Install Veeam Backup % Replication on Hyper-V Host

[check4backup]

Good morning,

I know this has been discussed here many times. The recommendation has also been changed a few times. It has been explained many times that this recommendation is due to the fact that Microsoft recommends keeping the Hyper-V host clean.

I started with version 9, it was perfectly fine then, and meanwhile with version 11 it is still no problem, it works.

Nevertheless, I have two questions for which I do not know the answer. Very small environment 12 VMs.

1)
If I intstall Veeam Backup&Replication on a Hyper-V host (Simple Deployment), but the VMs are on another host, then it should not be a problem.
Example:
Hyper-V host 01 ==> all VMs to be backed up
Hyper-V Host 02 ==> Veeam Backup&Replication, VMs do not need to be backed up (Test VMs)

Is that ok?

2)
Is it possible to install Veeam Backup&Replication on a VM on Host 02 (maybe even Windows 11) and still install console on Host02, tape drive on Host02 and the repository on Host02 (direct attached storage)?

Thanks and best regards

[Mildur]

Hi check4backup

While it's possible to install VBR on a HyperV host and nothing is blocking such installation, we don't support it.
Please install your VBR server in a VM on the second Host.
https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... ml?ver=120

Veeam Backup & Replication must not be installed directly on a Hyper-V host. Such installation may lead to unpredictable system behavior. Instead, create a VM on the host and install Veeam Backup & Replication on the VM.

You shouldn't use Windows 11 as an operating system for backup software. If I remember correctly, Microsoft forbids it in their EULA.
Please check with them if it's allowed of not. You will also miss functionality such as space less full backup (FastClone) when using Windows 11. FastClone is only available with a Windows 11 Pro for Workstation Edition license.

and still install console on Host02

If someone has access to Host02, he also open the backup server from a VM console window and use the console on the backup server itself. The console on the Hyper-V host wouldn't make much sense to me.

tape drive on Host02 and the repository on Host02 (direct attached storage)

I know, it will work, but not best practice. Maybe in your scenario the best way to use the host as a repository with direct attached storage for backups. I wouldn't use it for a virtual repository server with virtual disks. That will involve more steps in a recovery scenario.
Also for the tape. Most likely you won't be able to use it in a virtual tape server. Is it SAS Tape Drive?

Best,
Fabian

[check4backup]

Hi,

You shouldn't use Windows 11 as an operating system for backup software. If I remember correctly, Microsoft forbids it in their EULA.
Please check with them if it's allowed of not. You will also miss functionality such as space less full backup (FastClone) when using Windows 11. FastClone is only available with a Windows 11 Pro for Workstation Edition license.

OK, an W2K22 is a better option.

If someone has access to Host02, he also open the backup server from a VM console window and use the console on the backup server itself. The console on the Hyper-V host wouldn't make much sense to me.

It should be as easy as possible to change the tape every day.

tape drive on Host02 and the repository on Host02 (direct attached storage)

I know, it will work, but not best practice. Maybe in your scenario the best way to use the host as a repository with direct attached storage for backups. I wouldn't use it for a virtual repository server with virtual disks. That will involve more steps in a recovery scenario.
Also for the tape. Most likely you won't be able to use it in a virtual tape server. Is it SAS Tape Drive?

I don't understand exactly what you mean.

A little more information:

The Host02 is actually there as a backup server. All VMs (only 2 VMs) on it are not important and do not need to be backed up.
Therefore the host has large direct attached volumes for backup.
The tape is a single tape Lenovo TS2270 connected via MiniSAS. Only file to tape jobs run on the tape.
I don't want to have the backup in virtual drives.

All importand VMs are on Host01

I could do it that way if it's good:
1)
Install W2K22 as VM on Host02.
2)
Install Veeam Backup & Replication in this VM. The default Backup-Repository is then on this VM, but I don't have to use that.
3)
Add Host02 as Backup-Repository and Map the Jobs.
3)
Add Host02 as Tape-Server
4)
In this scenario, I could even (I have 20 VUL) back up the VMs from Host02 and have a fully supported environment .

Thanks and best regards

[check4backup]

I have one more question to ask.

I don't think I understand the concept yet.

If I install VBR server in one VM and the repository somewhere else, does all the traffic for all backups go through that one VM with the VBR server or does the VBR server just give the job to the Hyper-V host and it connects directly to the repository?

Thanks

[Mildur]

If I install VBR server in one VM and the repository somewhere else, does all the traffic for all backups go through that one VM with the VBR server or does the VBR server just give the job to the Hyper-V host and it connects directly to the repository?

For backups, the VBR Server just talks to the HyperV Server and other Veeam components when doing backups. He will send them tasks like creating a checkpoint or telling the On-Host proxy to start reading the data from the HyperV Host.
Main traffic flow for the backup process is: HyperV storage --> Proxy Server (On-Host) --> repository.
In your case, backup traffic will flow from Host01 vm storage --> Host01 On-Host Proxy --> Host02 repository.

I could do it that way if it's good:
1)
Install W2K22 as VM on Host02.
2)
Install Veeam Backup & Replication in this VM. The default Backup-Repository is then on this VM, but I don't have to use that.
3)
Add Host02 as Backup-Repository and Map the Jobs.
3)
Add Host02 as Tape-Server
4)
In this scenario, I could even (I have 20 VUL) back up the VMs from Host02 and have a fully supported environment .

Yes. I would do the same if I already have the hardware in my house.
Connecting this tape drive (MiniSAS) to a VM is not supported by HyperV. So either you must buy a dedicated host for using it as a tape server or connect it to the hyperv Host and make the HyperV Host to a tape server.
When you write the tape, traffic will stay on Host02. When repo and tape server are on the same host, Veeam will write the tape directly on the host without transferring the data over network.

Best,
Fabian

[check4backup]

Great, thank you very much for the competent answer.

Now I also understand why the VM with the VBR server can be backed up just like any other VM on the host.

Best regards

[walo]

Hi,

would it be supported by Veeam to use a single Hyper-V as source and as repository server?
We are talking about a single host environment. Because installation of VBR on the host itself is not supported by Veeam, we would install VBR inside a VM on this single host (without domain membership).

Because of this design, we would use on-host-proxy backup and attach the RDX to the Hyper-V directly and use it as repository server.
Is this supported?

Of course, it would be better to use a dedicated hardware machine for several roles, but in this case, the options are limited.

As I can see, Tandberg recommends the usage of a USB network device. But in this scenario, I do not see any advantage.

Thank you very much.

[Mildur]

Hi Walo

It is supported for these three roles: proxy, repository, and tape.
But we advise against deploying repository and tape components to the Hyper-V host. As you have mentioned, a dedicated physical server should be used for the repository (and tape) role.

Running repository role on the Hyper-V server will consume additional hardware resources (Memory, CPU) from the Hyper-V host.
If you decide to connect the RDX drive to the Hyper-V host, make sure that you start low with concurrent task and slowly increase them while monitoring the performance of your Hyper-V host and job sessions.
If the Hyper-V host has performance issues because of the backup services, it may also affect the production workload and further processing of our job sessions.

Best,
Fabian