Netapp Enterprise NAS snapshot

[matteu]

Hello,

Is it necessary for Snapshot to be accessible on Volumes + Shares on Netapp storage array added as enterprise NAS for Veeam to backup Unstructured data and restore it ?
If yes, what it is for ?
Thanks

[david.domask]

Hi matteu,

Just to be clear, you're discussing the (usually) hidden snapshot folders that would exist on the volumes such as .snapshot and ~snapshot?

If so these must be visible to the client as per the User Guide for SMB shares. If I remember right it's just for backup, and it's because with NAS Filer integration, part of the integration is using the snapshots instead of reading from production, and if the snapshot directory isn't accessible, we can't access the snapshots for backup.

[matteu]

Hello,

Thanks for your answer.
I'm talking about these section on Ontap (Share + volume settings) :

https://ibb.co/6BytFLg
https://ibb.co/h2NWRm0

[david.domask]

Hi matteu,

Yep, we're talking about the same thing I believe

The snapshot directory (~snapshot) is visible in the SMB share. To ensure that, login to your NetApp Ontap System Manager, select the SMB share in Storage – Shares, click Edit to open share settings, and select the Show Snapshots check box in the Options tab.

[matteu]

I'm asking because I can see I have it disabled on some shares but backup is working.

I had a procedure I created 1 years ago with "SVM show snapshot + share show snapshot is needed" and here I can see it's working fine if I don't enable it.

I just would like to have some more details if possible to understand for what is really needed because without it it works too. I'm not saying I don't want to do what Veeam ask ! I just want to understand why it's needed

Just to remember :
-I add my NAS on storage infrastructure in Veeam with NAS selected
-I add it as NAS Filer on Inventory -> Unstructured data.

Thanks for your answer.

[Andreas Neufert]

The NAS Storage integration create snapshots and then backup from these snapshots. (It has better open file handling). We need here to see the snapshots, list the snapshots and create/delete the snapshots.

The native NSA storage integration just goes to the share and backup files like any other client.
There is an option that you can backup from alternative path which could be a snapshot as well. I think you can mount the latest snapshot within NetApp always to a specific place scheduled and then use it for NAS backup through the share. We only need access rights on the share then like any other client.

[matteu]

To be honest, I understand what you explain, but I don't understand why it works in my customer environment without enable snapshot share visible to client.
He has some share with snapshot visible, other non visible (on ontap side) and both are working fine with the backup job.
I don't know if you can test it on lab, but I just have "standard" configuration with snapshot enable on the volume side and for share some are enable and other not.