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Some years ago, Veeam has introduced a “cloud” version of its Backup & Replication product (see Veeam Backup & Replication Cloud Edition) and also a specific program for Cloud or Service Provider, but with the next version of the data protection program and the next suite (Veeam Availability Suite) there will be something more interesting both for the customer and the service providers.

I’ve already talk about the Veeam Cloud Connect but the implication and the possibility to build hybrid cloud solutions are quire interesting. During the last Veeam Technical Expert Club event this was one of coolest topic and was also the opportunity to clarify some concept (most is well-expleined on this official post, but some interesting points were explained during the conversation).

First why not simple keep the Cloud edition? It works fine for small environment (and actually is the best case that fit this kind of product), but is not so scaleble for big infrastructure or for a large amount of data. With this edition is possible use a public cloud service mainly for the storage space that can provide, but no optimization could be done, except encryption and compression of data. And not much services could be implemented on the provider side.

With the Cloud Connect based infrastructure there are some big changes: the cloud part is a real repository that can have (with no costs for the service provider) also the WAN accelerator part. And it’s a complete and true multi-tenant architecture.

Veeam Cloud Connect diagram

This mean that traffic could be accelerated (the WAN accelerator component support also multiple to one, and anyway more WAN accelerators could be added on the provider side), all the traffic between the customer and the service provider is “tunneled” in a single SSL port, and what you really get is a new type of repository will all the features of a standard repository (except the vPower functions, like instant-on).

This mean really no changes at the customer site and an integrated vision and management of local and remote backups:

Veeam Backup and a Cloud Repository

Any customer with a paid license of Veeam Backup & Replication v8 will have the client component of Veeam Cloud Connect available in the usual user interface: directly inside the Veeam backup console, it will be possible to find a service provider offering Veeam Cloud Connect , selecting the desired one by country and/or other parameters.

The restore process, the backup jobs, the inventory are all driven buy the customer Veeam Backup server. And this represent a simple and effective solution. But, of course, it require a minimum of on-premises infrastructure. Data stored on the provider part could be encrypt with the new feature of v8.

From the other side a Veeam Cloud Provider (VCP) will have the visibility (its name will be displayed inside the Veeam Backup) and will also have the cloud gateway component and can provide its infrastructure based on Veeam repository and a Veeam Backup & Replication management station (note that is mainly for management purposes, backup jobs are not registered on it, but only on the Veeam server at customers side).

But can also provide other services, not only the remote repository: althought are not yet designed, can provide functions like remote restore, remote test or remote DR. Actually Veeam Connect could not be used as a remote target for VM replication, but in this way a provider may implent itself a similar service.

The entire architecture can scale with more repositories, more WAN accelerator and also more Cloud gateway (note that the load balancing functions is handled directly by the Cloud Connector component without the need of external load balancer).

Note that, compared to the Cloud Edition, is not possible write directly to an object storage or a cloud storage: the Cloud Gateway require a Veeam repository on the provider side (maybe this can act as a proxy to an object storage).

So the Cloud edition remain for the small and Cloud Connect for medium and big? Not necessary, also if you don’t have the WAN accelerator (due to a non Enterprise Plus license) you can still prefer the Cloud Connect approach and actually is not clear if there will be also a Cloud Edition for the next release of Veeam Backup & Replication.

For sure the Cloud Connect can dramatically change some backup architecture, where the cloud repository can simple represent the external copy of the backup (will be really interesting see the related costs).

But, for people that are thinking to build their cloud part (for example using Azure or AWS VMs), note that only a Veeam Cloud Provider will have access at the “Cloud Gateway” to implement the Cloud Connect server part: customers will only have the “client” part.

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Virtualization, Cloud and Storage Architect. Tech Field delegate. VMUG IT Co-Founder and board member. VMware VMTN Moderator and vExpert 2010-24. Dell TechCenter Rockstar 2014-15. Microsoft MVP 2014-16. Veeam Vanguard 2015-23. Nutanix NTC 2014-20. Several certifications including: VCDX-DCV, VCP-DCV/DT/Cloud, VCAP-DCA/DCD/CIA/CID/DTA/DTD, MCSA, MCSE, MCITP, CCA, NPP.