Virtual Environments

The trouble with agents

Installing and maintaining backup software agents for each application on every virtualisation server on a LAN is a manual, labour-intensive process. Backup application agents can also cause issues with resource utilisation. Before virtualisation, any backup activity could afford to take away some hardware resources from the under-utilised application server. But on a virtualisation server running multiple OS instances, even 5% resource utilisation quickly adds up. Console-less (COS-less) virtual servers even prevent backup applications from running on the host operating system.

Traditional backup and recovery strategies are not adequate to deliver the kind of granular recovery demanded by today’s businesses. Point solutions only further complicate matters, by not safeguarding against local or site failures, while increasing licensing, training and management costs.

Agentless backup and recovery simplifies data protection

blocz IO Cloud Backup uses an agentless architecture that removes many of the hassles associated with the protection and recovery of virtual machines. Our solution enables your enterprise to maximise its virtualisation strategy while achieving superior information protection and recovery management without performance degradation.

blocz IO data recovery protection software works with both physical and virtual machines, supporting backup and restore in Hyper-V, VMware and XenServer:

  • Auto-discovers new guest VMs on individual servers
  • Centralises backup configuration and management
  • Minimises initial backup job configuration and ongoing management
  • Provides support for multiple backup sets, including VSS-aware backup sets such as SQL, Exchange, and SharePoint
  • Supports a broad spectrum of applications and operating systems
  • Protects guest VMs using CDP, incremental or VMDK-based backup
  • Supports Changed Block Tracking

How it works

Simple to implement, operate and manage, blocz IO Cloud Backup enables you to instantly restore your virtual environments, helping you to compress recovery time objectives. As an integrated, enterprise-wide solution, it offers a centralised management interface to ensure compliant, fast backup and recovery across all physical and virtual environments throughout the enterprise.

Both the DS-Client and DS-System components can be deployed as virtual appliances, and have been tested and certified on the following virtualisation platforms:

  • VMware VSphere 4, ESX 3.5, ESX 3.0, ESXi, Workstation and Server, including vStorage API for Data Protection (VADP) and Changed Block Tracking (CBT)
  • Microsoft Hyper-V Server, Cluster and Volume Shadow Services (VSS) writer
  • Citrix XenServer, XenDesktop and VM Protection and Recovery snapshots
  • RedHat KVM Enterprise Virtualisation for Servers Desktops
  • Parallels Virtuozzo Containers, Server, Workstation, Desktop
  • Oracle VM Server
  • VMready certified

Explore blocz IO features

blocz IO’s enterprise class backup and recovery software provides a complete range of features that ensure the maximum in reliability, security, manageability and affordability.

Purpose-built for public, private and hybrid cloud architectures, blocz IO Cloud Backup is equipped with:

  • Agentless software architecture for easier deployment and management
  • Global de-duplication and data compression technology
  • Autonomic healing and validation restore capabilities
  • Tiered Recovery and Backup Lifecycle Management capabilities to align the different value of your information with the cost of protecting it