cloud Engineers
Solution Architects
Enterprise Architects
Data Centre team
Backup Operators
Network Admins
Cloud Engineers
Solution Architects
Enterprise Architects
Data Centre team
5 - To effectively support Veeam Data Platform, a diverse skill set and various roles are essential:Backup and Recovery Specialists: These professionals need a deep understanding of Veeam's architecture, backup policies, and recovery processes. They are responsible for configuring and managing backup jobs, ensuring data integrity, and performing recovery operations.Cloud Engineers: As Veeam integrates seamlessly with cloud environments, having cloud engineers with expertise in platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud is crucial. They help implement cloud-based backups and disaster recovery strategies.System Administrators: Administrators skilled in managing virtualized environments (e.g., VMware, Hyper-V) are essential for deploying and maintaining Veeam in a virtual landscape. They handle infrastructure management and ensure optimal performance.Network Administrators: These professionals manage the network components that affect backup and restore operations, ensuring sufficient bandwidth and security measures are in place.Data Security Experts: As data protection is a priority, having security specialists who understand compliance regulations and best practices for securing backups is vital.Training and Support Staff: Providing training for end-users and offering technical support for issues related to Veeam usage are also necessary for maximizing its effectiveness within the organization.Having individuals with these skills ensures successful implementation, management, and troubleshooting of Veeam Data Platform, leading to efficient data protection and recovery solutions.
- Disaster Recovery: Veeam's robust disaster recovery capabilities enable us to ensure business continuity. We can quickly restore services and data in case of system failures, minimizing downtime and protecting against data loss.
- Backup for Virtualized Environments: Veeam excels in backing up our virtual machines in VMware and Hyper-V environments. Its incremental backup technology optimizes storage usage and speeds up the backup process, ensuring efficient protection for our virtual workloads.
- Cloud Backup and Disaster Recovery: By leveraging Veeam’s cloud capabilities, we can store backups in cloud environments, providing off-site protection and additional disaster recovery options. This enhances our data protection strategy and allows for flexible, scalable storage solutions.
- Automated Backup Management: Veeam offers automation features that streamline backup management tasks. This capability reduces administrative overhead, allowing our IT team to focus on strategic initiatives rather than manual backup processes.
- Long-Term Data Retention and Compliance: Veeam helps us maintain compliance with data retention policies by enabling efficient archiving of backups. This ensures that we can meet regulatory requirements while managing storage costs effectively.
- Test and Development Environments: We utilize Veeam to create instant VM recoveries, allowing us to quickly spin up test environments from backup images. This capability supports our development teams by providing them with realistic environments without impacting production workloads.
- Data Analytics and Reporting: By leveraging Veeam’s backup data, we have been able to perform analytics on historical data trends, which has helped us identify patterns in resource utilization and performance issues. This insight aids in capacity planning and optimization.
- Ransomware Recovery Testing: We have integrated Veeam into our security strategy by using it to conduct regular recovery tests for our ransomware response plan. This proactive approach ensures that we can quickly recover from an attack and verify our backup integrity.
- Cloud Tiering and Cost Management: Veeam’s cloud capabilities allow us to automatically tier backups to different storage locations based on usage and compliance needs. This has enabled us to optimize costs while maintaining necessary data availability.
- Training and Onboarding: We have utilized Veeam's capabilities to create training simulations for our IT staff. By restoring environments to specific points in time, we can simulate various disaster recovery scenarios, helping staff develop practical skills in a controlled environment.
- Enhanced Automation: We could further integrate Veeam with automation tools to streamline backup processes, reducing manual interventions and enabling automated reporting on backup statuses and recovery point objectives (RPOs).
- Comprehensive Disaster Recovery Plans: By fully utilizing Veeam's orchestration capabilities, we could develop more sophisticated disaster recovery plans that include failover and failback processes across multiple sites, ensuring business continuity during large-scale incidents.
- Data Governance and Compliance: Veeam can help strengthen our data governance initiatives by allowing us to create immutable backups that comply with regulations. We could also utilize its reporting capabilities to demonstrate compliance with data protection standards.
- Expansion to SaaS Backup: As we increasingly adopt Software as a Service (SaaS) applications, we could explore Veeam’s capabilities for backing up and protecting critical SaaS data, ensuring complete data protection across all platforms.
Evaluating Veeam Data Platform and Competitors
Yes - Yes, Veeam Data Platform replaced Backup Exec in our organization. We transitioned to Veeam primarily due to its superior performance, ease of use, and modern features that align better with our current data protection needs.While Backup Exec served us for a time, we faced limitations in its scalability and efficiency, particularly in backing up virtualized environments. Veeam's incremental backup technology significantly reduces backup windows and storage requirements, providing a more efficient solution for our growing workloads.Additionally, Veeam’s cloud capabilities enhance our disaster recovery strategy and allow for seamless integration with our existing infrastructure. Overall, the switch to Veeam Data Platform has resulted in improved reliability and greater flexibility in managing our backup and recovery processes, ultimately enhancing our organization's data protection strategy.4o mini
- Cloud Solutions
- Scalability
- Integration with Other Systems
- Ease of Use
Scalability: As our organization grew, we needed a solution that could easily scale with our increasing workloads. Veeam’s architecture supports the seamless addition of resources without compromising performance.
If I had to reevaluate and select Veeam Data Platform again, I would make several changes to improve the process.First, I would involve a broader range of stakeholders from various departments to gather diverse perspectives and ensure the solution meets all user needs. Second, I would implement a structured hands-on testing phase with trial versions to assess usability and performance in a real-world setting.Additionally, I would establish clear performance benchmarks for backup and recovery times to provide measurable criteria for comparison. A more detailed analysis of the total cost of ownership (TCO) would also be conducted to account for hidden costs, such as maintenance and support.Finally, I would emphasize the solution's scalability and flexibility to adapt to future technological advancements, ensuring it aligns with our long-term goals. These changes would lead to a more thorough evaluation process and a solution better suited to our organization’s needs.
Veeam Data Platform Implementation
- Implemented in-house
Yes - The implementation of Veeam Data Platform was carried out in several phases:Planning and Assessment:
We began with a comprehensive assessment of our existing infrastructure, identifying critical workloads, storage requirements, and compliance needs. This phase also involved planning for backup strategies and resource allocation.Initial Deployment and Configuration:
The Veeam Data Platform was installed and configured in this phase. We focused on setting up backup jobs, schedules, and repositories, ensuring they aligned with our data protection policies.Testing and Validation:
In this phase, we conducted thorough testing, including backup and recovery simulations, to validate that all configurations were working as expected. This helped us identify and fix any issues early.Optimization and Scaling:
After testing, we optimized performance settings and scaled the deployment to handle additional workloads. We ensured backup windows, storage use, and network traffic were optimized for efficiency.Ongoing Monitoring and Support:
Continuous monitoring was set up to ensure the health of the platform, with proactive maintenance and adjustments as required, along with periodic reviews for updates or new features.
We began with a comprehensive assessment of our existing infrastructure, identifying critical workloads, storage requirements, and compliance needs. This phase also involved planning for backup strategies and resource allocation.Initial Deployment and Configuration:
The Veeam Data Platform was installed and configured in this phase. We focused on setting up backup jobs, schedules, and repositories, ensuring they aligned with our data protection policies.Testing and Validation:
In this phase, we conducted thorough testing, including backup and recovery simulations, to validate that all configurations were working as expected. This helped us identify and fix any issues early.Optimization and Scaling:
After testing, we optimized performance settings and scaled the deployment to handle additional workloads. We ensured backup windows, storage use, and network traffic were optimized for efficiency.Ongoing Monitoring and Support:
Continuous monitoring was set up to ensure the health of the platform, with proactive maintenance and adjustments as required, along with periodic reviews for updates or new features.
Change management was a big part of the implementation and was well-handled - Implementing Veeam Data Platform taught us important lessons in change management:Clear Communication: Keeping stakeholders informed minimized resistance and aligned expectations.Stakeholder Involvement: Engaging key users early fostered buy-in and valuable feedback.Training and Support: Providing thorough training and ongoing support boosted user confidence and adaptation.Flexibility: Being ready to adjust the implementation plan based on feedback ensured a smoother transition.Monitoring: Establishing success metrics allowed us to identify improvements and assess the implementation's impact.
- Compatibility Challenges: Initial compatibility issues with existing systems and applications delayed integration and required additional troubleshooting.
- User Resistance: Some team members were hesitant to adopt the new platform, necessitating extra training and communication to address their concerns.
- Data Migration Difficulties: Migrating large volumes of data posed challenges, including downtime and unexpected data integrity issues that required careful management.
Veeam Data Platform Training
- Online Training
- In-Person Training
- No Training
Yes, the Veeam backup for cloud was relatively easy to learn without formal training, thanks to its user-friendly interface and intuitive features. I would recommend this approach to others, as hands-on experience can enhance understanding and confidence in using the product. Additionally, leveraging available documentation and community resources can further support the learning process.
Configuring Veeam Data Platform
Here are some concise best practices for configuring Veeam Data Platform:Regular Backup Testing: Test backup restores frequently to ensure data integrity and reliability.Optimize Job Schedules: Schedule backups during off-peak hours and use incremental backups to reduce impact on systems.Leverage Storage Integration: Utilize storage snapshots to improve backup performance and reduce load on production systems.Implement Retention Policies: Set clear data retention policies to manage storage efficiently and automatically delete old backups.Monitor and Alert: Use monitoring and alerting features to catch issues early and ensure successful backups.Document Configurations: Keep thorough documentation of all configurations and changes for troubleshooting and upgrades.Utilize Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Implement RBAC to enhance security and manage user permissions effectively.Following these practices helps maximize the effectiveness of Veeam Data Platform and ensures a solid backup strategy.
No - we have not done any customization to the interface
No - we have not done any custom code
Here are some additional configurations and customizations for Veeam Data Platform:PowerShell Automation: Created scripts for routine tasks like backup verification and reporting.Custom Reporting: Tailored reports to track backup performance and storage utilization.Monitoring Integration: Linked Veeam with monitoring tools for real-time health insights.Tagging: Used tags for easier resource management and reporting.Custom Notifications: Set up alerts for backup job successes and failures.SLA Policies: Implemented policies to ensure backups meet RTO and RPO objectives.These enhancements improve efficiency and visibility in backup operations.
Veeam Data Platform Support
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Quick Resolution Good followup Knowledgeable team Problems get solved Kept well informed No escalation required Immediate help available Support understands my problem Support cares about my success Quick Initial Response | None |
Yes, we purchased premium support for Veeam to ensure we have access to timely and expert assistance when dealing with critical backups and disaster recovery scenarios. Given the importance of minimizing downtime and maintaining data integrity, having premium support provides faster response times, priority case handling, and access to Veeam’s top-tier technical resources, which is essential for our business continuity. This ensures that any issues are resolved quickly and efficiently, reducing potential risks to our operations.
Yes, we had an instance where a critical backup job failed during a system upgrade, putting our recovery timeline at risk. Veeam’s premium support team quickly stepped in, providing expert guidance and troubleshooting in real-time. Their team helped us identify the root cause, which was a configuration conflict, and provided a patch that resolved the issue. Thanks to their fast response and in-depth knowledge, we were able to restore the backup job and avoid any significant downtime. This level of support was crucial in ensuring business continuity during a high-stakes moment.
Using Veeam Data Platform
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Like to use Relatively simple Easy to use Technical support not required Well integrated Consistent Quick to learn Convenient Feel confident using Familiar | None |
- Backup and Recovery: Setting up backups and performing recoveries are intuitive and streamlined, with user-friendly interfaces and customizable options.
- Cloud Integration: Integrating cloud storage solutions like Azure or AWS for backup and disaster recovery is straightforward, simplifying cloud migration and hybrid setups.
- Monitoring and Reporting: The platform provides detailed reports and real-time monitoring, making it easy to track backup status and system health with minimal effort.
- Managing Large-Scale Environments: Handling backups and restores in very large or complex environments can be challenging due to resource-intensive operations and the need for precise configuration.
- Tape Backup Integration: Working with legacy tape systems can be cumbersome, as Veeam's integration with tape backups may not be as seamless or efficient as with modern storage solutions.
- Complex Network Configurations: Setting up and managing backup processes in networks with complex firewall rules or multiple subnets can be difficult, requiring more manual configuration and troubleshooting.
Veeam Data Platform Reliability
Integrating Veeam Data Platform
- Microsoft Azure: Integrated Veeam Data Platform for cloud backups and disaster recovery solutions, leveraging Azure’s storage capabilities for enhanced scalability and efficiency.
- Active Directory: Utilized integration with Active Directory for user authentication and management, ensuring streamlined access control and security across the backup environment.
- SCCM (System Center Configuration Manager): Attempted integration to enhance application deployment processes and optimize server patching workflows within the organization.
The depth of integration with Veeam Data Platform can vary depending on the specific systems involved. Here's a breakdown:Microsoft Azure: The integration is quite deep, allowing for seamless backups and restores directly to and from Azure. The process is relatively straightforward, especially with Veeam’s built-in Azure support, but it requires careful configuration of storage accounts and network settings to ensure optimal performance and security.Active Directory: This integration is generally easy to implement, allowing Veeam to utilize existing AD credentials for user authentication. The setup involves configuring roles and permissions, which can usually be completed in a few steps without significant difficulty.SCCM: The integration depth is moderate, as it involves aligning Veeam’s backup processes with SCCM’s application deployment and patching workflows. While the integration can enhance overall efficiency, it may require additional configuration and testing to ensure that both systems work smoothly together.Overall, the integration of Veeam Data Platform with these systems is manageable, but the complexity may increase based on specific organizational requirements and existing infrastructure.
- ServiceNow: Integrating with ServiceNow would enhance incident management and streamline workflows, allowing for automated ticket creation related to backup issues or system alerts.
- Office 365: Integrating Veeam with Office 365 would enable more robust backup solutions for email, OneDrive, and SharePoint data, ensuring comprehensive protection of critical business information stored in the cloud.
- VMware vSphere: While Veeam already supports VMware environments, deeper integration could provide more granular management and reporting capabilities, enhancing efficiency in backup and recovery processes specific to virtual machines.
Here's a brief overview regarding vendor support for the mentioned integrations:ServiceNow: Veeam has existing integrations with ServiceNow, and ongoing updates are expected to enhance this functionality. Both vendors often communicate about improving integrations based on customer feedback.Office 365: Veeam actively supports integration with Office 365 and regularly updates its capabilities to align with Microsoft's evolving features. Continued support for this integration is a priority.VMware vSphere: Veeam has a strong partnership with VMware, and integration support is robust. They are likely to continue enhancing compatibility with each new version of vSphere.In summary, Veeam is committed to maintaining and improving these integrations in collaboration with the respective vendors.
- File import/export
- Single Signon
Here are a few additional integration technologies that may be relevant to Veeam Data Platform:ETL Tools: Used for extracting, transforming, and loading data between Veeam and other data systems, helping to facilitate data warehousing and reporting.Javascript Widgets: These can be used to create custom dashboards or user interfaces that display Veeam data within other applications or web pages.AppExchange or Similar Marketplace: If applicable, leveraging marketplace applications that extend Veeam's functionality or integrate with other systems.These technologies can enhance Veeam's capabilities, allowing for more robust data management and analytics within your organization.
Here’s a concise version of the advice for integrating with Veeam Data Platform:Review Documentation: Familiarize yourself with Veeam's API and integration guides for a smoother implementation.Start with Common Integrations: Begin with well-documented systems to build confidence.Use a Test Environment: Conduct integrations in a sandbox before deploying to production to avoid issues.Engage with Community and Support: Utilize forums and support resources for troubleshooting and insights.Monitor Performance: Continuously track system performance post-integration to ensure everything functions smoothly.These steps can help simplify the integration process and enhance the effectiveness of Veeam Data Platform.
Relationship with Veeam Software
The principal terms negotiated with the vendor included:Pricing Discounts: We secured a favorable pricing structure, including volume discounts based on our anticipated usage and commitment.Support Terms: We negotiated enhanced support options, including extended hours and faster response times for critical issues.Training and Resources: The vendor agreed to provide complimentary training sessions and access to additional resources to help our team maximize the product’s capabilities.Flexible Licensing: We arranged for flexible licensing options that allow us to scale as our needs change, without incurring significant additional costs.Service Level Agreements (SLAs): We established clear SLAs that outline performance expectations, including uptime guarantees and issue resolution timelines.These negotiated terms helped ensure that we received value for our investment while also setting a solid foundation for our partnership with the vendor.
Here are some tips for effectively dealing with the vendor:Clear Communication: Maintain open and clear communication. Be specific about your needs and expectations to avoid misunderstandings.Understand Your Requirements: Before engaging with the vendor, have a solid understanding of your requirements. This allows you to negotiate better and ensures you get what you need.Leverage Relationships: Build a strong relationship with your vendor representative. A good rapport can lead to better support and more favorable terms.Be Prepared to Negotiate: Know your budget and be prepared to negotiate on pricing, support, and other terms. Don’t hesitate to ask for discounts or added benefits.Stay Informed: Keep up with updates and changes to the vendor’s offerings. This can help you take advantage of new features or services that could benefit your organization.Utilize Support Resources: Make use of the vendor’s support resources, including documentation, training, and customer support teams, to maximize your use of the product.Provide Feedback: Share feedback with the vendor regarding their product and service. Constructive feedback can lead to improvements and show that you are invested in the partnership.
Upgrading Veeam Data Platform
Yes - The upgrade to the new Veeam release went smoothly with minimal downtime. The pre-upgrade planning and testing were thorough, which helped to ensure that the transition was efficient. We encountered no significant unexpected impacts, as the team was well-prepared for the upgrade process. Overall, the experience was positive, and the new features were integrated seamlessly into our existing environment.
- Improved Performance: The upgrade enhanced backup and recovery speeds, reducing downtime and increasing overall system efficiency.
- New Features: The latest release introduced advanced functionalities, such as enhanced cloud integration and better automation capabilities, allowing for more streamlined operations.
- Increased Security: The upgrade provided updated security protocols and compliance features, helping to better protect our data and meet regulatory requirements.
- Enhanced Scalability: Expecting improved scalability features to accommodate growing data needs and support larger workloads efficiently.
- Advanced Reporting and Analytics: Anticipating better reporting tools and analytics capabilities for deeper insights into backup performance and resource utilization.
- Integration with Emerging Technologies: Looking forward to improved integration options with emerging technologies and third-party applications for a more seamless IT ecosystem.
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