Immutable storage

Immutable storage is a type of data storage that prevents backups from being altered, modified, or deleted for a defined period. It ensures that the data remains secure and tamper-proof, providing an extra layer of protection against unauthorized or unintended modification or ransomware attacks. Immutable storage is available for all cloud backups stored in a supported cloud storage instance. See Supported storages and agents.

With immutable storage, you can access deleted backups during the specified retention period. You can recover content from these backups, but you cannot change, move, or delete them. When the retention period ends, the deleted backups are permanently deleted.

The immutable storage contains the following backups:

  • Backups that are deleted manually.
  • Backups that are deleted automatically, according to the settings in the How long to keep section in a protection plan or the Retention rules section in a cleanup plan.

In the cloud deployment, the cloud storage space used by the backups in immutable storage is charged accordingly.

Immutable storage modes

For Partner tenants, there is no selection of immutable storage modes. A Partner can disable or re-enable immutable storage for another Partner or Customer tenant, and set the retention period.

A Customer administrator can disable and re-enable immutable storage, and change its mode and retention period.

  • Governance mode

    You can disable and re-enable the immutable storage. You can change the retention period or switch to Compliance mode.

    Starting in September 2024, immutable storage Governance mode with a retention period of 14 days might be enabled for your company automatically. Check with your service provider for details.
    Starting in September 2024, immutable storage Governance mode with a retention period of 14 days is enabled by default on all Acronis-hosted storages for all Partner and Customer tenants. See this KB article for details.

  • Compliance mode

    Selecting Compliance mode is irreversible.

    You cannot disable the immutable storage. You cannot change the retention period and cannot switch back to Governance mode.

Supported storages and agents

  • [On-premises deployment] Immutable storage is supported only on AcronisCyber Infrastructure storage (version 6.0.1 or later) that is registered in the Cyber Protect console. For more information about how to add AcronisCyber Infrastructure storage, see About Acronis Cyber Infrastructure.

    Immutable storage requires a protection agent version 16.0.37277 or later.

  • [Cloud deployment] Immutable storage is supported only on the cloud storage.

    • Immutable storage is available for Acronis-hosted and Partner-hosted cloud storages that use Acronis Cyber Infrastructure version 6.0.1 or later.
    • All storages that can be used with AcronisCyber Infrastructure Backup Gateway are supported. For example, AcronisCyber Infrastructure storage, Amazon S3 and EC2 storages, and Microsoft Azure storage.
    • Immutable storage requires that TCP port 40440 is open for the Backup Gateway service inAcronisCyber Infrastructure. TCP port 40440 is automatically opened with the Backup (ABGW) public traffic type. For more information about the traffic types, see Acronis Cyber Infrastructure documentation.

    Immutable storage requires a protection agent version 24.01 (build 24.1.37195) or later.

  • Only TIBX (Version 12) backups are supported.