BMW / HPE: Worldwide backup solution for VMs

Solution Architecture for the world wide backup system of VM based systems, including planning of network routing limitations in AWS/Google Cloud/Azure.

Case Study: Designing a Global Backup Solution for BMW’s Virtual Machines and File Sharing Tools

Client: BMW / HPE

Project Overview:

BMW required a robust and scalable backup solution for their extensive and globally distributed virtual machine (VM) systems and file sharing tools. The primary challenge was to identify a backup solution capable of handling the massive data volume, amounting to hundreds of petabytes, while ensuring data reliability, efficient deduplication, and overcoming bandwidth limitations.

Objective:

To research, compare, and implement a comprehensive backup strategy that leverages both cloud storage providers and on-premises HPE deduplication servers, ensuring cost-efficiency and high reliability.

Solution Design Process:

Requirement Gathering:

• Conducted detailed discussions with BMW’s IT team to understand the specific needs and constraints regarding data backup.
• Identified critical parameters like data volume, bandwidth limitations, disk write speeds, and the importance of data deduplication.

Research and Analysis:

• Performed extensive research on various cloud storage providers, evaluating their bandwidth limits, disk write speeds, and scalability.
• Analyzed the cost implications of using different cloud providers for such massive data volumes.
• Investigated HPE’s deduplication technology and its potential to integrate with both cloud and on-premises storage solutions.

Comparison of Cloud Providers:

Compared leading cloud storage providers (e.g., AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure) focusing on:

• Bandwidth limits
• Disk write speeds
• Cost per petabyte of storage
• Data redundancy and reliability features
  Assessed the feasibility of these providers to handle BMW’s backup needs effectively.

Hybrid Backup Solution Development:

• Designed a hybrid backup strategy combining multiple cloud providers to ensure multi-reliability and avoid single points of failure.
• Incorporated HPE deduplication servers to significantly reduce the data volume needing backup, addressing the bandwidth limitations.
• Ensured that the most critical data was backed up in a deduplicated manner to further enhance cost-efficiency and data protection.

Implementation:

Integration:

• Implemented the hybrid backup solution with seamless integration between on-premises HPE deduplication servers and selected cloud storage providers.
• Developed a systematic backup schedule to optimize bandwidth usage and prevent any potential bottlenecks.

Testing and Validation:

• Conducted rigorous testing to ensure data integrity, backup speeds, and the efficiency of deduplication processes.
• Validated the reliability of the solution through multiple failover tests and data recovery drills.

Optimization:

• Continuously monitored the backup processes to identify and rectify any inefficiencies.
• Fine-tuned the balance between on-premises and cloud storage to maximize cost savings without compromising on data security and accessibility.

Results:

• Cost Efficiency: Demonstrated that a self-hosted, deduplicated backup setup can be significantly more cost-effective than relying solely on cloud storage providers, especially for large-scale data volumes.
• Data Reliability: Achieved high data reliability through a combination of multi-cloud redundancy and HPE’s robust deduplication technology.
• Bandwidth Management: Successfully mitigated bandwidth limitations by utilizing HPE servers to reduce the data volume needing transfer to cloud storage.
• Scalability: Ensured the solution could scale with BMW’s growing data needs, providing a sustainable long-term backup strategy.

Conclusion:

The project culminated in a highly efficient, scalable, and cost-effective backup solution for BMW’s worldwide VM systems and file sharing tools. By leveraging a hybrid approach with both cloud storage and on-premises HPE deduplication servers, we not only met but exceeded the client’s expectations, ensuring data reliability and significant cost savings.

Unlock unparalleled data reliability and cost savings with our hybrid backup solutions—contact us now to transform your data management strategy!