Cohesity DataProtect key terms

A set of interconnected nodes running the Cohesity software that presents storage, compute, and data services as one logical system. Clients and administrators reach it through a single virtual IP address.

A single physical or virtual server that is a member of a Cohesity cluster. Each node contributes CPU, memory, and disks, and stores a portion of the distributed data and metadata.

A floating address owned by one node at a time and moved automatically if that node fails. Clients, backup agents, and the management interface connect through the VIP rather than a node IP.

The overall platform that unifies backup, recovery, archival, file services, and analytics on one distributed file system. It is managed from a single web interface and protects many workload types.

Cohesity's cloud-hosted management portal used to register, monitor, and manage multiple on-premises and cloud clusters from one place. It provides centralized visibility, alerts, and software upgrade orchestration.

The clustered storage layer that spreads data and metadata across all nodes with redundancy, so any node can serve any request. It underpins snapshots, deduplication, and tiering.

A redundancy method that splits data into fragments and adds parity fragments so the cluster can rebuild lost data with less capacity overhead than full copies. It is set per storage domain.

The number of copies of each data or metadata chunk the cluster keeps. Higher values increase resilience but consume more raw capacity; typical settings are two or three.

A logical partition of cluster storage with its own redundancy, encryption, and tiering settings. Protection policies and views are assigned to a storage domain to control where data lands.

A logical container that exposes stored data over file protocols such as NFS or SMB, or as a backup target. Views carry access controls and can be snapshotted and replicated.

A registered system or workload that Cohesity can back up, such as a vCenter server, physical host, NAS device, database, or cloud account. Registering a source is a prerequisite for creating protection groups.

The record of credentials and connection details Cohesity uses to reach a protection source. It defines scope, such as which vCenter datacenters or which hosts, are eligible for backup.

The object that binds selected source objects to a protection policy and schedule. It determines what is backed up, how often, where copies go, and how long they are retained.

A reusable set of rules describing backup frequency, retention, replication or archival targets, and optional pre- and post-scripts. Many protection groups can share one policy.

The rule that controls how long a snapshot or copy is kept before automatic deletion. Retention is usually expressed as a count of recovery points plus a maximum age.

A point-in-time, space-efficient copy of protected data captured in a single run. Snapshots are the basic unit from which restores, clones, and replications are performed.

One restorable snapshot of a protected object, identified by its timestamp. The set of recovery points for an object is governed by the retention settings of its policy.

A single execution of a protection group, whether scheduled or started manually. Its status, logs, and task details show whether data was captured successfully.

Mounting a backup snapshot directly so a virtual machine or database can run from the backup store while data is migrated back to primary storage in the background.

Creating a new, independent virtual machine or object from a snapshot without overwriting the original. Clones are used for testing, development, and validation of recoverability.

Restoring individual files or folders from a snapshot rather than the whole system. It typically uses a temporary mount of the backup so an administrator can browse and copy needed items.

Moving or copying older snapshots to lower-cost external storage such as cloud object storage or tape for long-term retention. Archived data is retrieved on demand for restore.

Copying snapshots from one cluster to another, often at a remote site, to provide a secondary copy for disaster recovery. Replication targets and schedules are defined in the policy.

Bringing protected workloads up at a secondary location using replicated snapshots after a primary site outage. Failback returns operations to the original site once it is restored.

An alert state indicating a protection group did not meet its defined objectives, such as a missed backup window or failed run. It highlights gaps in recoverability that need attention.

A WORM-style setting that makes snapshots immutable for a defined period so they cannot be altered or deleted, even by an administrator. It is a core defense against destructive ransomware.

The property of stored data that prevents modification or deletion during a retention window. It supports compliance and protects backups from tampering or malicious deletion.

A deliberate isolation of backup copies from the production network so malware cannot reach them. Cohesity supports this through isolated vaults and controlled, authenticated data transfer.

The combination of immutable copies, isolated storage, anomaly detection, and tested recovery plans that lets an organization restore data after an encryption or extortion attack.

Monitoring that flags unusual changes in backup size, ingest rate, or file activity that may indicate ransomware or data tampering. Alerts prompt investigation before damage spreads.

A stricter retention configuration in which locked snapshots cannot be deleted before their expiry, even by privileged users. It is used to satisfy regulatory and legal hold requirements.

A directive that preserves specified data beyond normal retention because of litigation or investigation. It overrides routine deletion until the hold is formally released.

Assigning permissions to users and groups through roles such as administrator, backup operator, or viewer. It limits who can change policies, delete snapshots, or restore data.

Requiring a second verification factor in addition to a password when signing in to the cluster or Helios. It reduces the risk of credential theft leading to backup destruction.

A chronological record of administrative and user actions on the cluster, including logins, policy changes, and restores. It supports investigations and compliance evidence.

Adding nodes to an existing cluster to increase capacity and performance. Data is rebalanced across nodes, and the cluster continues serving requests during the process.

A built-in diagnostic that reviews cluster configuration, capacity, and component status and reports issues with remediation guidance. It is commonly run before upgrades or after incidents.

A collected archive of logs, configuration, and diagnostic data from the cluster that is sent to support for troubleshooting. It accelerates root-cause analysis of failed runs or node issues.

A file share exposed through the Server Message Block protocol from a Cohesity view. It provides managed file services and can also serve as a backup target for external tools.