Features
A list of impactful features in Trilio for OpenStack.
Immutable Backups
Release version: 6.0
Trilio offers the capability to create immutable T4O backups/snapshots, ensuring they cannot be deleted until the specified retention period has ended. It leverages the target's locking and versioning features to achieve this immutability.
Purpose
In recent years, the Trilio S3 Fuse plugin introduced the ability to support backup immutability through the S3 object lock mechanism. This feature ensures that backups remain secure even if the OpenStack platform is compromised, acting as a crucial safeguard against cyber attacks. While traditional backup solutions prevent direct exposure of backup media to the platform, Trilio's scale-out architecture necessitates direct attachment of the
Key Highlights
Pre-requisites:
Create a new S3 bucket to enable the object-locking feature, as it cannot be enabled on existing buckets.
Configure Object Locking in Compliance mode with a retention period of at least one day for enhanced protection.
Disable object lifecycle policies to prevent automated deletions.
Perform manual deletion of objects only after the retention period has expired.
Retention
With the introduction of the immutable backups feature, Trilio’s retention policy has been changed. It's important to note that Trilio can no longer support incremental/full synthetic backups forever, as this functionality requires modifying the backup images. Instead, the following retention policy is now in place:
If the user wants to retain n number of backups, then the user needs to take full backups every n backups.
To keep at least
nbackups available, Trilio may retain2nbackups, forming two backup chains. Once a chain is fully formed with one full backup and n-1 incremental backup images, the second chain will start with a new full backup. The first chain will be removed once the second chain is fully formed with a full backup and n-1 incremental backups.
How To Use It
Follow the steps mentioned here to know how to use this feature in the product.
Configuration
To enable this feature, you need to adjust certain configuration settings in the product. Refer to the deployment guides of the desired distribution for detailed instructions.
Limitations
The feature may not work as expected if the object lifecycle policy is set for a backup target.
The same backup target cannot be used for DR or migration purposes, additional steps will be required to perform it.
Advanced Scheduler & Retention
Release version: 6.0
The Advanced Scheduler is a newly introduced feature in Trilio that provides enhanced flexibility and granularity in scheduling and retaining snapshots. With this feature, users can now schedule both full and incremental snapshots across various intervals—hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. Each scheduling type offers customizable retention policies, allowing users to manage snapshots as per their specific requirements effectively.
Purpose
The purpose of the Advanced Scheduler is to empower users with more control over their snapshot management. By addressing limitations in the previous scheduler, this feature ensures improved efficiency, optimized resource usage, and greater alignment with organizational backup policies. This feature is especially beneficial for organizations with diverse workloads that demand varying backup frequencies and retention policies.
Key Highlights
Flexible Scheduling Intervals: Users can now schedule snapshots across the following intervals:
Hourly: For tasks requiring frequent backups.
Daily: Ideal for daily operations requiring end-of-day snapshots.
Weekly: Suitable for less critical workloads.
Monthly: For long-term periodic backups.
Yearly: Designed for archival purposes.
Snapshot Type Options:
Full Snapshots: Each scheduling type allows the user to choose the full snapshot type. But, full snapshot type is mandatory for Weekly, Monthly, and Yearly scheduling types to avoid longer backup chains which may lead to data corruption.
Incremental Snapshots: Hourly and Daily scheduling types provide the options from either incremental or full snapshots.
Advanced Retention Policies:
Users can define retention settings for each scheduling type.
Retention can be based on:
Number of Snapshots: Keep a specified number of snapshots for the chosen schedule.
Retention Duration: This is based on the scheduling type selected by the user.
Enhanced Management Efficiency:
Simplifies backup strategies by tailoring frequency, type, and retention for specific workloads.
Supports compliance and long-term data retention policies.
How To Use It
Follow the steps mentioned here to know how to use this feature in the product.
Limitations
While the Advanced Scheduler introduces significant improvements, it has certain limitations:
Immutable Backups:
In case the user chooses the immutable backup storage, the scheduling policy will get limited options. The user can have only hourly scheduling and retention types and hourly will have only 24hrs interval option.
Resource Utilization:
Frequent full snapshots (e.g., on an hourly basis) may lead to higher storage and performance overhead.
Complexity in Configuration:
Advanced options may require more planning and understanding, increasing the learning curve for new users.
Dependency on Storage Quotas:
Users must ensure sufficient storage capacity to handle the retention policies and the frequency of snapshots.
Manual Monitoring:
In cases of excessive scheduling, manual intervention might be necessary to adjust retention policies or optimize schedules.
Multiple Backup Targets
Release version: 6.0
Previously, Trilio allowed a single backup target per cloud, either NFS or S3, for all backups. Now, Trilio supports multiple backup targets, enabling both NFS and S3 types to coexist as backup options. Admin users can configure multiple backup targets and define their accessibility for tenant users. Additionally, admin users have the ability to restrict backup targets to specific projects for enhanced control.
Purpose
The feature aims to enhance the flexibility, scalability, and manageability of backup configurations in Trilio. By supporting multiple backup targets:
Organizations can align their backup strategies with diverse operational requirements.
Admin users can provide tenant users with more options for workload backups.
Access control over backup targets is improved, allowing organizations to secure sensitive data.
Key Highlights
Support for Multiple Backup Targets: Trilio now supports both NFS and S3 simultaneously for backup storage.
Admin Configuration: Admin users can configure multiple backup targets during deployment.
Tenant User Flexibility: Tenant users can choose from available backup targets when creating workloads.
Enhanced Access Control: Admin users can mark backup targets as private and restrict access to specific projects by creating backup target types and marking them as private.
How To Use It
Follow the steps mentioned here to know how to use this feature in the product.
Configuration
To take advantage of this feature, you need to adjust certain configuration settings in the product. Refer to the deployment guides of the desired distribution for detailed instructions.
Limitations
Backup Targets are configured during deployment. Modifying them may require redeploying Trilio.
While this feature is highly expandable, it currently limits the isolation of the backup targets to the projects only.
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