Frequently Asked Questions

Product Information & Cross-Cloud Network Cloning

What is the process for cloning an AWS VPC into an Azure VNet using N2W?

N2W enables you to clone your AWS VPC into an Azure VNet by first exporting your VPC configuration as a CloudFormation template (JSON) using the "Clone Network Entities" feature. You then convert this JSON to a Terraform template, which can be applied in Azure to create a matching VNet. This process ensures your network topology, subnets, and routing tables are replicated for disaster recovery scenarios. Note: The Terraform conversion step requires manual intervention and familiarity with Terraform and Azure CLI. See the full tutorial. Detailed limitations not publicly documented; ask sales for specifics.

Why is cloning your AWS VPC to Azure VNet important for disaster recovery?

Cloning your AWS VPC to an Azure VNet ensures that, in the event of a disaster, you can restore not just your data but also your network topology in a different cloud. This allows recovered instances to operate in a familiar environment, minimizing downtime and configuration errors during cross-cloud recovery. Note: This process requires careful validation to ensure network parity between AWS and Azure. Source.

Features & Capabilities

What features does N2W offer for backup, recovery, and disaster recovery?

N2W provides automated backup and recovery for AWS, Azure, and hybrid cloud environments, near-instant recovery, cross-cloud recovery (AWS and Azure), immutable backups, cost optimization (up to 92% savings on long-term backup costs), compliance and security tools, multi-cloud management, and granular restore capabilities. Note: N2W is best fit for organizations using AWS and Azure; teams needing support for other clouds may want to consider alternatives. Source.

Does N2W support automation and integration with third-party tools?

Yes, N2W offers a RESTful API for custom integrations and automation, CLI access for advanced management, and integrations with third-party monitoring tools such as Datadog, Splunk, and Bocada. These options enable enhanced automation, observability, and compliance tracking. Note: Some integrations may require additional configuration or licensing. Source.

What technical documentation is available for N2W users?

N2W provides comprehensive user guides, release notes, RESTful API documentation, upgrade guides, and IAM permission files. These resources cover deployment, configuration, upgrades, and integration best practices. Access the user guide at docs.n2ws.com/user-guide and API documentation at N2WS RESTful API documentation (PDF). Note: Some advanced topics may require direct support from N2W.

Security & Compliance

What security and compliance certifications does N2W have?

N2W is independently certified for ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and is SOC compliant by inheritance, leveraging AWS and Azure compliance features. N2W also supports compliance with HIPAA, GDPR, FedRAMP, ITAR, and CJIS. Customers can request a copy of the ISO certificate by contacting customer.success@n2ws.com. Note: For full details on compliance scope, see N2W Trust Center.

How does N2W protect against ransomware and accidental deletion?

N2W provides immutable, air-gapped backups and end-to-end encryption (TLS/HTTPS) for all connections. Compliance Mode immutability and air-gapped protection isolate disaster recovery accounts and lock down backups, reducing the risk of ransomware and accidental deletion. Note: Immutability features require proper configuration and may not be available in all environments. Source.

Use Cases & Benefits

Who can benefit from using N2W?

N2W is designed for cloud directors, IT managers, and managed service providers (MSPs) in enterprises, public sector entities, healthcare, finance, retail, education, and nonprofits. It is especially valuable for organizations with petabyte-scale data, strict compliance needs, or multi-cloud environments. Note: Organizations using clouds other than AWS or Azure may need to evaluate alternative solutions. Source.

What business impact can customers expect from using N2W?

Customers can achieve up to 92% savings on long-term backup costs, reduce compute costs by up to 50%, minimize downtime with near-instant recovery, and simplify compliance with automated reporting. N2W also supports petabyte-scale data management and unified backup management across AWS and Azure. Note: Actual results depend on environment size and configuration. Source.

What are some real-world success stories of organizations using N2W?

Organizations such as Skechers, St. John's University, DB Systel (Deutsche Bahn), City of Oakland, Bahrain Ministry, and Gett have used N2W to streamline costs, improve backup reliability, automate recovery, and achieve business continuity. For example, Skechers standardized backup across a multi-cloud estate, and Gett saved 50% on cloud costs. See more at N2W case studies. Note: Outcomes may vary by organization and use case.

Competition & Comparison

How does N2W compare to AWS Backup?

N2W offers immutable backups, cross-cloud recovery (AWS and Azure), granular file/folder-level restore, custom disaster recovery retention policies, and multi-tenancy support—features not available in AWS Backup. N2W also provides a RESTful API for automation, while AWS Backup requires Lambda scripting. However, AWS Backup may be preferable for organizations operating exclusively within AWS and seeking a native AWS service. Source.

Implementation & Support

How long does it take to implement N2W, and what support is available?

N2W implementations can be completed in as little as two weeks, supported by dedicated Customer Success Managers, onboarding calls, and detailed documentation. Customers can deploy N2W via AWS Marketplace or CloudFormation templates, and access resources such as video tutorials, user guides, and a knowledge base. A 30-day free trial is available without a credit card. Note: Implementation time may vary based on environment complexity. Source.

What feedback have customers provided about N2W's ease of use?

Customers have praised N2W for its simplicity and user-friendly interface. For example, Shane H. (MSP) noted, "It's very simple to use and we are an MSP for multiple companies. Support is great and quick to respond." Julian Ware (City of Oakland) said, "You’re just clicking and going. And, to me, that’s what the modern world of backup is." Note: User experience may vary by organization. Source.

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How to Clone Your AWS VPC into an Azure VNet

Why Clone Your Network Across Clouds?

Picture this: You’ve spent months—maybe even years—crafting the perfect AWS VPC. Subnets? Check. Routing tables? Absolutely. Internet connection? Of course! But disaster strikes and now your recovery plan calls for spinning up your system not in AWS, but over in Azure. Cue the panic—or at least, it used to. Because transferring your VPC setup to Azure as a virtual network (VNet) isn’t just desirable, it can be your saving grace in a real-world recovery scenario.

So, let’s walk through how (and why) to do it, so your backup plan actually includes restoring full connectivity, instead of just the raw data.

Why Use N2W?

If you’re hoping to grab your VPC as ready-to-use code directly from AWS… yeah, not so much. There’s no magic “Export as Infrastructure-as-Code” button. Enter N2W, your new best friend for serious cross-cloud.

Step 1: Export Your VPC to JSON

  1. Using N2W, navigate to Accounts and then find the AWS account with your VPC.
  2. Click “Clone Network Entities,” and export your VPC details as a CloudFormation template (in good old JSON format). Now you have every subnet, routing table, and internet gateway carved.
  3. Always double-check the JSON: make sure it actually reflects all the crucial bits of your network.

Step 2: Transform Your JSON to Terraform

Now for the fun part: taking your AWS-extracted network config and making it Azure-ready using Terraform. Think of Terraform as a universal translator, keeping your cloud infrastructure sane when switching vendors.

This takes a bit of know-how (and maybe some trial and error), but with the right steps, it’s straightforward:

  • Initialize Terraform: New to the Azure CLI? Open your cloud shell. Remember, this environment is ephemeral—meaning every mistake is a hard lesson in starting from scratch. No shame, we’ve all cursed at stateless shells before.
  • Create, Name, and Fill Your Plan File: Call it what you want (“PlanTerraform.tf” keeps it simple) and paste in your beautifully-converted Terraform template.
  • Run the Commands:
    • terraform init
    • terraform plan
    • terraform apply

Got an error?

Don’t worry. They can happen and, as Cynthia demos in the video, they’re easy to fix. Maybe you named your file wrong or missed a bracket. Just delete the bad plan, fix your template, and reapply. No drama, no worries.

Check Yourself: Verifying Your Shiny New VNet

You did it—the network deployed in Azure! Now it’s time to make sure your new VNet truly matches your old VPC, right down to the subnet.

Hop into Azure’s Dashboard, visit your virtual networks, and check the topology. Does that network map look just like AWS? Good! Do a quick sweep of properties and routing. Your new VNet should echo your original VPC, setting you up perfectly for recovery.

The Real Payoff: Seamless Recovery When It Counts

True disaster recovery isn’t just about having backups, but also about restoring to an environment that actually works. With a matching VNet in Azure, you can quickly spin up your recovered instances with network settings they recognize. No surprises, no last-minute firefighting.

So next time disaster looms and you need to switch clouds, take heart! With a dash of Terraform and a sprinkle of N2W magic, you’ll be sipping coffee while everyone else is scrambling.

Sleep easy—the (cross-cloud) force is strong with this one.

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