Veeam Backup & Replication 12.1

5 December 2023 Andrea Mauro

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The release version of Veeam Backup & Replication 12.1 is available for download at veeam.com/backupreplication-download.html starting from December 5, 2023. For more information see the release notes document.

It adds some improvements, some new features and some updates in the software compatibility matrix.

VMware Infrastructure platforms

This version introduces several advanced features for detecting and managing cyberthreats:

Inline Malware Detection: This feature uses Machine Learning to analyze data streams during backup. It detects signs of ransomware, such as unencrypted data becoming encrypted and other malware indicators, like Onion links, directly in the backup stream. This process happens via a backup proxy or agent without needing additional requirements, although a well-resourced CPU on Proxies is recommended to avoid slowing down backup speeds.
Suspicious File System Activity Detection: This function involves scanning guest file system indexes for known malware file extensions and ransom notes. It compares file system activity against indexes to spot unusual changes indicative of malware or cyberattack, such as mass deletions, file renames, or the emergence of new file types. This feature operates independently from inline detection and requires file system indexing to be enabled in the backup settings. Regular updates of malware definitions via Internet connection are essential, though manual updates are also possible (refer to KB4514).
Early Threat Detection: The Veeam Incident API facilitates the integration of external Endpoint Detection and Response tools for early infection notification. This helps in marking all restore points created post-infection as compromised and allows for immediate creation of a new restore point before significant damage occurs.

Four-eyes Authorization: Requires secondary approval for sensitive changes in backup settings.
KMS Integration: Integrates with Key Management Servers using asymmetric encryption, improving security against backup decryption by attackers.
Security and Compliance Monitoring: Regular scans ensure infrastructure hardening and compliance with best practices.
Veeam Threat Center: Offers a dashboard for threat detection, risk identification, and data protection scoring.

Scalable, Storage-Agnostic Architecture: The software features a proprietary distributed file system, designed specifically for large-scale data protection. It can handle billions of objects of petabyte sizes, offering users the flexibility to choose their storage target. Whether backing up directly to another object storage or using a scale-out backup repository, the system supports a range of hardware options, from commodity server hardware to direct-attached storage. This flexibility is a key advantage, especially for businesses dealing with massive data volumes.
Extensive Data Source Support: The software supports a wide array of data sources, including on-premises S3-compatible object storage, as well as major cloud storage providers like Amazon S3 and Microsoft Azure Blob storage. This broad support ensures that organizations can protect their data regardless of where it resides, providing a unified backup solution across various storage platforms.

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