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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteGoogle’s Backup Vault is a Google Cloud service that stores backups in a Google-managed project, separate from a customer’s self-managed project, and protects them from modification or deletion during a configured minimum retention period. “Air-gapped” here means logically isolated—not physically disconnected or offline. Google announced the feature in preview on September 10, 2024, initially for Compute Engine VM backups.
What Google means by “air-gapped”
Backup Vault is part of Google Cloud Backup and DR. Google describes vault data as residing in a Google-managed project that is logically separated from the customer’s self-managed Google Cloud project. The vault’s underlying resources are not visible or accessible to users in the customer’s organization; customers manage access through Backup and DR service APIs and UI. That separation can make it harder for someone with ordinary access to the source project to reach and tamper with its recovery points, but it is not a physically disconnected appliance.
Google’s September 10, 2024 announcement introduced the feature in preview, with Compute Engine VM backup support. The company described the model this way: “Backup vault data is stored in a Google-managed project and is logically air-gapped from your self-managed Google Cloud project.”
How immutability and enforced retention help against ransomware
When an administrator configures a vault, they set a minimum enforced retention period. During that period, vaulted backups cannot be modified or deleted, including by a backup administrator who could otherwise expire backups. Immutability prevents changes; indelibility prevents deletion. Both protections are bounded by the configured retention period rather than being permanent regardless of settings.
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- Easily store and access 2TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
This is intended to preserve recovery points if ransomware or a malicious insider gains access to the customer’s project and attempts to alter or remove backups. It does not by itself prevent an attack, restore compromised production systems, or guarantee that a clean recovery point exists. Retention settings and access controls still matter, and organizations need to plan and test recovery.
What happens if the source resource or project is lost?
Google says vaulted backups are self-contained and can be recovered even when the source resource is unavailable. Storing a vault in a project separate from the source also helps protect backups from deletion of the source project. These are related but distinct safeguards: self-contained backups address source-resource unavailability, while project separation reduces exposure to loss of the source project.
Rank #2
- Easily store and access 5TB of content on the go with the Seagate portable drive, a USB external hard Drive
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Multi-region vault locations add a further layer of geographic resilience by storing data in more than one region. They do not guarantee recovery from every outage, and they are not a substitute for a tested recovery plan. Google’s product descriptions explain these safeguards but do not establish a universal guarantee against all failure scenarios.
How the feature’s availability evolved
The original September 2024 announcement and later availability milestones should not be conflated. Google’s release notes identify the initial Backup Vault feature and VM backup management as preview in September 2024. Google posted a GA update for the announced enhancements on December 2, 2024.
Rank #3
- Easily store and access 1TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive.Specific uses: Personal
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop. Reformatting may be required for Mac
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
| Milestone | What Google announced |
|---|---|
| September 10, 2024 | Backup Vault preview, initially supporting Compute Engine VM backups; centralized backup management and applying backup policies during VM creation were also announced. Google Cloud announcement |
| December 2, 2024 | Google posted a general-availability update for the announced enhancements. Release notes |
| June 17, 2025 | Google announced standalone Persistent Disk and Hyperdisk backups and multi-region vault locations as generally available. An August 11, 2025 note confirmed GA for disk backups. Google Cloud announcement · Release notes |
| June–September 2026 | Release notes recorded later milestones: Cloud SQL customer-managed encryption key (CMEK) support and cross-region backups for certain resources in June; Filestore CMEK support in August; and AlloyDB CMEK support in September. These entries describe specific capabilities, not a complete inventory of supported workloads or regions. Release notes |
Support, regions, encryption options, and feature status can change. Check Google’s current documentation for the specific workload and location you plan to protect; the dated release notes are not a complete current region or pricing matrix.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What Backup Vault is—and is not
Backup Vault is a managed Google Cloud service, not a consumer hardware product. A NAS, external drive, or security key is not a way to buy or use this feature. Organizations comparing backup approaches should evaluate the type of isolation, supported workloads, how long deletion and modification are blocked, separation between projects and regions, recovery after source loss, and operational needs such as retention configuration, encryption keys, access control, and recovery testing. The available Google product information does not establish a like-for-like comparison that would make Backup Vault a universal winner over other enterprise approaches.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Easily store and access 4TB of content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive.Specific uses: Personal
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
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