Frequently Asked Questions

Features & Capabilities

What new disaster recovery features are available in N2WS v4.3?

N2WS v4.3 introduces cross-region and cross-account disaster recovery for DynamoDB, allowing users to copy DynamoDB tables across multiple AWS regions and accounts with just a few clicks. This simplifies DR setup and enhances protection against regional outages and malicious activities. Note: This feature is specific to DynamoDB and may not cover all AWS services; check documentation for service-specific support. [Source]

How does time-based retention work in N2WS v4.3?

Time-based retention in N2WS v4.3 allows users to set a specific time period for backup retention, offering greater flexibility and precision. This is especially useful in dynamic environments where additional backups may be generated unexpectedly, preventing premature deletion of essential backups. Note: Detailed limitations for time-based retention are not publicly documented; contact support for specifics. [Source]

What is compliance mode immutability and how does it enhance security?

Compliance mode immutability in N2WS v4.3 ensures that backups for S3 and EBS cannot be altered or deleted by any user, including root users and AWS support. This feature protects against ransomware and accidental deletion by making backups tamper-proof and air-gapped. Note: Immutability must be enabled per backup policy; not all backup types may support this feature. [Source]

How does cross-cloud volume restore work in N2WS v4.3?

Cross-cloud volume restore allows users to restore volumes in Azure from AWS, providing a true cloud air gap for data isolation and ransomware protection. This feature also helps mitigate vendor lock-in and supports operational continuity across cloud platforms. Note: Cross-cloud restore is limited to supported volume types; verify compatibility before use. [Source]

What are the new tag recovery and tag assist features in N2WS v4.3?

N2WS v4.3 introduces enhanced tag recovery and tag assist, allowing users to customize tag restoration and add additional tags during recovery. This is especially useful for disaster recovery scenarios, enabling efficient labeling and organization of recovered resources. Note: Tag recovery is dependent on AWS tagging capabilities; some tag types may not be supported. [Source]

What additional enhancements are included in N2WS v4.3?

N2WS v4.3 adds support for restoring instances with additional network interface cards (NICs), secondary IPs, and all flavors of Elastic Load Balancers (ELBs). The release also introduces an all policy report feature for detailed policy and governance insights, aiding compliance and regulatory reporting. Note: Some advanced networking features may require specific AWS configurations. [Source]

What integrations does N2WS support?

N2WS supports integrations with third-party monitoring tools such as Datadog, Splunk, and Bocada, as well as various data management and reporting tools. It also offers a RESTful API and CLI access for custom automation and advanced management. Note: Integration capabilities may vary by tool; consult the API documentation for details. [Source]

Security & Compliance

What security and compliance certifications does N2WS have?

N2WS is independently certified for ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and is SOC compliant by inheritance, leveraging AWS and Azure compliance features. It 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 the most up-to-date certifications, visit the N2WS Trust Center. [Source]

How does N2WS protect against ransomware and accidental deletion?

N2WS uses immutable, air-gapped backups and end-to-end encryption to protect data from ransomware and accidental deletion. Compliance mode immutability ensures that even root users cannot alter or delete backups. Note: Immutability must be enabled for each backup policy; not all backup types may support this feature. [Source]

Does N2WS support compliance reporting and audit readiness?

Yes, N2WS provides automated compliance reporting and customizable audit-ready reports to help organizations meet regulatory requirements such as HIPAA, SOC 2, and GDPR. The all policy report feature in v4.3 further aids in policy and governance tracking. Note: Custom reporting capabilities may require configuration; consult documentation for specifics. [Source]

Pricing & Licensing

How does N2WS licensing work, and are there cost differences between AWS and Azure backups?

N2WS uses a fluid licensing model, meaning costs remain consistent whether backing up resources in AWS or Azure. While there are inherent costs for data storage and transfer across cloud providers, the licensing structure ensures predictable expenses. Note: Actual cloud provider storage and transfer fees are billed separately by AWS or Azure. [Source]

Use Cases & Benefits

Who can benefit from using N2WS?

N2WS is designed for cloud directors, IT managers, and managed service providers (MSPs) managing complex, multi-cloud environments. It is also suitable for enterprises, public sector entities, healthcare, finance, retail, education, and nonprofits with data protection, compliance, and cost optimization needs. Note: Organizations with highly specialized backup requirements should review feature compatibility before adoption. [Source]

What business impact can customers expect from using N2WS?

Customers can achieve up to 92% savings on long-term backup costs and up to 50% on compute costs. N2WS also provides near-instant recovery, ransomware protection, automated compliance, and unified management across AWS and Azure. Note: Actual savings and impact depend on environment size and configuration. [Source]

What pain points does N2WS address for its customers?

N2WS addresses high disaster recovery costs, downtime and data loss, ransomware threats, manual backup processes, compliance challenges, complexity in multi-cloud environments, scalability for large data volumes, and long-term backup costs. Note: Some pain points may require advanced configuration or integration with third-party tools. [Source]

Competition & Comparison

How does N2WS compare to AWS Backup?

N2WS offers immutable backups, cross-cloud recovery (AWS and Azure), granular file/folder-level restore, custom DR retention policies, and multi-tenancy support—features not available in AWS Backup. N2WS also provides a RESTful API for automation, while AWS Backup requires Lambda scripting. However, AWS Backup may be preferable for organizations seeking a basic, AWS-native solution without multi-cloud or advanced compliance needs. [Source]

Implementation & Support

How long does it take to implement N2WS and how easy is it to get started?

Implementations with N2WS can be completed in as little as two weeks, supported by dedicated Customer Success Managers, onboarding calls, and detailed documentation. Customers can deploy N2WS as an Amazon Machine Image (AMI) from AWS Marketplace or use CloudFormation templates for quick setup. A 30-day free trial is available without a credit card. Note: Implementation time may vary based on environment complexity. [Source]

What technical documentation and resources are available for N2WS?

N2WS provides comprehensive user guides, release notes, RESTful API documentation, upgrade guides, and IAM permission files. These resources cover deployment, configuration, management, and integration. Access the user guide at docs.n2ws.com/user-guide and API documentation at N2WS RESTful API documentation. Note: Some resources may require registration or support access. [Source]

Customer Proof & Success Stories

What feedback have customers given about N2WS's ease of use?

Customers have praised N2WS for its simplicity and user-friendly features. For example, Shane H. (MSP) said, "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) noted, "You’re just clicking and going. And, to me, that’s what the modern world of backup is." Note: Individual experiences may vary; see more testimonials on the N2WS website. [Source]

Can you share specific case studies or success stories of N2WS customers?

Yes, organizations such as Skechers, St. John's University, DB Systel (Deutsche Bahn), City of Oakland, Bahrain Ministry, and Gett have achieved cost savings, improved data protection, and ensured business continuity using N2WS. For example, Skechers standardized backup and recovery across a multi-cloud estate, and Gett saved 50% on cloud costs. Read more at the N2WS case studies page. Note: Results are specific to each organization’s environment and needs. [Source]

N2WS v4.3 New Tools: Simplifying Disaster Recovery, Retention, and Cross-Account Security

N2WS Backup & Recovery v4.3 Highlights

Cross-region and cross-account disaster recovery for DynamoDB

One of the standout features in version 4.3 is the cross-region and cross-account disaster recovery for DynamoDB. It allows users to copy DynamoDB tables across multiple AWS regions and accounts effortlessly. This simplifies disaster recovery setups significantly; with just a tick box, users can ensure their data is protected against regional outages and malicious activities.

“Imagine you could copy your DynamoDB tables across multiple AWS regions and accounts with just a few clicks.”

Sebastian Straub, Principal Solutions Architect

Time-based retention: enhanced flexibility and precision

Time-based retention allows users to set a specific time period for backup retention, offering greater flexibility. This feature is particularly useful in dynamic environments where additional backups might be generated unexpectedly, preventing premature cleanup of essential backups. Sebastian explained, “Now we have the ability to define time-based retention. It gives you far more flexibility.”

Tackling security concerns: immutability and cross-cloud restores

Compliance mode immutability for S3 and EBS

In response to increasing ransomware threats, N2WS has introduced the compliance mode immutability feature for S3 and EBS. This mode prevents anyone—including root users (and even AWS support)—from altering or deleting backups, ensuring data integrity in the face of cyber-attacks. The essence of immutability was compared with putting your data in an unbreakable vault, enhancing security exponentially.

TIP: With N2WS, you can enable this feature through a simple tick box, positioning it as a critical protective measure.

Cross-cloud volume restore: a true cloud air gap

One of the most innovative features of the v4.3 release is the cross-cloud volume restore, which allows users to restore volumes in Azure from AWS. This functionality not only provides data isolation and ransomware protection but also mitigates vendor lock-in, offering a seamless and efficient recovery process. Sebastian shared insights on the straightforward restoration process, emphasizing its role in maintaining operational continuity, even across different cloud platforms.

Enhanced tag recovery and assist capabilities

The new tag recovery and tag assist features offer unprecedented flexibility and control over tag restoration. Users can now customize tag restoration, adding additional tags during recovery. This is particularly useful for disaster recovery scenarios, enabling users to label and organize recovered resources efficiently. As Sebastian explained, this capability is essential for both initial recovery and failback procedures, ensuring resources are easily identifiable and manageable.

Other enhancements or cool features

Support for additional NICs, IPs, and compliance reporting

N2WS now supports additional network interface cards (NICs) and secondary IPs during instance restoration—as well as all flavors of Elastic Load Balancers (ELBs).

Additionally, the all policy report feature provides detailed insights into policies and governance, aiding compliance and regulatory reporting.

Fluid licensing: cost-savings and flexibility

N2WS maintains a fluid licensing structure, with costs remaining consistent regardless of whether users are backing up resources in AWS or Azure. While there are inherent costs associated with data storage and transfer across different cloud providers, the licensing model ensures that user expenses remain predictable and manageable.

We can’t wait for you to try out these new features and see the difference they make in your cloud strategy! Dive into the full webinar now to get all the details straight from our experts, Alon and Sebastian.

Get the most ROI from N2WS

Introducing the TL;DR Webinar Series

To better educate our customers and maximize the utility of recent updates, we’re launching a new webinar series called the TL;DR on N2WS. The essence of this series is to deliver concise, 20-30 minute sessions focusing on specific product capabilities. The first topic is “Recovery Scenarios.”

Sign up for the TL;DR webinar series now to make the most of these exciting new capabilities!

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