Flex Open is built around a small number of core architectural components that together provide backup, recovery, cyber resilience, and data management services.
1. Flex Open Nodes (Compute Layer)
The Flex Open node is the primary building block of the architecture and runs VaultOS, Commvault's hardened operating system.
Each node can host multiple Commvault services, including:
- File System Core
- File System
- Virtual Server
- Storage Pool
- Cloud Apps
- Content Extractor
- Media Agent
- Storage Accelerator
- Threat Analysis
Deployments can be:
- Single-node
- Multi-node for increased scale and performance Each node can support between 1TB and 500TB BET, depending on sizing (see hardware specifications).
2. VaultOS
VaultOS is Commvault's hardened Linux-based operating system that provides:
- Secure platform foundation
- Simplified deployment
- Standardized management
- Integrated updates and lifecycle management
VaultOS is a core component of both Flex Appliance and Flex Open.
3. Commvault Data Services
Flex Open consolidates several Commvault roles into the platform:
| Service | Function |
|---|---|
| MediaAgent | Backup and recovery data movement |
| Access Node | Virtualization and application access |
| Index Server | Cataloging and search services |
| Threat Analysis | Ransomware and anomaly detection |
| Storage Accelerator | Performance optimization for backup storage |
These services run directly on the Flex Open nodes.
4. Customer Storage Layer
Unlike Flex Appliance, Flex Open allows customers to use virtually any supported storage platform.
Supported storage options include:
- Internal storage
- Direct-attached storage (DAS)
- NAS
- Fibre Channel storage
- iSCSI storage
- S3 object storage
- Tape
- Dell Data Domain
- HPE StoreOnce
Storage can be:
- Local or remote
- Internal or external
- Flash or disk based
5. Network Infrastructure
Flex Open leverages the customer's existing network infrastructure to connect:
- Protected workloads
- Flex Open nodes
- Storage targets
Network requirements scale based on deployment size, with sizing guidance ranging from 1GbE to 100GbE depending on workload and capacity requirements.
The key components of Flex Open are VaultOS-based Flex Open nodes running MediaAgent, Access Node, Index Server, Threat Analysis, and Storage Accelerator services, connected to customer-selected storage and network infrastructure. This provides a flexible architecture that closely resembles a traditional Commvault MediaAgent deployment while simplifying deployment and operations.
Deployment Models
1. Single-Node Deployment
The simplest deployment model consists of a single Flex Open node running all core Commvault services:
- MediaAgent
- Access Node
- Index Server
- Threat Analysis
Storage can be:
- Internal storage
- External storage
- S3 object storage
- Data Domain / StoreOnce
- NAS or SAN
Best for: - Remote offices - SMB environments - Departmental deployments - Smaller backup environments
2. Multi-Node Scale-Out Deployment
Multiple Flex Open nodes are deployed within the same backup environment. Each node can host Commvault services and provide:
- Additional capacity
- Additional throughput
- Additional recovery performance
This model is very similar to a traditional Commvault environment with multiple MediaAgents.
Best for:
- Mid-size and large enterprises
- Growing environments
- Higher ingest rates
- Larger recovery requirements
3. Distributed Storage Deployment
Flex Open nodes can be connected to various storage architectures depending on customer requirements:
This deployment model provides maximum flexibility because Flex Open supports:
- DAS
- NAS
- FC
- iSCSI
- S3
- Tape
- Data Domain
- StoreOnce
Unlike Flex Appliance, there are no storage vendor restrictions.
Flex Open can be deployed as a single-node solution, a multi-node scale-out architecture, or a distributed architecture using internal or external storage. The deployment model closely mirrors traditional Commvault MediaAgent architectures while providing the simplicity and security of VaultOS.