Planning and licensing - Physical file server backup

[Twill]

Hi all,

So I'm looking at using Veeam essentials to replace our existing Veritas disk to disk with replication to tape. Pricing this up for the most part seems straight forward. We have 5 VMs and one large physical file server (Over 25TB). Wasabi immutable seems the most cost effective with forever forward incremental and retention set to match Wasabis 90 day requirement.

My query is with the licensing if using the file share function in Veeam would I require the purchase of NAS licenses to cover this amount?

If backing up the volume of the file server would this only require the 1 license and still able to perform file level restores?

If this is correct, why would someone use the file level backup costing thousands more over the volume backup as its accomplishes the same goal?

[rennerstefan]

Hi,

You are right, there is two ways to backup your physical file server.

1) using veeam NAS backup which requires the NAS capacity to be licensed
2) using veeam agent to backup the whole machine which requires the OS to be licensed

NAS backup has some significant benefits in terms of file handling, recovery option such as search as well as many more.

I would recommend you to get in touch with your veeam sales and SE rep. to check out options available to you as we don’t handle licensing request in the RD forums.

Thanks

[Twill]

Thanks for the quick response rennerstefan. I have a call with them tomorrow. Had sign off for 10 licenses but no way could I get the additional costs for NAS capacity approved. Hopefully it does all we need, I've ran the Veeam backup and replication trial earlier in the year just disk to disk which we were very happy with but used the file share backup function. Fingers crossed we can accomplish all we need without it and adding some immutable cloud storage

[rennerstefan]

To be fair I think it’s a good way for you to start with the agent and see how it goes. There is always the option to go with NAS licenses maybe next year.
But as said, just talk to your veeam team tomorrow, they will explain the best options here.

[Twill]

Noticed on Wasabis guide on using immutable storage with Veeam "NAS/File Backups are not supported with Object Lock." So the more expensive option would actually not provide the protection we wanted anyway.

https://wasabi-support.zendesk.com/hc/e ... ntegration

[rennerstefan]

That is correct for the current version of Veeam but we will change that in the next one.