Veeam: A VMware “Like” Experience with Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization

Since Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware, Red Hat OpenShift has emerged as a leading platform for orchestrating containerized and virtualized workloads. With the integration of Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization, organizations can run virtual machines (VMs) alongside containers, enabling a seamless transition from traditional virtualization to modern, cloud-native architectures. However, as enterprises embrace this hybrid approach, ensuring robust data protection, disaster recovery (DR), and ransomware defense is critical. This is where Veeam Kasten steps in, providing enterprise-grade data management tailored for OpenShift environments. 

Why Veeam for OpenShift? 

Veeam Kasten is purpose-built for Kubernetes, offering enterprise-grade backup, disaster recovery (DR), and ransomware protection for OpenShift environments. The 2024 Red Hat State of Kubernetes Security Report highlights that 46% of organizations faced revenue or customer loss due to Kubernetes security incidents, emphasizing the critical need for robust data protection. Kasten addresses this by providing automated, application-centric solutions that scale across hybrid and multi-cloud setups. 

Key Features of Veeam: 

1. Comprehensive Backup and Recovery - Kasten automatically discovers applications and components within OpenShift, protecting stateful workloads like databases. It supports in-node, in-cluster, and cross-cluster backup scenarios, ensuring data is always recoverable, including file-level restores. Regular backup testing, as outlined in the Veeam Kasten and Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization Reference Architecture, helps organizations meet Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs). 

2. Disaster Recovery and Orchestration - Kasten enables DR by replicating backups off-site to meet regulatory requirements. Its transform engine allows seamless migration of applications and VMs between clusters, supporting upgrades (e.g., OpenShift 3.x to 4.x) with minimal downtime. Cloud-native operations with Kubernetes APIs for direct GitOps/ACM integration; Blueprints for robust pre- and post-backup or restore orchestration.  

3. Application Mobility for Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization - Veeam Kasten supports true application mobility—not just data migration—across OpenShift environments. This includes the ability to move VM-based applications across namespaces, clusters, regions, and even between on-premises and public cloud OpenShift deployments. For organizations modernizing or consolidating infrastructure, Kasten enables: 

   1. Cross-cluster VM migration for load balancing, disaster recovery, or infrastructure upgrades 

   2. Move-to-cloud workflows, where VMs running on OpenShift Virtualization can be replicated to OpenShift clusters in AWS, Azure, or GCP 

   3. Granular workload portability, preserving application configurations, secrets, and persistent volume claims (PVCs) 

   4. Hybrid cloud mobility, enabling developers and operations teams to shift workloads dynamically based on business, regulatory, or cost considerations 

4. Ransomware Protection - Security is paramount in Kubernetes environments. Kasten provides always-on encryption (in-flight and at-rest) using AES-256-GCM keys and supports FIPS 140-3 compliance for stringent security needs. Immutable object storage (e.g., Amazon S3, Azure Blob) protects backups from ransomware, ensuring data integrity. As well as, Cloud-native security design with self-service via Kubernetes-native RBAC. Integration with Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security (RHACS) enhances monitoring, alerting on unauthorized access, such as changes to Kasten’s DR passphrase. 

5. Seamless Integration with OpenShift - Kasten integrates tightly with Red Hat OpenShift Platform Plus, leveraging OpenShift Data Foundation (ODF) for storage and ArgoCD for continuous delivery. The Kubernetes Backup Solution Brief notes that Kasten’s deployment via the Red Hat OpenShift Operator ensures standardized, repeatable configurations. OAuth authentication aligns with OpenShift’s identity management, simplifying administration. 

   
   

Real-World Benefits 

• Hybrid Cloud Flexibility: Kasten supports on-premises, public cloud, and multi-site deployments, enabling organizations to balance cost and performance.  

• Simplified Operations: Kasten’s multi-cluster manager provides a single dashboard to manage backups across OpenShift clusters, reducing complexity for DevOps teams. 

• Enterprise-Grade Security: Policies in RHACS, like monitoring Kasten’s DR secrets, protect critical backup infrastructure from threats. 

  
  

Getting Started with Veeam Kasten 

Deploying Kasten on OpenShift is straightforward, using either the Red Hat OpenShift Operator or Helm charts. This solution brief emphasizes its ease of use, with a modern UI and Cloud Native API that empower DevOps teams. For air-gapped environments, Kasten supports offline installations, ensuring compliance in secure settings. 

To learn more, visit Veeam’s OpenShift Backup Solutions or explore the detailed reference architecture for implementation guidance. 

Conclusion 

Veeam Kasten delivers a powerful, Kubernetes-native solution for protecting Red Hat OpenShift workloads. By combining backup, DR, and ransomware protection with seamless OpenShift integration, Kasten empowers organizations to modernize confidently while safeguarding critical data. Whether you’re running containers, VMs, or a hybrid mix, Kasten ensures your OpenShift environment is secure, recoverable, and ready for the future.