Agentless Backup
Agentless Backup
Simplifies Data Storage
The use of agents with a backup/recovery solution has a direct impact on data
security, recoverability and costs. Traditional agent-based backup software
requires you to:
•
Take inventory of your network
•
Buy, install, and configure multiple agents for your network
•
Repeat process when you add servers, applications or databases
•
Upgrade all agents frequently
Agent-based backup becomes extremely complicated when an administrator is dealing with different
operating systems, revision levels and applications.
Ultimately, this kind of “agent pollution” is a drain on time, CPU, environmental, and
financial resources. Many of the problems that occur while managing backup software a
re caused by compatibility issues with agents. Also, agents rob processing power from the
core applications of every machine they’re installed on.
The Problem with Agents
Disadvantages of Agents
Compromised security
A port in the firewall must sometimes be opened for every agent. Because almost every agent has administrative privileges, it makes the server architecture vulnerable to hackers— only needing to tap into the agent to attack the server.Too many pieces
More sites, data, users, systems and more agents equal a more complex infrastructure with longer backup and recovery times. Everyoperating system upgrade within an organization invites more opportunities for conflicts between applications. Backup agents drain IT resources, cause disruptive downtime, and, ultimately, undermine the certainty of data recoverability.
Exorbitant licensing fees
Agent software, typically priced on a per-system basis, is costly. For many growing organizations, buying a site license is actually a simpler solution than trying to keep track of backup products installed across hundreds or thousands of machines.Mounting administrative costs
It takes time and a lot of “touching” of remote-site systems to push agents and upgrades out to every server. And each time an administrator has to deploy an agent or intervene to support it at a remote site, that cost rolls back into the business model making it increasingly difficult to remain competitive.
To put licensing and administrative costs in
perspective, an enterprise with as few as five offices can easily spend $50,000 to purchase and maintain backup agents for file/print servers, email servers, databases and workstations. For large enterprises with thousands of backup agents, licensing and support costs can quickly add up to millions of dollars.
= Agentless
The Solution: echopath
• Remotely install and manage data transmissions
• Add servers, applications, databases on the fly
• Upgrade seamlessly with zero-touch updates
As an agentless solution, echopath supports all major platforms and applications with a
software system composed of just two major components: the DS-Client (one installed at each
site) and the DS-System (installed at the storage location). DS-Client software captures data
from its target backup machines. The DS-Client then processes the data to minimize its size,
encrypts it for security, and then transmits the data to the DS-System at the storage location.
The DS-Client does not require installation of any backup agents on its target machines. Using
standard APIs, the DS-Client can remotely log in to target backup systems, capture requested
data, and securely manage transmissions to the central site. On the other end, the DS-System
manages the storage for backup data transmitted from one or multiple DS-Clients.
Benefits of echopath
Robust security
echopath provides extremely safe “in-flight” and “at-rest” data security utilizing up to 256-bit AES encryption. And it works within the organization’s security framework—there are no agents to open hacker-tempting ports in the firewall. With secure data transmission across an IP WAN, the echopath solution helps businesses achieve compliance, minimize information-loss liabilities, and protect customer confidence.Resource conservation
echopath software runs with negligible impact on servers, workstations, and laptops, eliminating the drain on CPU resources associated with agent-based solutions. Data reduction technologies also minimize the impact on bandwidth and storage resources.Simple licensing
Pay-as-you-grow based simply on the amount of compressed backup data stored. Customers purchase echopath software the same as disk capacity—no license fees, no tracking, no overspending on site licenses—paying only for compressed storage capacity consumed.Significant savings
Even if backup agents from other vendors were free, the echopath solution would still provide huge savings. First-year operating expenses alone approach an estimated $150,000 for an enterprise environment with 1,000 server agents. Annual server maintenance and operating expenses for this same configuration add up to nearly $60,000. The agentless echopath solution eliminates those operating costs in addition to the purchase price ofthe agents.