Replica Between Windows 2019 Host and Windows 2016 Host

[rui.rodrigues]

Hello,

when i try to config a replica job from Windows 2019 Hyper-V host (Local storage) to a Windows 2016 Hyper-V Host (local Storage),
receive the info that the versions of Hyper-v are incompatible.
Am I missing something?

Thank you

[Mildur]

Hi Rui

Yes, this is a documented limitation. You can‘t replicate to a lower HyperV version.
Target Host OS must be equal or higher than the source host.

If this is for a migration scenario, you could use Veeam Agent to backup the vm, then do a instant recovery from the Agent Backup to the older HyperV Host.

Thanks
Fabian

[rui.rodrigues]

Hi,
that is not the case.
We are using and HPE G9 to make backups to a HPE G10 (newer and in production), and were with hope that we could use it to make relicas from vms in production.

Client will have to decide if he buys VMWare or 2019 license to solve the issue.

Do you know if there is any link from veeam explaining this limitation for us to provide to the client?

Thank you.

[Mildur]

Yes, I posted the link in my first answer.
https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... ml?ver=110

It‘s in the subnote of the table:
*Target OS version must be equal or higher than Source OS version

The limitation comes from Microsoft itself. It’s also not possible to manually import a vm configuration from HyperV 2019 to an older HyperV version. The older HyperV Host wouldn‘t recognize the newer configuration version number.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/window ... al-machine

[rui.rodrigues]

Hi,

didn't notice, sorry.

Thank you, for you time.

[davegamlen]

Hi Rui

Yes, this is a documented limitation. You can‘t replicate to a lower HyperV version.
Target Host OS must be equal or higher than the source host.

If this is for a migration scenario, you could use Veeam Agent to backup the vm, then do a instant recovery from the Agent Backup to the older HyperV Host.

Thanks
Fabian

Hi Fabian, I need to migrate some VM's from a standalone 2019 Hyper V host to a 2016 Cluster, is there any documentation of how to do this? When I try to do this using Instant VM recovery it wont allow because of the different versions.

[Mildur]

Hi Dave

Veeam Backup & Replication is not able to restore your VM backups directly from a HyperV 2019 host to a HyperV 2016 cluster.
On HyperV 2019, VMs use vm configuration version 9 and a HyperV 2016 can only run vms up to version 8. That's the reason your VMs cannot be started on the cluster in an Instant Recovery session.

But there are a few workarounds within Veeam Backup & Replication you can try:

- Do a VM Files Restore to get the vhdx from the VM: https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... ml?ver=110
Create a new VM in your HyperV 2016 Cluster and attach the restored vhdx files as disks to the new VM.
I believe it will work, but I cannot test it in my lab. I suggest you use a small nonproductive VM for a test run.

- Use Veeam Agent to backup all VMs (like a physical server backup) and then start an Instant Recovery of the Agent backups to the HyperV 2016 cluster.
https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... ml?ver=110
https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... ml?ver=110

Thanks
Fabian