At Cloud Ready Solutions, we recently completed a deployment of three StoneFly DR365U Appliances, showcasing their unmatched flexibility and performance for modern backup and disaster recovery (DR) environments. This deployment demonstrates how the DR365U, paired with Arcserve UDPÂ and Hyper-V, delivers advanced features such as immutable storage, air-gapped recovery points, and storage optimisation, all while offering extended support and maintenance options.
Deployment Overview
Production and DR Sites Configuration
Production Sites:Â Two DR365U Appliances were installed at separate production sites, each running Arcserve UDP to back up high-performance SQL servers and other critical workloads.
Disaster Recovery Site:Â A third DR365U Appliance served as a centralised DR hub, facilitating:
Long-Term Backup Retention:Â Secure storage for extensive retention requirements.
Virtual Standby DR Environment:Â Immediate recovery of workloads in a virtualised environment.
Enhanced Data Protection and DR Features
Backup & Replication with Arcserve UDP:
Production workloads were backed up locally and replicated to the DR site.
DR365U Appliances at the DR site provided compute, RAM, and storage to host virtual standby systems for rapid failover.
Immutable Snapshots & Air-Gapping:
With StoneFly SCVMÂ (StoneFly Storage OS), immutable snapshots and air-gapped recovery points were enabled to secure Arcserve UDP OS and datastore volumes.
These measures protect against ransomware and other threats.
Multi-Purpose Use Case:
Beyond backup, DR365U Appliances also hosted production workloads with WORM (Write Once Read Many)Â storage, allowing instant rollback in ransomware scenarios without requiring full restores.
DR365U: A Feature-Rich Backup & DR Solution
The StoneFly DR365U combines the user’s choice of backup software with advanced storage capabilities. Key features include:
Hypervisor Compatibility:Â VMware, Hyper-V, KVM, XenServer, and more.
Immutable Data Protection:Â WORM storage, air-gapped volumes, anti-ransomware measures, and advanced encryption.
Cloud Integration: Sync and async replication to Azure, AWS, or StoneFly’s private cloud.
Storage Optimisation:Â Thin provisioning, deduplication, SSD caching, and automated data tiering for efficient resource utilisation.
Long-Term Support:Â StoneFly Appliances are available with up to 7 years of support and maintenance, ensuring long-term reliability and peace of mind.
Advantages Over Arcserve 9000 Series
Performance and Licensing Flexibility
The DR365U outperforms the Arcserve 9000 Series with higher compute and storage scalability, thanks to its advanced processors (up to 32-core dual Xeon in the XD-Series)​.
Supports Arcserve UDP socket-based or instance-based licensing, offering greater flexibility and cost-effectiveness, especially for large capacity needs.
The Arcserve 9000 Series’ capacity-based licensing adds significant costs for larger storage, whereas the DR365U allows seamless storage expansion with no additional licensing fees.
Superior Data Protection
Arcserve UDP lacks native air-gapped or immutable storage support, which the DR365U seamlessly provides.
Offers long-term storage reliability and ransomware-resilient backups.
Looking Ahead: Arcserve 10K Series
Arcserve is set to launch the 10K Series Appliances, addressing some performance limitations of the 9000 Series. However, the licensing model is unlikely to change, continuing to restrict capacity growth and drive costs for larger implementations. In contrast, the DR365U, coupled with Arcserve UDP perpetual or subscription licensing, offers a more scalable and economical solution​.
StoneFly DR365V: The Veeam Optimised Counterpart
For Veeam users, StoneFly’s DR365V Appliance provides:
Native air-gapped, immutable S3-compatible storage, a perfect fit for Veeam’s native support of immutable backups.
The same robust compute and storage features as the DR365U.
Conclusion: The StoneFly Advantage
The StoneFly DR365U and DR365V set the standard for modern disaster recovery. With up to 7 years of prepaid maintenance & support, seamless scalability, and advanced data protection features like air-gapping and immutable storage, they are tailored for businesses aiming for resilient and cost-effective backup solutions.
Explore how the StoneFly DR365U or DR365VÂ can enhance your disaster recovery strategy with Cloud Ready Solutions. Contact us today to learn more or schedule a consultation.
Why Partner with Cloud Ready Solutions:
At Cloud Ready Solutions, we're your dedicated partner in success, offering customised solutions and local market expertise. Since 2014, our in-depth knowledge and experience as an Arcserve distributor set us apart. We provide presales support, expert consultancy, and comprehensive training to ensure you fully leverage our vendor solutions to protect your business. Join us in safeguarding what's priceless. Contact us today to learn how we can work together.