Introduction of a reliable backup solution at Sonova Consumer Hearing

The initial situation

The task was clear: SPIRIT/21 was to build a secure and future-proof backup solution for Sonova Consumer Hearing based on its many years of backup experience. The customer’s specifications for the hardware and software used included

• Server: A physical Dell dual-CPU server with sufficient memory, network and SAN ports.
• Storage system: A Dell storage system connected locally to the backup server via SAN.
• Backup appliance: A modern ExaGrid backup appliance with two nodes.
• Backup software: VEEAM Backup & Replication (B&R) in the Enterprise Edition.

The solution approach

The Backup strategy was already defined by these specifications:

• Initial backup: The Sonova Consumer Hearing VMs are backed up via the backup server in the local storage system (DC1) and then copied to the ExaGrid appliance (DC2).
• Job automation**: In collaboration with the virtualization colleagues, the VMs were divided into classes. VEEAM backup jobs have been set up so that newly created VMs are automatically added to the corresponding jobs and decommissioned VMs are automatically removed.
• Retention and restore period**: After completion of the first retention cycle, which clearly defined the backup volume required, the retention period has been gradually increased. Certain VMs (e.g. the file service) received additional monthly backup copies to extend the recovery period in a meaningful way.

Expansion and optimization

Over the course of the operating period, additional locations abroad were added and connected to the central VEEAM server in Germany. These locations benefit from the following adjustments:

• Local backups and WAN replication: On-site backups in the respective locations, followed by WAN replication with VEEAM proxies and WAN accelerator technology, enabled a second copy of the backup data at another location - without significant complexity or additional effort.
• Cost control and optimization**: The use of a centralized VEEAM B&R server eliminated additional monitoring and reporting expenses.
• Backup strategy for remote sites: To avoid large amounts of data over WAN, the backup strategy was adapted to “Incremental Forever” and “Synthetic Full” for the remote sites.

The result

Over the past few years, the hardware and VEEAM software used have proven to be extremely stable and reliable. ExaGrid’s excellent support is particularly worth mentioning: firmware updates of the appliance were carried out by ExaGrid support themselves after consultation and the appliance was then handed back to us for functional tests.

The initial setup of the backup was successfully completed in just two weeks, including extensive tests to ensure functionality and reliability. Thereafter, additional virtual machines were automatically integrated into the backup on a weekly basis, limiting our effort to regular checks to ensure correct additions. The average backup rate was around 1 Gbyte/second, with speeds of up to 1.5 Gbyte/second achieved at peak times.