A diverse range of customers use it for more than just virtualization. The platform is utilized for backup and Data Loss Prevention solutions. This extends beyond virtual environments to encompass mixed environments, including physical workloads. Some of our customers use it for cloud backup, showcasing its versatility across various IT infrastructures.
The most valuable addition recently introduced is the Continuous Data Protection feature. Particularly noteworthy is its configuration for SMAX and SaaS recovery. The integration of CDP with VMware stands out as one of the most impressive features. In the context of recoverability, whether dealing with issues related to data traffic or encountering problems with physical or virtual servers, Veeam stands out for its swift recovery capabilities. The ability to bring services back online within minutes, be it for physical or virtual machines, is highly beneficial.
There might be room for improvement at the plugin level, specifically concerning application plugins. In a recent deployment, we encountered some issues, and I believe there is a need for enhancements in the plugins for SAP and Oracle. It would be beneficial to see an extension of support to Oracle VMs. This is particularly relevant for customers utilizing Oracle VMs, where currently, we resort to agent-based backup solutions, and having an agent-less backup option for various hypervisors would be a valuable addition.
I have been working with it for eight years.
I would rate its stability capabilities eight out of ten.
Scalability is not a concern as it exhibits high scalability without issues. Currently, about twenty-five to thirty active customers use it.
Technical support, particularly from the region where the connection is established, may be somewhat lacking. While it was previously considered a highly effective support team, there has been a noticeable decline in support quality since last year, leading to increased challenges and issues. I would rate it five out of ten.
The initial setup was straightforward. I would rate it nine out of ten.
The deployment process is straightforward and depends on the organization's requirements. For a basic setup, such as backing up the hypervisor and VMs, it can be completed in approximately four hours. However, for more comprehensive configurations involving agents, RDR, and extensive testing, the process may extend to three to four days. In an on-premise virtual machine environment, the deployment involves setting up a backup management server as a VM, with additional roles assigned to backup proxy servers (VMs) and a repository server, often a physical server linked to local or external storage. Linux repositories are configured for immutability, or appliances like Accelerate or BMC data domain can be used, eliminating the need for a physical repository server. For the database, deployment options include PostgreSQL or dedicated SQL, determined by the deployment scale. Networking requirements, specifying open ports between components and VMware/Hyper-V infrastructure, are communicated to the networking team. Following the environment setup, the backup configuration is executed, incorporating three-to-one copy recommendations with secondary copies on-site, at a different site, or off-site. The configured setup undergoes testing for recovery processes, including instant recovery, file-level recovery, and application-level recovery. Results are documented and shared with the customer, concluding the deployment process.
The price is affordable. I would rate it two out of ten. Since it's not an appliance, infrastructure elements such as backup storage and resource calculations for the required number of VMs need to be factored in, leading to additional pricing considerations.
For those implementing the data platform, my advice is to adhere to best practices diligently. Following the documented guidelines is crucial, as issues related to infrastructure connectivity or delayed restoration often stem from deviations in implementation. Overall, I would rate it eight out of ten.