In the previous version of Xopero ONE we added direct support for backing up and restoring Hyper-V virtual machines, and in this release we have focused on its functional improvements. Experience it for yourself, how fast backup and restore of Hyper-V environments can be 🚀
Microsoft Hyper-V Instant Restore
One of the key updates is the Hyper-V Instant Restore feature, which allows for the immediate launch of a virtual machine directly from a backup, eliminating the need to wait for a full data restore ⚡
Similarly to VMware, Instant Restore allows for immediate launch of a Hyper-V virtual machine directly from a backup, in the specified environment. Instant Restore operates on the principle of an iSCSI share, meaning that users can use the virtual machine straight away, instead of waiting for the entire machine disk to be restored from a backup. Subsequently, the share is mounted to the designated Hyper-V environment, allowing for the automatic creation of the virtual machine. This is an ideal solution for situations where every second counts. Near Zero RTO!
After the work is finished / the task is stopped in Xopero ONE, the machine is removed from the Hyper-V environment, and changes will not be saved.
Hyper-V RCT: backup faster than ever!
Another upgrade that speeds up the backup process is the support for the RCT mechanism (Resilient Change Tracking).
It is a native Hyper-V mechanism that monitors the changed blocks of virtual machine disks, allowing for faster incremental and differential backups (similar to CBT in VMware). As a result, the Xopero ONE agent receives information about the changes directly from Hyper-V itself, eliminating the need to compare machine blocks with those in the backup.
Hyper-V: default plan settings
In the previous version, none of the Hyper-V backup settings were enabled by default, which meant users might not have used the recommended backup configuration that guarantees the best results. We have changed this, and from now on, the following settings are enabled by default when configuring a backup plan:
- Application-Aware mode copy,
- skipping disks that cannot be included in the snapshot (e.g., persistent disks),
- copying using the RCT mechanism,
- limiting the number of concurrently running tasks to 3.
Root account change for greater flexibility
Another significant update is the feature enhancement in Xopero ONE and GitProtect that enables the modification of the root account. In response to customer needs, we’ve made it possible to switch the primary administrator account to a different one directly from the application interface.
To make this change, go to the user list of the service, select the account intended to become the new primary, and click the Set as root button. After confirming this change, the selected account will take over as the main administrative account of the service. Meanwhile, the former root account will transition to a System Administrator role, retaining all previously granted permissions.
Forever Incremental for remaining types of backups
A while back, we rolled out the Forever Incremental scheme support, which was primarily used for securing data from SaaS services, particularly in scenarios where large data downloads were constrained.
We have tested and verified the effectiveness of the Forever Incremental approach for a variety of other backup types. In this release, we’ve decided to extend the scheme to include:
- File backups,
- Disk images,
- VMware.
Other improvements:
- enhanced restore process for Hyper-V machines
- improved performance of system dashboard information retrieval and plan list loading
- notifications for nearing storage limits in Xopero Unified Protection
We invite you to explore the latest enhancements in Xopero ONE, crafted to boost your backup management and data security. Try & test these improvements yourself by signing into your Xopero ONE account or initiating a complimentary trial period.