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vSecure

Jean-Louis, Ernst

Lopez, Brandon

Nwajide, Nnamdi

Ocon, Max

Pagan, Luis

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Problem Definition

Most enterprises today resort to file backups for endpoints, resulting in more work for the IT professionals that need to restore systems when working through disaster recovery operations. This causes long downtimes and leads to significant losses for the company as assets are forced to halt and wait for IT to bring the systems back to a stable state. Without an alternative, companies are put into a standstill during disasters.

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System Architecture

vSecure uses a three-part system architecture consisting of the endpoint (user system), a centralized backup server, and recovery virtual machines. The endpoint sends a complete system image, including the operating system and all data, to the server where it is securely stored and managed. In the event of a failure or attack, the server can quickly deploy a virtual machine based on the stored image, allowing users to access their full system remotely. This design enables fast recovery, reduces downtime, and provides a scalable solution for managing multiple systems.

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System Architecture Diagram

The server receives data for recovery from the target computer and is able to create a virtual environment hosting the virtual machine made from the recovery data.

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The deployed virtual machine can be accessed from a different computer connecting to the server.

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This system is scalable as the server can store data from multiple computers, and host multiple virtual machines in its virtual environment.

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Deployed System

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System Architecture Diagram

Pictured is the method of deployment our team used to test the bare-metal recovery system.

A virtual environment was created housing a virtual machine and virtual server. Veeam was used on the VM to create a recoverable file which was automatically stored onto the virtual server. The virtual server was then used to emulate a real server which stored the recovery data and hosted its own virtual environment to create a new VM based on the stored recovery data.

Team’s Demonstration Architecture

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System Architecture Diagram

Pictured is example of accessing the created virtual machine.

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To access their recovery virtual machines, users must be authenticated and authorized by the server to connect to the correct machine.

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In order to conserve resources, the recovery virtual machine would not be deployed unless requested or in the case of an emergency.

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Accessing the VM

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Installation Guide

  • Scope
    • Decide which systems will require full recovery
    • Prioritize critical systems and infrastructure
  • Choosing Platforms & Software
    • Decide which virtualization platform and recovery software will be used
    • Ensure compatibility with current systems
  • Storage Configuration
    • Determine where recovery images will be stored
    • Implement security measures to protect users data

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Installation Guide

  • Server Setup
    • Install virtualization and recovery software
    • Configure server storage for files
  • Client Setup
    • Install recovery agents onto user machines if necessary
    • Ensure connectivity with server
  • Testing
    • Test recovery process after deployment

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Continuation Instructions

  • Testing
    • The recovery system should be periodically tested to ensure files are being recovered properly
  • Adding new users
    • New systems that need to be included in recovery should follow the same procedure as when the system was deployed
  • Recovery Frequency
    • Administrators should determine the periodicity of recovery and the maximum number of recovery files to be stored

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Implementation Highlights

  • Single-System Deployment
    • Project architecture was implemented on a single desktop using nested virtual machines for testing and demonstration, rather than a distributed enterprise setup
  • Scalability Consideration
    • In real-world environments components would run on separate dedicated hardware (e.g, dedicated backup servers and client systems)
  • Hardware Limitations
    • Performance and restoration reliability depend on system resources; limited hardware may cause slowdows or failed VM recovery
  • Virtualization Constraints
    • Nested virtualization introduces additional overhead, impacting system efficiency and recovery operations

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Demonstration Overview

  • Backup Configuration
    • Enable automated backups to a centralized repository, allowing user systems to continuously send cecovery data to the server
  • Operational Practices
    • Combining automated backups with manual oversight, including regular health checks and restoration testing
  • 3-2-1 backup rule
    • 3 copies of data

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Testing and Evaluation Results

  • Backup Creation
    • A Linux virtual machine simulating an end user was successfully backed up using Veeam Agent
  • Network Integration
    • A shared SMB network folder between the Linux VM and Windows Server VM enabled seamless transfer of backup files
  • Backup Storage & Access
    • The backup file was stored in shared network location, making it accessible from the Windows Server environment
  • Restoration Process
    • The backup was restored and booted as a virtual machine within the Windows Server VM
  • Validation of Success
    • Successful system boot, login, and normal OS interaction confirmed that the backup and recovery process functioned correctly

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Challenges and Lessons Learned

  • Environment Decision
    • Physical environment was emulated through Oracle VirtualBox virtual machines to avoid licensing issues during recovery
    • Virtual environment was useful for testing without fear of harming hardware.
  • Network Setup
    • Virtual machine communication and connectivity to the internet was done by attaching two network adapters to the virtual machines
    • Resolved using:
      • NAT adapter (internet access)
      • Host-Only access (virtual machine communication)
  • SMB Configuration
    • User named “veeamuser” was created in Microsoft Server and granted full permissions to ensure backup capabilities
    • Firewall was configured to allow SMB communication within it’s network

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Limitations of design

  • Limitations of design as used in project
    • Only one user in the team is able to configure and manage the environment due to lack of virtual private network (VPN) where other members could connect to environment resources
    • In the case of a replication of this project, if available hardware is not sufficient then performance problems may be noticed when running the various VMs at one time
  • Limitations of design as intended in practical usage
    • In a real-world application, automated backups would be a must as enterprise environment would not view user initiated backups as efficient or responsible for disaster recovery
    • The use of more advanced storage techniques and technology for backup file would be required such as implementing dedicated storage solutions (i.e. utilizing Pure Storage arrays or Dell PowerScale)

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Future Work

The vSecure system can be further improved by enhancing its scalability and performance in an enterprise setup by utilizing servers and cloud computing. This would involve implementing features such as automated backup scheduling, better encryption techniques, and authentication systems to improve the security of the system. Another improvements would be to enhance its efficiency by optimizing resource utilization for faster deployment of virtual machines and designing a user-friendly interface for administrators.