Should the results differ for a larger set of users ? Looks difficult, but would soon try and publish (upcoming) version 2.0 benchmarks with larger set of users.
Backup is a necessary evil. At Druvaa, our goal is to get rid of the evil part of backup. The first step in that process is to find out the pain points of traditional backup.
Backup schedules: Traditionally, a backup is a scheduled process that runs at fixed intervals. In case of a failure, the data updates since the last backup are lost. The recovery point objective (RPO) is weaker with traditional backup. Refer to Understanding RPO and RTO for a discussion on RPO.
Backup slots: Traditional backup process is resource heavy. Also, the server appplication needs to be quisced to get a consistent backup image. This implies that the regular server activity cannot continue during backup. Hence, backup is schduled to run during a timeslot when the regular application activity is not present or is present at a lower scale. As the amount of data and the time to backup grows, it becomes harder to find time-slots for scheduling backup. The increase in the number of business hours also puts additional pressure on the backup slots.
User interface: Traditional backup interface is complex due to the concepts of full/incremental backups and schedules. Due to the coplexity of the user interface, it becomes harder to let the end user control the backup process. Typically, the administrator configures the backup for enduser desktop/laptop. The configuration remains static and cannot easily adapt to dynamic data layout. Instead, the end user is asked to arrange his/her data to suit the backup configuration.
Backup media: Traditional backup is performed on media like magnetic tapes or optical disks. Complete automation (using robotic media libraries) of the backup process is too costly. In absence of an automated process, an administrative attention is required to manage the backup media. Maintaining the backup media also requires administrative effort. The restore operation also requires administrative attention because the right backup media needs to be loaded.
Special hardware: Tradional backup is performed using media like magnetic tapes that require special hardware like tape drives. Special hardware means additional procurenement and maintenance cost.
Restore operation: With traditional backup, the end user cannot restore her files by herself. Typically, a service request is sent to the administrator, thus increasing the time taken for restore. The recovery time objective (RTO) is weaker with traditional backup. Refer to Understanding RPO and RTO for a discussion on RTO.
In the next post, I’ll discuss possible approaches to address the painpoints of traditional backup.
For the first timers - Druvaa inSync is a Fast Enterprise Laptop Sync solution mainly targeted at LAN/WAN based backups for mobile workforce and cross office backup consolidation.
Druvaa inSync 2.0 is being targeted as a complete laptop data sync protection solution.
Feature Set
a) Server Side
Performance improvements - Improved sync algorithm (based on xdelta-3).
Continuous Data Protection - Date/time based “from the past” restore.
Network Profiles - admin configures network profiles with -
IP addresses
Network Type LAN/WAN/Auto (to optimize on backup packet sizes)
On-wire compression levels
Pluggable Storage Architecture - to make way for storage engines like encrypted, compressed, single instance, Amazon S3
Single Instance Store - powerful block level de-duplication/single instancing.
Storage Profiles - admin configures storage profiles with storage engine and capacity
User Profiles - binds network and storage profiles with user profiles/groups. A totally flexible way of choosing which user syncs using which network and what storage type.
Remote Data Deletion/Encryption - Theft protection
Live Reports - Statistic, Graphs and email Alerts.
b) Client Side
Bandwidth QoS - Choose backup bandwidth cap by percentage not value.
Search backed-up files - allow users to search files in backup by names
Auto restore/heal - automatically “heal” the laptop by restoring all files to default location
Live Console - View live logs and backup activity
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Feedback Suggestion
Druvaa inSync team would like to hear your feedback/suggestions -
Recovery Point Objective (RPO) and Recovey Time Objective (RTO) are one of the most important parameters of a disaster recovery or data protection plan. These objectives guide the enterprises to choose a optimal data backup (rather restore) plan.
“Recovery Point Objective (RPO) describes the amount of data lost measured in time. Example: If the last available good copy of data upon an outage was from 18 hours ago, then the RPO would be 18 hours.”
In other words if the answer to question - “Up to what point in time could the data be recovered ?“.
“The Recovery Time Objective (RTO) is the duration of time and a service level within which a business process must be restored after a disaster in order to avoid unacceptable consequences associated with a break in continuity.
…
It should be noted that the RTO attaches to the business process and not the resources required to support the process.”
In another words its the answer to question - “How much time did you take to recovery after notification of business process disruption ?“
The RTO/RPO and the results of the Business Impact Analysis (BIA) in its entirety provide the basis for identifying and analyzing viable strategies for inclusion in the business continuity plan. Viable strategy options would include any which would enable resumption of a business process in a time frame at or near the RTO/RPO. This would include alternate or manual workaround procedures and would not necessarily require computer systems to meet the objectives.
There is always a gap between the actuals (RTA/RPA) and objectives introduced by various manual and automated steps to bring the business application up. These actuals can only be exposed by disaster and business disruption rehearsals.
Some Examples -
Traditional Backups
In traditional tape backups, if your backup plan takes 2 hours for a scheduled backup at 0600 hours and 1800 hours, then a primary site failure at 1400 hrs would leave you with an option to restore from 0600 hrs backup which means RPA of 8 hours and 2 hours RTA.
Continuous Replication
Replication provides higher RPO guarantees as the target system contains the mirrored image of the source. The RPA values depend upon how fast the changes are applied and if the replication is synchronous or asynchronous. RPO is dependent on the fact that how soon can the data on target/replicated site be made available to the application.
Druvaa Replicator
Druvaa Replicator is Continuous Data Protection and Replication (CDP-R) product which near-synchronously and non-disruptively replicates changes on prodhuction sever to target site and provides point-in-time snapshots for instant data access.
The partial synchronous replication ensures that the data is written to a local or remote cache (caching server) before it application can write locally. This ensures up to 5 sec RPO guarantees . CDP technology (still beta) enables up to 1024 snapshots (beta) at that target storage which helps the admin to access current or any past point-in-time consistent image of data instantly, ensuring under 2 sec RTO.
To avail the licenses the user needs to download hand deploy inSync Server and register at the website. Druvaa would never charge any money for released licenses.
The announcement also coincides with Druvaa inSync release 1.1.3 which adds open-file/locked-file support which is particularly very useful for Microsoft Outlook 2003/2007 backup. ( GA would be available shortly at - download link)
Druvaa inSync is a Enterprise Laptop Backup solution targeted at mobile users and cross-office backups. Its ability to make optimum use of available bandwidth to securely sync critical PC data over LAN/internet, make its a truly unique offering.
About Druvaa
Formed in 2007, Druvaa Software is a leading provider of Continuous Data Protection and Disaster Recovery solutions. Since inception Druvaa has released two products - Druvaa Replicator (Continuous Data Protection and Disaster Recovery) and Druvaa inSync (Enterprise Laptop Backup). Druvaa is angel funded by Indian Angel Network (IAN) and Accord Internation (HK).
A nice article covered by Prasanna from Rediff.com. This interview was taken in early January 2008 when IAN announced its funding, just before the Proto.in 2008 event.
It was a great event with major focus on Indian entrepreneur ecosystem and innovation. Druvaa inSync got a good response, and helped us to understand the target audience better.
Indian Angel Network and Accord International (Hong Kong) announced a strategic seed investment into Druvaa. With this Rehan yar Khan, IAN, the founding chairman of Flora2000 and Roger Arondekar, Accord, will join the board of Druvaa.
Druvaa Software is a startup with software product offerings for Business High Availability and Continuous Data Protection (CDP). Druvaa Replicator is a Data Protection and Disaster Recovery (DR) product for high availability servers. This product is targeted at medium to large enterprises. Druvaa inSync is a unique product offering enterprise CDP for laptops and desktops. Druvaa is soon expected to enter mobile space with its CDP offerings.
Indian Angel Network is the first pan-India Angel network with successful entrepreneurs and high profile CEOs interested in investing in early stage businesses across India having potential to create significant value. The Network has more than 65 members who have made around 11 investments in the last 20 months in multiple sectors like Information Technology, Mobile, Education, Internet, Intellectual Property and Hospitality.
“Druvaa is the next generation of back-up, making current forms of back-up obsolete, and represents Indian innovation. We, at Indian Angel Network, recognised the power and potential of this and believe that this is a product for the global market”, says Rehan yar Khan.
“Druvaa is happy to get strategic seed investment from veterans of Indian IT industry.
The investors in Druvaa are known to have made a significant difference to IT and IT Enabled Services in India which today employs thousands of individuals, says Ramani Kothandaraman, Founder and CEO of Druvaa Software Pvt. Ltd. Ramani is an alum of Cranfield University U.K., who has spent 18+ years at different roles in Public and Private sector, working across several countries.
Global data protection and availability is a rapidly growing segment within Storage domain. Various analyst reports predict its growth to be further driven by availability, compliance and security concerns. “With our CDP offerings, we endeavour to offer significantly better and complete replacement for traditional backups. We are looking ahead at years of continued triple digit growth rate” says Jaspreet Singh co-founder and VP Business Development. Jaspreet is a young entrepreneur and graduate from IIT Guwahati.
“We are very excited by Druvaa’s technology agenda and series of game changing products under development. We think this could be one of the first potential big Indian IT winner in the huge global enterprise product space…” says Milind Borate, CoFounder and CTO. Milind is a IITB alumnus.
About druvaa
Formed in 2007, Druvaa Software is a leading provider of Continuous Data Protection and Disaster Recovery solutions. Since inception Druvaa has released two products - Druvaa Replicator (Continuous Data Protection and Disaster Recovery) and Druvaa inSync (Enterprise Laptop Backup).
About Indian Angel Network
Indian Angel Network is India’s first & largest Angel network with successful entrepreneurs and high profile CEOs interested in investing in early stage businesses across India, which have potential to create disproportionate value http://indianangelnetwork.com/
So, we put our block forward for the largest working democracy called the Internet.
We would be using this space as a platform for sharing activities, thoughts and innovations at Druvaa.
