BCloud Service is a user-oriented web front-end for backup and recovery tasks. As a multi-tenant backup solution, it is designed to safely delegate straightforward and restricted backup administrator tasks to an end user that may not be required to have high level permissions or have access to the whole backup system. For example, ISPs and web hosting companies can use BCloud Service to enable their own customers to easily create and manage their own backup jobs, restore files, do LDAP authentication and much more.
BCloud Service utilizes Bacula’s REST-API to allow third person users (for example, junior administrators, or customers of MSPs) to utilize only a given portion of Bacula’s underlying backup infrastructure. It is designed to easily translate to different panels. Being user-oriented, it is simplified to be fast and efficient to use. Using Bacula, Hosting companies and Backup as a Service providers can exploit specialized tools limit the size and scope of a customer’s self-service backup and recovery.
Some of BCloud Service’s features are:
- Display of amount of data used / available
- Schedule-setting and scheduled intervals
- Monitoring of backup and restore jobs. Some of the elements that can be monitored are: Job Name, Level, Start Time, Duration, Job Files, Job Bytes, Average Speed, Errors and Status
- Drag and drop file restore
- Controlling, Monitoring and Auditing: user can do high-level backup and restore management
- Client Protection Status (Client Host Status Information)
- System backup history and restore history, grouped by client
- Job (s) status, grouped by client
- Cancel running jobs
- Job logs
- Based on Bacula Enterprise REST API
- The web interface can be translated into different languages
- Simple user oriented web interface (compatible with Chrome and Firefox)
- System administrator can customize BCloud Service using php hook scripts
- System administrator can limit the number of Clients, Jobs, Schedules and Pool size per user
- All communications are encrypted by default
- Users are authenticated via LDAP
- Users can start, monitor or abort backup/restore jobs
- Users can register their own clients, and there is a Client Registration Wizard which is a simple GUI program for registering the local client with BCloud Service
- Users can add and schedule their own backup jobs
- Users can select files to restore
- Users can choose the client where files will be restored
- Users can see a dashboard with useful information about previous and currently running jobs
- Users can download Bacula FD (client) installation programs and documentation
BCloud Service Use Case:
Backup as a Service – Managed Service Provider
What is it?
Traditional Backup vendors and the resulting processes inherited by the MSP do not encourage users to back up data. It is counter-intuitive, because vendors typically license by data volume. This constrains the MSP and correspondingly, their customers. The solution is to use BCloud Service’s agile architecture and interface to help MSP’s enable and encourage the MSP’s customers to back up their own data – in the way, place and time they wish to do it, but with overall control maintained by the MSP, such as allotted pool for data volume.
Why do it?
- Secure a new revenue stream for the MSP, introducing new services to its customers
- Help retain customers by providing a wider range of services
- Reduce involvement of MSPs service and support personnel
- Scale MSP’s data management cost savings by avoiding data volume charges
Value of Bacula’s BCloud Service:
- Complete solution: Broad integration into existing architecture, advanced customization features, modular software. Only pay for what is used.
- Large savings on backup and recovery software, due to subscription licensing and lack of data volume-related charges.
- Far easier to predict future costs with Bacula’s simple licensing model
- Staff savings and productivity
An example of a Cloud Service End-user:
The cloud user may be either an internal or external backup service customer, who is given access to a very simple, clean, automated, safe and error-proof backup self-service interface. This user is allowed and able to perform one or all of the following tasks:
- Receives a new BaaS tenant.
- Downloads the multi-platform Bacula backup clients.
- Installs the client and runs the registration wizard.
- Defines the backed up folders and schedule.
- Can cancel and delete terminated backups.
- Can perform his own data restore
An example of a Cloud Service Administrator:
The Cloud Administrator is the internal or external service provider manager, responsible for the BaaS platform availability, continuity, scalability, and performance. His roles are usually the following:
- Selection and allocation of which Bacula backup clients the user will be able to download.
- Creates a new user tenant in the LDAP/AD services.
- Set up a quota, if desired.
- Manage all users’ backup size and billing information.
- Keep track of all on-going and terminated backup.
- Monitor and analyse customer BaaS behaviour
BCloud Service Use Case
University IT Services
What is it?
University IT centres are typically resource constrained and therefore have to be careful to offer other University departments a clearly defined set of backup services. These services usually have limits, for example where the central IT service may only offer file-based backup and recovery services to other University departments. These departments are often charged for any additional services outside of the defined services.
The solution is to use Bacula’s BCloud Service to enable other university departments to independently backup and recover their own data, while the central IT department can still retain overall management, control and authority over core data backup responsibilities.
Why do it?
- Save data capacity and management costs – Bacula is much lower cost than legacy vendors
- Reduce load on central IT staff
- Increase data security by empowering University departments with additional backup services
Value of Bacula
- Staff savings and productivity: Significant reduction of administration load on University central IT administration staff
- Increased operational efficiency
- Reduction of backup and recovery related costs – Bacula’s licensing allows for unlimited data volume and allows IT departments to keep costs under control and more easily forecast budgets.
- BCloud Service Use Case
- Large Data Center – IT Services
What is it?
Some organizations do not have an IT team where each person has advanced abilities in data management, backup and recovery and need to delegate certain backup duties to less senior staff. However, many legacy backup and recovery solutions have complicated interfaces that take significant training time to operate safely, or present an over-exposure of operational accidents that can result in serious data loss. The solution is to use Bacula’s BCloud Service to safely delegate carefully defined and restricted backup and recovery jobs to the appropriate people, while senior staff retain overall control of critical data backup.
Why do it?
- Save on manpower and resources
- Escape data volume charges of legacy vendors
- Free up time of senior managers for other priorities
Value of Bacula
- Significant reduction of costs using Bacula’s more modern backup and recovery software
- Enable staff savings and increased productivity:
- Increased capability to forecast IT center costs, and to set budgets in IT departments.
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