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Google Cloud Storage vs Amazon S3 as Cloud Storage for Backup Exec 15

MTolosa
Level 3
Partner Employee

Now Backup Exec is offering the new cloud connectors to be able to send the backups into public cloud storage.
The current offering is with Amazon S3 and Google Cloud Storage. So this article is to find out a bit more about which one can be more convinient for which type of customers.
new-gcp-logo_2x[1].png

S3-[1]_0.png

First start mentioning that if the customer has some infrastructure in one of those platforms is obviosly a clear advantage work with the same cloud storage provider.
Regarding this other users that are starting to consider sending their offsite copies to the cloud:

Price.

Obviosly this is one of the main considerations.
(Standard Storage is currently the only option supported in the Backup Exec HCL for Cloud connectors)

Standard Storage
Amazon: 0.030$ (GB/Month) - 370$ per Tb per year
Google: 0.026$ (GB/Month) - 320$ per Tb per year

Is not a huge difference but maybe something to have in mind.

These are the price calculators for Cloud:
Google
Amazon

Performance.

In general cloud storage in Amazon has less latency but less throughtput than Google. So for small files Amazon will perform better and Google would be beter for moving big files. But the way Backup Exec performs the backups and move data using the OST (Open Storage Technology) makes that less relevant.

In tests I have been performing for backups and restore to Google Cloud Storage and Amazon, using similar regions for the buckets and different type of data. These are the conclusions:

Backups in avarage with BE to Google Cloud Storage are 3 times faster.
Restores in avarage with BE from Amazon S3 are 2 times faster.

Also mention that backup verification speed will be related to the restore performance. So in the case of Amazon that will be faster.
In both cases, in case of a tight backup windows is recommended to schedule the verification outside of the backup job.

So, is going to be really depending on customer requirements. But for somebody planning to send regular backups to the cloud and only restore occasionally. Google seems a faster and a cheaper storage option.

Let me know below your opinions or the results of your tests.