Supported Providers
The following frequently asked questions cover the supported providers, regions, and configuration rules for setting up your CloudM Backup storage. For a full list of environment requirements, please refer to Prerequisites for CloudM Backup.
Which cloud providers can I use for my storage bucket?
You can configure your backup storage using either:
- Google Cloud Storage (GCP)
- Amazon S3
Can I use Microsoft Azure Blob Storage?
No. Currently, CloudM Backup supports Google Cloud Storage and Amazon S3 only. Azure Blob Storage is not supported.
Bucket Configuration Rules
Can I configure more than one storage bucket?
No. CloudM Backup requires a single storage bucket for the entire environment.
- We do not support configuring different buckets for specific Organizational Units (OUs) or Smart Teams.
- Using a single bucket prevents data fragmentation and complications that would arise if a user moves between OUs or if backup policies change.
Can I use the same storage bucket for Backup and Archive?
No. To ensure data integrity and prevent file conflicts, you must maintain separate storage buckets: one dedicated to CloudM Backup and a separate one for CloudM Archive.
Storage Classes (GCS)
Which storage classes are supported?
CloudM Backup supports and recommends the use of Standard or Autoclass storage.
Why can't I use Nearline, Coldline, or Archive classes?
We advise against using "colder" storage classes as a default because they often lead to:
- Unexpected Costs: These classes charge significantly higher fees for data retrieval and metadata operations. Regular backup activities (like Delta checks) can trigger these charges frequently, negating the savings on storage fees.
- Performance Issues: Data in colder classes may not have the immediate availability required for efficient backup verification and restoration.
Can I change the storage class later?
We recommend enabling Autoclass if you wish to optimize costs. This feature allows Google to automatically move objects to colder classes based on age and access patterns, which is fully supported by CloudM.
Note: Do not manually change the default storage class of an active bucket to an unsupported type (like Coldline), as this may disrupt service operations.
Supported Regions
Where must my bucket be located?
CloudM Backup currently supports storage buckets located in the following geographies:
- North America (US)
- Europe
While you can host your bucket in a different region than your Google Workspace tenant (e.g., Tenant in Europe, Bucket in US), we strongly advise against it.
Data travelling between regions incurs Network Egress fees from Google, which can be substantial. Always try to co-locate your services.
Reference: Supported GCS Regions
The following Google Cloud regions are fully supported for CloudM Backup.
| Europe | Americas |
|---|---|
| EU (Multi-region) EUR4 (Dual-region) EUROPE-WEST1 EUROPE-WEST2 EUROPE-WEST3 EUROPE-WEST4 EUROPE-WEST6 EUROPE-WEST8 EUROPE-WEST9 EUROPE-WEST12 EUROPE-SOUTHWEST1 EUROPE-CENTRAL2 EUROPE-NORTH1 |
US (Multi-region) NAM4 (Dual-region) US-CENTRAL1 US-WEST1 US-WEST2 US-WEST3 US-WEST4 US-EAST1 US-EAST4 US-EAST5 US-SOUTH1 NORTHAMERICA-NORTHEAST1 NORTHAMERICA-NORTHEAST2 |
Cross-Organization Setup
Can I use a storage bucket from a different Google organization?
Yes. You can create and host your Google Cloud Storage (GCS) bucket in a different Google Cloud Organization than the source tenant you are backing up.
To configure this, you must generate a Service Account within the destination project (where the bucket resides), grant it access to the bucket, and generate a JSON Key.
For detailed steps, please refer to our guide: Connect your Google Cloud Storage bucket.
Billing & Ownership
Does CloudM pay for the storage costs?
No. CloudM operates on a "Bring Your Own Storage" model. You provide your own Google Cloud Platform (GCP) project and billing account.
Because the storage buckets reside in your environment, you retain full ownership of the data, and all storage/network charges are billed directly to you by Google.