The EZ-Backup Modernization Project is moving forward with a focus on customer support to help expedite the migration process. The existing EZ-Backup service, based on IBM's Storage Protect product, is being phased out and retired in December 2023. Two new services will be rolled out in its place to provide backup capabilities: a Server Backup service and a Device Backup service.

Find out more and what this transition means for your operations.

How are backup services changing at CIT?

The existing EZ-Backup service, based on IBM's Storage Protect product, is being phased out. Two new services will be rolled out in its place to provide backup capabilities:

• a Server Backup service appropriate for servers and devices that have static IP addresses. This service will utilize the Cohesity platform for backups.
• a Device Backup service based on CrashPlan for endpoint devices like desktops and laptops that are not eligible for Certified Desktop.

How will you handle data that requires long-term retention, but has been removed from local storage?

This issue has been identified as a project requirement and will be part of the delivered solution. It is still under development, and details are expected by summer 2023.

What are the central differences between Storage Protect and Cohesity?

Pull, not push: Unlike Storage Protect which has locally-installed agents that push data to the backup infrastructure, Cohesity works in the opposite way—all your backup jobs are managed from a central console and the system pulls data from servers to the Cohesity infrastructure. This action requires additional firewall rules to establish appropriate networking.

Point-in-time backups: Unlike Storage Protect, Cohesity’s backups are point-in-time based snapshots stored for a configurable time period. For example, in the Managed Server service, snapshots are completed each day and retained for 90 days, so there are 90 versions of the backup available. Retention policies are configurable.

Image-based restores: In contrast to Storage Protect, Cohesity supports image-based restores of hypervisors which can provide much faster recovery of VMs. Rather than having to restore OS, then apps, then data, Cohesity can restore the full image all at once.

Does Cornell IT have experience with Cohesity?

Yes. Cohesity has been the backup solution for both the Managed Server service and Shared File Services (SFS) for the last three years.

How will the Cohesity infrastructure be configured on campus?

CIT will maintain a local Cohesity cluster for campus customers in the Computing and Communications Center (CCC) data center on campus. This will be separate from the cluster that serves Managed Server and SFS. Data will be backed up to Cohesity appliances and copied to cloud storage. In instances where data is unable to be moved to the cloud due to regulatory requirements, it will be stored locally.

How will customers manage Cohesity?

Each customer will have their own tenant and use the Cohesity console to manage backups and restores. All your backups are visible and manageable from this central console.

How will the Device Backup service work?

Most endpoint devices are eligible for Certified Desktop, which includes CrashPlan at a discounted rate. For use cases that are not part of Certified Desktop, CrashPlan will be offered for a flat monthly fee. The license structure for CrashPlan is user-based. A user may back up multiple devices (up to 10).

What will the new backup services cost?

Server Backup Service: Flat rate of $0.03 per GB per month.

Device Backup Service: $5.00 per user (up to 10 devices) per month.

What is the timeline for this project?

Migration to a new service must be completed by December 2023 to avoid new capital spend on server hardware. The current schedule (subject to change) is reflected below.

• Launch of the Device Backup (stand-alone CrashPlan) service: July 2023
• Installation of the new Cohesity cluster in CCC: April–July 2023
• Migration of servers to new services: August–December 2023

How will I stay informed about this project?

The project team will send regular updates to the EZBACKUP-ANNOUNCE-L email distribution and other campus IT news sources. They will also contact units directly regarding current services and assist with planning for migration. Please direct any questions you may have to backup-modernization@cornell.edu.