Storage & Backup Infrastructure
Persistent data for applications and analytics—delivered as block, file, or object, sized for predictable performance and growth. Point‑in‑time copies for recovery from deletion, corruption, or attack—kept independent from production.
TL;DR – Quick Decision Guide
- Small/straightforward workloads? Start with Local Block Storage + Off‑site Backups.
- RPO ≈ 0 and short RTO? Use an HA Storage Pair with Synchronous Replication plus independent backups.
- Mixed hot/cold at scale or compliance needs? Choose Hybrid Tiering (NVMe + capacity) with Multi‑site Replication and object storage retention.
- Ransomware resilience? Add Immutable Object or Offline Backups to any approach.
At a Glance
What is this page?
A practical use‑case guide for teams deciding how to design Storage & Backup on Worldstream—plain language first, depth where it matters, concrete starting patterns, pitfalls to avoid, and three server recommendation baselines you can tailor quickly. Written in a straightforward, infrastructure‑first voice so your team can stay in control without surprises.
Worldstream operates its own data centers in the Netherlands, focuses solely on infrastructure, and provides in‑house support by certified engineers close to the hardware.
Pick your Storage & Backup approach
Choose the right pattern based on RPO/RTO, data profile, and operational complexity.
Local Block Storage + Off‑site Backups
Best for
SMB/branch sites, single‑app stacks, labs, edge environments.
RPO/RTO
RPO: hours; RTO: hours (depends on dataset size/ingest speed).
Next step
Schedule daily incrementals/weekly full, keep backups off‑site, and test restores monthly.
Immutable Object / Offline Backups (Add‑on)
Best for
Ransomware resilience, audits, and legal hold.
RPO/RTO
Matches your base architecture; immutability protects restore points.
Next step
Enforce WORM/immutability and identity separation between prod and backup domains.
HA Storage Pair (Sync Replication) + Independent Backups
Best for
Virtualisation clusters, transactional databases, critical line‑of‑business platforms.
RPO/RTO
RPO ≈ 0 (sync); short RTO via fast failover.
Important: Keep separate backups to recover from accidental deletion or malware.
Next step
Dedicated replication links (25/40/100 GbE), quorum/witness, and a third location/object storage for immutable backups.
Hybrid Tiering + Multi‑site Replication
Best for
Large mixed datasets (media, analytics, AI features, archives), residency/compliance requirements.
RPO/RTO
RPO: minutes–hours (async); RTO: hours with staged restore.
Next step
NVMe/SSD for hot sets, NL‑SAS/SATA for capacity, policies for tiering and retention; replicate to a second site and use object storage for long‑term.
What is storage & backup?
Storage provides persistent data to applications as block, file, or object—each with different performance profiles and protocols. Backup creates point‑in‑time copies for recovery (file/VM/DB). It is distinct from replication and should live on independent infrastructure/media.
A bit deeper:
- Block: low‑latency volumes (DBs, VMs).
- File: shared directories (user files, web content).
- Object: scalable S3‑style buckets (archives, media, logs).
- Backups: schedule full/incremental sets; verify restores; keep copies off‑site/immutable.
Challenge (and guidance): If backups share the same admin domain or mount points as production, you haven’t reduced blast radius. Separate accounts/keys, networks, and (ideally) media.
When should I use local storage, replication, or both?
Local + off‑site backups
Clear, dependable, least complex. Good for single‑site apps and SMEs.
Replication
Adds availability; not a backup. Use it to survive node/site failure, not to roll back mistakes.
Both
Critical systems usually need replication + independent backups—different tools, different targets.
Worldstream server recommendations
These are baselines; we tailor CPU/RAM/media/NICs to your RPO/RTO and throughput.
Worldstream specialises in infrastructure—operates its own data centers and network, keeps agreements clear. Solid IT. No Surprises.
Where is this use case common?
SaaS & Marketplaces
Per‑tenant data; predictable RPO/RTO; lifecycle rules for logs/media.
Fintech & Payments
Auditable retention; immutable backups; tenancy separation.
Media & Gaming
Large assets; hot/cold tiering; multi‑site distribution.
Healthcare & Public Sector
Data residency in trusted locations; clear backup/restore documentation.
Retail & E‑commerce
Seasonal spikes; rapid restore for storefronts.
Industrial / IoT
Edge collection + central backup; bandwidth‑aware schedules.
SaaS & Marketplaces
Per‑tenant data; predictable RPO/RTO; lifecycle rules for logs/media.
Media & Gaming
Large assets; hot/cold tiering; multi‑site distribution.
Retail & E‑commerce
Seasonal spikes; rapid restore for storefronts.
Fintech & Payments
Auditable retention; immutable backups; tenancy separation.
Healthcare & Public Sector
Data residency in trusted locations; clear backup/restore documentation.
Industrial / IoT
Edge collection + central backup; bandwidth‑aware schedules.
What pain points does this solve?
- Unreliable restores → verified backups and separate domains
- Cost drift → media/tiering clarity and modular growth
- Fragmented tooling → infrastructure‑first design that works with your chosen software
- Single blast radius → off‑site/immutable targets
- Poor visibility → defined SLOs and backup success reporting
What are the benefits and drawbacks?
Local + Off‑site Backups
RTO depends on dataset size/network
simple, predictable, clear costs
no automatic failover
strong recovery from data loss
HA Pair (Sync Replication)
adds complexity and cost
survives node failure
still needs backups
short RTO
Hybrid Tiering + Multi‑site
policy/tiering governance required
performance where it matters
Asynchronous replication doesn’t prevent data loss
efficient capacity
Added complexity in configuration and maintenance
compliance-friendly
How do I choose?
Simple decision guide
Do you need RPO ≈ 0 and short RTO?
Choose HA Pair + Sync Replication (and keep independent backups).
Do you need immutable, off‑site restore points?
Add Object Immutability or Offline/Tape—separate keys/accounts.
Are your datasets mostly hot and small or large and cold?
Hot/small → NVMe heavy. Large/cold → capacity drives + tiering/object.
What about compliance/residency?
Multi‑site + object retention with clear policies and audit trails.
Unsure?
Start with Local + Off‑site, measure change rates and windows, then upgrade to HA/Hybrid when justified.
Do you need RPO ≈ 0 and short RTO?
Choose HA Pair + Sync Replication (and keep independent backups).
Are your datasets mostly hot and small or large and cold?
Hot/small → NVMe heavy. Large/cold → capacity drives + tiering/object.
Unsure?
Start with Local + Off‑site, measure change rates and windows, then upgrade to HA/Hybrid when justified.
Do you need immutable, off‑site restore points?
Add Object Immutability or Offline/Tape—separate keys/accounts.
What about compliance/residency?
Multi‑site + object retention with clear policies and audit trails.
How do I build Storage & Backup on Worldstream dedicated servers?
- Choose topology: Local + Off‑site, HA Pair, or Hybrid + DR.
- Install & configure storage stack: block/file/object as needed; RAID and caching tuned for workload.
- Set up backup tooling: full/incremental schedules; encryption; separate identity; object/tape export.
- Wire networking: private VLANs; dedicated replication/backup links.
- Observability: latency/IOPS; replication lag; backup success; restore times.
- Test restores: monthly for critical apps; quarterly broad coverage; document RPO/RTO.
Challenge (and guidance): If you can’t prove your restore time on a routine test, you don’t have an RTO—adjust windows, bandwidth, or topology until you do.
Performance Targets & Resource Guidelines
Indicative baselines
- Latency (P99): NVMe hot sets ~1–2 ms; capacity tier ~5–12 ms (app‑level may vary).
- Throughput/IOPS: size backup targets at ≥1.2× peak ingest; isolate replication from client I/O paths.
- Networking: start with 2× 25/40 GbE bonded; scale to 100 GbE for HA/replication.
- Growth: plan 12–18 months headroom; enforce lifecycle policies early.
Backup Success Checklist
Separate accounts/keys and networks for backups
Daily incremental + weekly full; encrypt at rest/in transit
Immutable/object or offline exports for critical data
Monthly tier-1 restore tests; quarterly full restores
Capacity & change‑rate reports reviewed
Operations, Performance & Risk Management
Costs
Tiering/object retention controls growth; predictable, modular infrastructure avoids surprise fees.
Performance
NVMe for hot, capacity for bulk; bandwidth sized to windows.
Monitoring
p95/p99 latency, queue depth, replication lag, backup duration, failed job reasons.
Scaling
Start small and scale out as telemetry proves demand; keep change windows and runbooks.
Governance
Well‑defined retention classes (operational/long‑term/legal); documented restores.
Risks & Mitigations
- Ransomware alters/deletes backups → Immutable object or offline/tape; separate IAM; MFA; write‑once windows.
- Silent data corruption → End‑to‑end checksums, scrubbing, verified restores.
- Snapshot sprawl → Enforce retention/cleanup; tier to object.
- Under‑provisioned NICs → Dedicated replication/backup networks; size to window.
- Single site → Multi‑site replication + DR testing.
- Human error → Templates/automation; change reviews; least‑privilege.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Replication protects availability but can copy corruption. Always keep independent backups on separate credentials and media.
Glossary
RPO (Recovery Point Objective)
Maximum acceptable data loss, measured in time. An RPO of 1 hour means you can lose at most 1 hour of data.
RTO (Recovery Time Objective)
Maximum time allowed for a system to be restored to operational status after a failure.
Block Storage
Storage that organises data in fixed blocks. Low latency, ideal for databases and VMs. Protocols: iSCSI, Fibre Channel.
Object Storage
Storage that manages data as objects with metadata. Scales nearly infinitely. S3-compatible. Ideal for archives, media, and backups.
File Storage
Shared file systems via network protocols like NFS or SMB. For user data, web content, and shared work folders.
WORM (Write Once Read Many)
Immutable storage mode where data, once written, cannot be modified or deleted for a set period.
Synchronous Replication
Data is written to two locations simultaneously. No data loss on failure, but requires low latency between sites.
Asynchronous Replication
Data is copied to a secondary site with a delay. Higher distances possible, but potential data loss (RPO > 0).
Tiering
Automatic distribution of data across different storage classes (hot/warm/cold) based on access patterns and age.
Blast Radius
Extent of damage in a security incident. Separate backup domains reduce the blast radius.
Quorum / Witness
Mechanism in HA clusters that decides which node stays active during network splits. Prevents split-brain scenarios.
Incremental Backup
Backs up only data changed since the last backup. Faster and more space-efficient than full backups.
RPO (Recovery Point Objective)
Maximum acceptable data loss, measured in time. An RPO of 1 hour means you can lose at most 1 hour of data.
Block Storage
Storage that organises data in fixed blocks. Low latency, ideal for databases and VMs. Protocols: iSCSI, Fibre Channel.
File Storage
Shared file systems via network protocols like NFS or SMB. For user data, web content, and shared work folders.
Synchronous Replication
Data is written to two locations simultaneously. No data loss on failure, but requires low latency between sites.
Tiering
Automatic distribution of data across different storage classes (hot/warm/cold) based on access patterns and age.
Quorum / Witness
Mechanism in HA clusters that decides which node stays active during network splits. Prevents split-brain scenarios.
RTO (Recovery Time Objective)
Maximum time allowed for a system to be restored to operational status after a failure.
Object Storage
Storage that manages data as objects with metadata. Scales nearly infinitely. S3-compatible. Ideal for archives, media, and backups.
WORM (Write Once Read Many)
Immutable storage mode where data, once written, cannot be modified or deleted for a set period.
Asynchronous Replication
Data is copied to a secondary site with a delay. Higher distances possible, but potential data loss (RPO > 0).
Blast Radius
Extent of damage in a security incident. Separate backup domains reduce the blast radius.
Incremental Backup
Backs up only data changed since the last backup. Faster and more space-efficient than full backups.
Next steps with Worldstream
- Scope: datasets, change rate, RPO/RTO, compliance.
- Select a starting pattern: Local + Off‑site, HA Pair, or Hybrid + DR.
- Size servers (CPU/RAM), media (NVMe + capacity), and NICs to window and growth.
- Plan backup tooling, immutability, runbooks, and test cadence.
- Deploy with our in‑house engineers; validate performance and failover.
- Operate with clear SLOs—no surprises.
In‑house support close to the infrastructure; modular portfolio designed for choice.