DD Boost Your Veeam Backups!

Last month Veeam announced that Veeam Availability Suite v8 will support EMC Data Domain Boost and gave us an idea of what this means for anyone using an EMC Data Domain as part of their Veeam backup Infrastructure.

If you have not heard of DD Boost it distributes parts of the Data Domain deduplication process to the backup server enabling client-side deduplication to take place for faster, more efficient backups.

Faster Backups

Over on the VeeamBlog Rick Vanover has been doing some testing using an internal preview with some truly amazing results.

In the below example Rick has shown that by utilising DD Boost a synthetic full backup, which would normally take 2 hours and 54 minutes, had its running time slashed to just 11 minutes and 27 seconds making it over 15 times faster!

If you are interested in seeing more, a replay of a short webinar from Veeam hosted by Rick is available here.

Easy Setup

One of the other changes is around how we configure a Data Domain in Veeam.

In older versions of Veeam a Data Domain would be made available by adding a CIFS backup repository but with v8 this will all change. When adding a backup repository with v8 there will be an option specifically for Data Domain making it quick and easy to configure.

With this new repository option we also have the ability to use fibre channel connectivity for backup to the Data Domain allowing us to leverage the storage network for LAN free backup of your virtual environment.

DD Boost along with a host of other new features coming in v8 are likely to see Veeam extend its lead as the #1 backup product for virtual environments.

Barry Knox, Technical Consultant, Celerity Limited

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The Right Service with the Right Balance

Of course I talk about outsourcing and the enabling of the service for the customer that meets their expectations and strikes the right balance. Easier said than done you may say? This is true; the goal is to set the expectations of the customer at the start - not just with a contract but as a relationship. Over the years one thing I have learned, and this may seem obvious, is the relationship between you and the customer holds strong grounds for renewals and support during those difficult times of providing services. The relationship builds trust and the customer will turn to you for support and project work, relying on you for delivery. This is, of course, the sweet spot, the place where you and the customer become the same team, walking the same steps and taking the same left and right turns.

But is this the right balance? Have we over stepped the mark? Become native to the customer. This is the part where things become a little unsteady and it’s a fine line to walk. It is difficult in the early stages of outsourcing not to go in all out to impress the customer, and let’s be honest, this is what the customer expects; so we do! However, this can have a negative impact, the balance is already distorted, we have set the expectations beyond our comfort zone and potentially unsustainable.

If the customer expects this level of service going forward, and this is not what you thought it was, then the balance is not right, therefore, neither is the service. So … we need to get it right first time. I am not saying don’t put your arm around the customer, just be aware of how long it’s been there for! Our aim here is not to upset the customer but to give a professional relationship that works for us both. It is important to know where the boundaries are and ensuring they are enforced and strong. Build the relationship based on this - this builds trust but more importantly respect. It takes a lot of time and effort to earn respect, so make sure you keep it once it’s achieved.

Balance of service is certainly key to a successful relationship and a great service delivery but to achieve this is never simple. There are too many variables to consider and not enough constants to hold on to. We develop contracts to set the rules of engagement and we sit around the table discussing ‘what’s in and what’s out’, creating a constant to hold on to. This is fine, it’s normal to do, it creates the boundaries, sets the expectations, acts as a stick of enforcement; but it doesn’t create the balance.

The means of the contract are not always what is required, we all know this, and at best a contract is a guidance note for the day to day running of services. What is needed is the service provided from day one is the sustainable way of providing the same level of service on the last day. Ensure what is being delivered is comfortable and has scope of flexibility for those ‘variable’ days, the customer expectations are set from day one and the relationship is growing. Now we are providing the service with balance and flexibility, but never forget the boundaries and how long that arm has been there for!

For more information about Celerity’s services please do not hesitate to contact us.

Bill Guile, Services Delivery Manager, Celerity Limited

  

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