Revolutionizing Data Protection: Commvault’s Clumio for Apache Iceberg

A New Era of Cyber Resilience

In an age where data is king, Commvault has introduced an innovative solution that promises to enhance the security of critical data assets. The launch of Clumio for Apache Iceberg on Amazon Web Services (AWS) positions Commvault as a leader in the data protection landscape. This solution is the first of its kind to provide Iceberg-aware, air-gapped cyber resilience—an essential feature for organizations that rely heavily on data lakehouses for artificial intelligence (AI) and analytics.

The Surge of Apache Iceberg Adoption

The importance of Apache Iceberg is underscored by its growing adoption among industry giants like Netflix, Apple, and Airbnb. According to recent studies, over 70% of IT and data professionals predict that the data lakehouse model will become the predominant architecture for analytics within the next three years. This rising trend signifies a dramatic shift in how organizations handle data, making robust data protection solutions more critical than ever.

Addressing Vulnerabilities in Data Lakehouses

Despite the foundational role of modern data lakehouses in supporting AI and analytical initiatives, many lack integrated data resilience. This shortfall leaves organizations vulnerable to potential data loss, ransomware attacks, and compliance issues. Current native snapshot solutions, while useful as a first step in backup strategy, are often limited. They typically tie backups to the source account and lack true air-gapped copies, leaving them susceptible to the same risks they aim to mitigate.

The challenge is compounded when organizations need to restore from non-Iceberg-aware backups, which can involve complex manual processes—extending downtime and heightening risks associated with data inconsistency. Commvault recognized these pressing needs and engineered Clumio for Apache Iceberg on AWS to bridge the protection gap.

Key Features that Set Clumio Apart

Clumio for Apache Iceberg brings a suite of features designed to elevate data resilience, compliance, and security:

• Iceberg-Aware Data Resilience: This feature ensures fast, reliable, and transactionally consistent backups that understand the unique structures of Iceberg tables. By minimizing manual interventions, it supports diverse recovery options—point-in-time, snapshot-level, cross-region, cross-account, and even in-place restores.

• Immutable, Air-Gapped Copies: Clumio’s innovative approach safeguards backups in an isolated environment, protecting against threats such as ransomware, account compromises, and unintentional deletions. This air-gapped methodology represents a significant leap forward in cyber resilience.

• Automated Compliance and Governance: With the ability to support long-term snapshot retention without hindering live data performance, Clumio enables organizations to efficiently meet compliance requirements—truly a win-win scenario.

• Optimized Storage Costs: By capturing only the changes made since the last full backup, Clumio significantly cuts down on backup windows and reduces storage expenses, ensuring maximum efficiency.

Filling a Critical Gap in Data Protection Strategies

Clumio for Apache Iceberg isn’t just another product enhancement; it’s part of Commvault’s larger vision to create a robust resilience framework for the entire AWS data pipeline. Building on previous resilience capabilities for Amazon S3 and DynamoDB, this new offering fills critical gaps in the data lakehouse layer, ensuring that customers are protected throughout each phase of the data lifecycle—an assurance that few vendors can claim.

Woon Jung, Chief Technology Officer at Commvault, highlights the urgency of this innovation, stating, "The data that powers AI and analytics is one of the most valuable assets for an organization, yet it’s often the most exposed. With Clumio for Apache Iceberg, we are providing the industry’s first true safety net for the data lakehouse, enabling organizations to protect their AI and analytics data with confidence."

Archana Venkatraman, Senior Research Director at IDC, echoes this sentiment, noting that "Apache-aware data protection such as Commvault’s Clumio for Apache Iceberg directly addresses emerging governance risks," making it a timely solution for organizations navigating this complex landscape.

Availability and Impact

The introduction of Clumio for Apache Iceberg at AWS Marketplace not only reinforces Commvault’s leadership in the market but also strengthens its partnership with AWS. It offers compatibility with both self-managed tables via the AWS Glue Data Catalog and fully managed tables through Amazon S3 Tables, ensuring that diverse organizational needs are met.

As enterprises aggressively adopt data lakehouse models for AI and analytics, Clumio for Apache Iceberg emerges as a vital tool in addressing emerging challenges. With its innovative features and a focus on resilience, Commvault is setting a new standard for data protection in today’s fast-evolving data landscape.