Secure data replication to, and recovery of data from, air-gapped data storage pools
An illustrative air-gapped data storage site for storing secure copies at the air-gapped storage site. Using specialized air-gapped media agents installed within the air-gapped storage pool site, the illustrative system, at an unpredictable time, establishes a one-way tunnel from secondary storage site to air-gapped site to receive backup copies of the data stored at primary site. In another embodiment, during disaster recovery, backup copies stored within the air-gapped site are replicated to a non-air gapped site (e.g., secondary storage pools) as “tertiary copies.” Those copies are then restored to the primary site in original application data formats for quick recovery. As restoration of data is complete, the tertiary copies are promoted to “secondary copies” to receive incremental backups.
1. A computer-implemented system, the computer-implemented system comprising:
one or more secondary storage devices,
wherein the one or more secondary storage devices comprises a media agent for facilitating storing and managing secondary copies stored within the one or more secondary storage devices,
wherein the one or more secondary storage devices is configured to store and manage secondary copies of primary data stored at a primary site; and
an air-gapped data storage environment, wherein the air-gapped data storage environment comprises:
an instance of a storage manager,
wherein the storage manager is configured to restore secure copies stored at the air-gapped data storage environment, within the air-gapped data storage environment,
an air-gapped media agent for facilitating storing and managing the secure copies stored within the air-gapped data storage environment,
the air-gapped data storage environment configured to:
obtain or retrieve metadata relating to the primary data stored at the primary site, for which a secure copy has not been created for yet, wherein the metadata is obtained or retrieved at an unpredictable time;
using the metadata, determine that a secure copy within the air-gapped data storage environment needs to be created or updated;
in response to determining that the secure copy within the air-gapped data storage environment needs to be created or updated:
establish a secure one-way data connection for data transmission, wherein the secure one-way data connection allows load-bearing traffic to be pulled from the one or more secondary storage devices to the air-gapped data storage environment;
initiate a replication job to receive data to create or update the secure copy at the air-gapped data storage environment; and
immediately upon receipt of data, terminate the secure one-way data connection to the one or more secondary storage devices.
2. The computer-implemented system of claim 1 , wherein the determination to create a secure copy of data is based on preferences or criteria provided in an information management policy or RPO requirements.
3. The computer-implemented system of claim 2 , wherein the preferences or criteria in the information management policy comprises threshold requirements for establishing a connection to the air-gapped data storage environment.
4. The computer-implemented system of claim 2 , wherein the preferences or criteria in the information management policy comprises one or more of:
a time of day,
a geographic location of the primary data,
user identification,
metadata,
an application type,
cost of computing resources,
a type of service available by the primary site, and
available bandwidth at the primary site.
5. The computer-implemented system of claim 1 , wherein a data connection between the one or more secondary storage devices and the air-gapped data storage environment is configured to operate according to one or more security modes.
6. The computer-implemented system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more security modes comprises a secure-copy mode, wherein the secure-copy mode allows load-bearing traffic to be pulled from the one or more secondary storage devices.
7. The computer-implemented system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more security modes comprises a maintenance mode, wherein in the maintenance mode, the data connection may only be open to non-load bearing traffic.
8. The computer-implemented system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more security modes comprises an air-gapped mode, wherein during the air-gapped mode the air-gapped data storage environment is offline and no transmissions to or from the air-gapped data storage environment are possible.
9. The computer-implemented system of claim 5 , wherein the termination of the secure one-way data connection comprises changing the one or more security modes of the data connection to another security mode.
10. A computer-implemented method for replicating secure copies of data to air-gapped storage environment, the computer-implemented method comprising:
obtaining or retrieving metadata relating to primary data stored at a primary site,
wherein the metadata is obtained or retrieved at an unpredictable time,
wherein the metadata is stored at one or more secondary storage devices,
wherein the one or more secondary storage devices comprises a media agent for facilitating storing and managing secondary copies stored within the one or more secondary storage devices,
wherein the one or more secondary storage devices is configured to store and manage secondary copies of the primary data stored at the primary site;
using the metadata, determining that a secure copy within an air-gapped data storage environment needs to be created or updated,
wherein the air-gapped data storage environment comprises:
an instance of a storage manager,
wherein the storage manager is configured to restore secure copies stored at the air-gapped data storage environment, within the air-gapped data storage environment, and
an air-gapped media agent,
wherein the air-gapped media agent is configured to store and manage the secure copies stored within the air-gapped data storage environment; and
in response to determining that the secure copy within the air-gapped data storage environment needs to be created or updated:
establishing a secure one-way data connection for data transmission, wherein the secure one-way data connection allows load-bearing traffic to be pulled from the one or more secondary storage devices to the air-gapped data storage environment;
initiating a replication job to receive data to create or update the secure copy at the air-gapped data storage environment;
immediately upon receipt of data, terminating the secure one-way data connection with the one or more secondary storage devices.
11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the determination to create a secure copy of data is based on preferences or criteria provided in an information management policy or RPO requirements.
12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the preferences or criteria in the information management policy comprises threshold requirements for establishing a connection to the air-gapped data storage environment.
13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the preferences or criteria in the information management policy comprises one or more of:
a time of day,
a geographic location of the primary data,
user identification,
metadata,
an application type,
cost of computing resources,
a type of service available by the primary site, and
available bandwidth at the primary site.
14. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein a data connection between the one or more secondary storage devices and the air-gapped data storage environment is configured to operate according to one or more security modes.
15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , wherein the one or more security modes comprises a secure-copy mode, wherein the secure-copy mode allows load-bearing traffic to be pulled from the one or more secondary storage devices.
16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , wherein the one or more security modes comprises a maintenance mode, wherein in the maintenance mode, the data connection may only be open to non-load bearing traffic.
17. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , wherein the one or more security modes comprises an air-gapped mode, wherein during the air-gapped mode the air-gapped data storage environment is offline and no transmissions to or from the air-gapped data storage environment are possible.
18. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , wherein the termination of the secure one-way data connection comprises changing the one or more security modes of the data connection to another security mode.