Host-based backup of Microsoft Hyper-V VMs.
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Nick-SAC
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Backup Repository Ext-HDDs on Hyper-V Host

Post by Nick-SAC »

Using a Windows Server 2012-R2 Hyper-V Host (full GUI) running a Windows Server 2012-R2 Guest VM as the VB&R Backup Server (all-in-one) with its Local (in the VM) HDD as the Primary Backup Repository:

I would like to add an additional Repository consisting of Rotated External (USB) HDDs and it appears (from the documentation) that I could add this Repository & its Ext-HDDs to the VB&R Backup Server VM, however...

Since 2012-R2 VMs don’t provide the “Safely Remove Hardware & Eject Media” Flush Writes function (at least I’ve never been able to find a way to make it work) rather than having to shut down the VM every time I want to Detach/Rotate the Ext-HDDs, I’m wondering...

Instead of connecting the Ext-HDDs as Pass-Thru Drives to the VM, is it advisable (or even possible) to just connect them to the Hyper-V Host Server and add that as another VB&R Managed Server & create the Repository there?

And if not... might I be better off just making the Hyper-V Host itself the VB&R Backup Server (instead of putting it on a VM)?

Thanks,
Nick (a Veeam NOOB)
PTide
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Re: Backup Repository Ext-HDDs on Hyper-V Host

Post by PTide »

Hi,
Instead of connecting the Ext-HDDs as Pass-Thru Drives to the VM, is it advisable (or even possible) to just connect them to the Hyper-V Host Server and add that as another VB&R Managed Server & create the Repository there?
That's totally fine, just keep in mind that each new Veeam role introduces additional resource consumption on the host. May I ask you what's the point of having two repositories on the same (physically) host? Also you can move you primary repository to the hyper-v host as well to eliminate additional abstraction layer such as .vhdx

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Nick-SAC
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Re: Backup Repository Ext-HDDs on Hyper-V Host

Post by Nick-SAC »

Hey PTide,

Thanks for the quick response!
...what's the point of having two repositories on the same (physically) host?
Frankly I’m not yet sure what the point is... :)

Most of my past experience has been with File Level Backup and I’ve just started exploring the capabilities of VB&R and am trying to come up with the best strategy to address a couple of key requirements:


File Versioning:
For the first of my clients that I’m planning this for, Versioning is an extremely high priority. In the dozen or so years that we’ve been servicing them, we’ve never had to perform a DR (thankfully) but we have had numerous requests like, `we need that CAD Project as it was 3 years ago’.

Ransomware:
I’m planning Cloud for OffSite storage but also Rotated External HDDs; as I can’t bring myself to be totally reliant on the Cloud being there if & when it’s needed — and I believe that Offline Air-Gapped Drives are still the best Last Line of Defense.


So I’m thinking:

Daily Backups to Local Fixed Storage (internal HDDs on the Backup Server).

Weekly (or perhaps Daily) Backups to the Cloud.

Monthly Backups to Rotated Ext-HDDs so that a reasonable number of Restore Points can provide for long-term Versioning – and provide that Last Line of Defense.


But if you and/or anybody else have better ideas, I’m all ears!

Thanks again,

Nick
PTide
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Re: Backup Repository Ext-HDDs on Hyper-V Host

Post by PTide »

You can store your daily backups on a local drive, and setup two backup copy jobs -
the first one (weekly/daily) to copy daily backups to the cloud, and another one (monthly) targeted to an external HDD configured as rotated media repository. Please note, that backup copy job does not copy files, it copies the most recent restore point instead. To copy the whole chain of backups you need to make sure that the backup copy is started with the same frequency as your backup job. Another option would be to use file copy job. To search and restore particular files you can use Enterprise Manager.

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Nick-SAC
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Re: Backup Repository Ext-HDDs on Hyper-V Host

Post by Nick-SAC »

Thanks for the suggestions but after putting in some more hands-on time with this (and a lot of reading) I think I have a plan I’d like utilizing the Copy-Job GFS functionality.

Disregarding Cloud (for the moment) what about this:

Infrastructure:
Dedicated Backup Server (in this case & so I’m comfortable with the Internal-HDD Repository)
3 Repositories:
Internal-HDD
External-HDD-1 (Not Rotating Media)
External-HDD-2 (Not Rotating Media)

Jobs:
Backup Job Daily to Internal-HDD
Backup Copy Job-1 to External-HDD-1 (GFS Configuration)
Backup Copy Job-2 to External-HDD-2 (GFS Configuration)

Plan of Execution:
Set each Backup Copy Job’s Source Repository to obtain Object Data from the Internal-HDD Repository only.
Never have both Ext-HDDs attached simultaneously.
Enable only the Backup Copy Job whose respective Target Repository is currently attached.


1) Would this work at all?

2) Would it maintain each External-HDD Repository as a stand-alone GFS archive which could be used to restore anything from a Full VM down to an individual File's Point-In-Time version as specified in the GFS retention configuration?


Thanks again,
Nick
PTide
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Re: Backup Repository Ext-HDDs on Hyper-V Host

Post by PTide »

Since you are not going to enable rotated drive settings, GFS schema will work fine. Also you need to make sure that drive letters persist for both external drives so the backup jobs will be able to find the path.
Enable only the Backup Copy Job whose respective Target Repository is currently attached.
This one sounds like a manual work that is easy to make a mistake with. I'd suggest you to create two separate repositories per each drive so if you accidentaly attach the wrong drive or activate the wrong backup copy job then it will simply continue whatever backup chain it finds.

Thanks
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