EduCloud Backup

How to Access

For more information about accessing, contact sts-support@bc.net

Support & Service Requests

Incident reporting and technical assistance for this service is not directly provided by BCNET staff.

For technical support, contact BCNET'S EduCloud Operations Team by submitting a ticket at https://web.it.ubc.ca/forms/bcnet/

Hours of support:
These requests will be addressed during regular business hours between the hours of 8:30 am through 4:30 pm PT Monday to Friday.
For more information about this service visit the BCNET service catalogue.

More Information

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About EduCloud Backup

EduCloud Backup is a simple and cost-effective, cloud-based, backup and storage target solution for your backup infrastructure. The service is currently offered at the EduCloud Kamloops and Vancouver locations.

What Is EduCloud Backup As a Service?

EduCloud Backup integrates with your local backup infrastructure through the backup software of your choice.* The service allows you to continue to administer backup job schedules and data restores in a self-service manner.

*Note: backup software must be on the compatibility list

Why Use EduCloud Backup?

EduCloud Backup leverages the Dell EMC Data Domain deduplication appliances and will integrate with your current backup infrastructure via either DD Boost or NFS protocols.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is pricing based on compressed usage?

No, pricing is based on raw (uncompressed) usage.
What is the current version of the EduCloud Backup Data Domain OS?

The current version of DDOS is 7.7.5
Is the backup software that I am using supported for use with EduCloud Backup?

Please review the compatibility chart for the full list of supported backup software products and versions. Software is listed in the Data Domain Boost matrix.

Please refer to your backup vendor’s documentation for best practice guides for integration with the Dell EMC Data Domain.
What protocol does EduCloud Backup use to serve up the target?

EduCloud Backup preferred protocol is DD Boost as it offers the best compression, deduplication and throughput.

Please review the compatibility chart for the full list of supported backup software products and versions. Software is listed in the Data Domain Boost matrix.
What is Dell EMC Data Domain Boost (DD Boost)?

Amongst other benefits, DD Boost increases backup speeds and decreases the amount of bandwidth required to process backups. 
Does my backup software support Dell EMC Data Domain Boost?

Please review the compatibility chart for the full list of supported backup software products and versions. Software is listed in the Data Domain Boost matrix.

Please refer to your backup vendor’s documentation for best practice guides for integration with the Dell EMC Data Domain.
Will I require an additional license to leverage DD Boost?

Some Backup software vendors require additional licensing when storing data on a deduplication appliance such as the Dell EMC Data Domain. Please contact your backup software vendor to confirm the licensing requirements.
What type of data retention is available with EduCloud Backup?

Data retention is managed by each tenant through the backup software. EduCloud Backup storage target does not manage retention.
What kind of deduplication rate can I expect for my data on EduCloud BaaS?

The ratio is highly variable depending on the type of data stored, and the manner in which it is stored. For example, encrypted data will not dedupe well.
Will I receive a report outlining my data usage?

Yes, a daily summary will be sent to the provided email address during the onboarding process. Please submit a service ticket if this email address needs to be changed.
How many locations is the service available from?

Currently the EduCloud Backup is only available at the Kamloops location.
Is there a restriction on the type of data that I can store in EduCloud Backup?

There are no restrictions on the type of data that can be stored in EduCloud Backup. The only limitation would be on the backup software side.
When can I schedule my backups?

Each tenant chooses their own backup schedule. The schedule is not managed by EduCloud Backup.
Are there regularly scheduled maintenance windows for EduCloud Backup?
Yes, please refer to the following schedule:

Minor upgrades and maintenance – first Saturday of each month

Major upgrades and maintenance – twice per year in July and December
What are the minimum requirements for the service?
The following are the minimum requirements for the service:

BCNET member on the Advanced Network

Backup software that is on the compatibility list

Backup software continues to be on the compatibility list as bi-annual major upgrades to the service are executed.
Is my data private? Can other institutions see my data?

EduCloud Backup leverages the Dell EMC Data Domain secure multitenancy to keep tenant data completely isolated.
Is my data encrypted?

EduCloud Backup does not encrypt the stored data.

If tenants require encryption in order to use the service, the data needs to be encrypted prior to being stored in the EduCloud Backup. Please note that encryption will dramatically reduce the deduplication ratio of the stored data.
How do I restore data from the service?

Similarly to scheduling backups, data restores are performed using the tenant’s backup product in a self-service manner.

Benefits

Integration

Integrates with your current backup infrastructure (backup software must be on the compatibility list)

Self-Management

Allows for continued self-management of backup job schedules and data restores (backup software must be on the compatibility list)

Support

Service availability 7-days a week, 24-hours a day

FIPPA Compliant

Scalable infrastructure compliant with BC privacy legislation and FIPPA requirements

Safeguards Tenant Data

Leverages secure multitenancy to keep tenant data completely isolated

Benefits Grid