14 NetApp AltaVault Cloud Integrated Storage Administration Guide
Beta Draft
Deploying the AltaVault appliance Deployment guidelines
AltaVault can be deployed in one of two modes: Backup mode or Cold Storage mode. Once deployed, you cannot
change the mode. Use the following table to make a comparison of using AltaVault in backup mode versus cold
storage mode:
You can configure AltaVault folder shares to help describe a policy target.
For example, you can configure a backup application to direct critical system backups to point to a specific folder
on one AltaVault data connection, while noncritical backups might be directed by a backup application to point to
another folder on another AltaVault data connection. This method helps balance priorities of data over the
network and organize data for recovery in case of a disaster. If possible, organize your backup policies to drive
similar data to the same AltaVault unit.
For example, if you are backing up a Windows server farm to multiple AltaVault appliances, operating system
backups are likely to have the best deduplication rates when grouped together to the same AltaVault. File and
application server backups obtain better deduplication when grouped together as well.
AltaVault exports its configuration to a file called altavault_config_(HOSTNAME)_(DATETIME).tgz.
NetApp recommends that you store the configuration file in different physical locations. The configuration file
contains information about the configuration, including the encryption key. Alternatively, you can just export the
encryption key alone.
Note: To access the encrypted data, you need an encryption key. If you lose the encryption key, AltaVault cannot reconstitute the
encrypted data.
Modes Pros Cons
Backup mode • Allows access to the most recent backups on cache.
• Allows global deduplication of all data received by
AltaVault, leading to higher deduplication rates.
• Maximizes data movement efficiency of the WAN
through deduplication of data.
• Cache expansion capability via add on shelves allows for
growth as needed by the business.
• Higher ingest performance than Cold Storage mode.
• Cloud capacity managed
limited to a maximum of up to
5 times the usable space on the
AltaVault’s disk cache.
Cold storage mode • Protects archive workloads for long periods of time,
typically to cool or cold cloud storage tiers.
• Allows access to far greater cloud capacity (Up to 10PB of
storage, based on 1.333 billion files of 100MB average
file size).
• Provides expansive long term storage in just one head
controller unit.
• Minimal deduplication
compared to backup mode.
• Limited network and WAN
performance, dependent on
average, file size of objects
sent to AltaVault.
• Only available on AVA-400
48 TB and virtual models.
• No expansion capability with
shelves.
• Restores are always from the
cloud provider.
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