Storage Snapshots and Off-Host Backup

[FabioM]

Hi,
I'm trying to understand the differences between off-host backup in a Hyper-V/HPE 3PAR scenario and the addition of Backup from Storage Snapshots.

According to the "Veeam 9 User Guide for Microsoft Hyper-V" I can performs Off-Host backup using VSS hardware provider (I assume it is HP 3PAR Virtual Copy in my case).
Having a physical backup server connected to the SAN I can install Veeam Enterprise (not the PLUS) and perform backups of my environment using the VSS hardware provider.

But if I have Veeam Enterprise PLUS I "win" the Backup from Storage Snapshots (EMC, HPE and NetApp) that has the following annotation on the footnotes: "VMware only, yet supported natively for Hyper-V" (from: https://www.veeam.com/backup-version-st ... rison.html).

Assuming that in both scenarios I'll have a physical backup server connected to the SAN (Off-host backup), what is the difference i between these 2 scenarios?

Regarding this feature,what will I gain in having Veeam Enterprise Plus?

And ... i Ithought that Backup from Storage Snapshots was for Vmware Only ... what does "VMware only, yet supported natively for Hyper-V" really mean?

Thanks in advanced for your help.

Fábio

[foggy]

Off-host backup via hardware VSS is a Hyper-V native implementation of backup from storage snapshots. So you already have it, without Ent+ license.

[jaherr]

Thanks Foggy!

I was just looking for this information. Wasted a couple of hours at the IBM site looking to see if I needed the hardware VSS code.

James

[apnaf]

foggy, can you be more specific with this?

With Vmware we can use veeam direct San access mode and with hyper-v we can use off-host backup via HW VSS provider (virtual copy in 3PAR)....
On the other hand veeam says that we can use integration with storage snapshots for HPE 3Par with Veeam B&R Enterprise Plus...Is this feature (this level of integration) only available with Vmware or it is also possible with hyper-v?
If it's not possible in an hyper-v environment why veeam says "VMware only, yet supported natively for Hyper-V"???
If I can get storage snapshots with Veeam Direct SAN access mode in Vmware and off-host backup with hyper-v why would I need Enterprise Plus?

Thanks

[FabioM]

Thanks Foggy.
Let me see if I understand....
The feature "Backup from storage Snapshots" unlocked by the Veeam Enterprise Plus version only applies to VMware farms, because that feature is native for Hyper-V scenarios even with Veeam Standard.
That means that for the off-host backup with VSS hardware provider from 3PAR (Virtual Copy) in a Hyper-V ambient I don't need Ent.Plus for that feature. (might need it for other stuff such as WAN accelaration but not for integrating with Storage Snapshots.

At the same time, in VMWare farms i can only integrate with the storage vendors mentioned... (HPE, EMC, Netapp ) and CAN'T use other VSS Hardware Providers from other vendors (such as Dell Compellent ?? Right??)
Thanks

[veremin]

Correct.

[FabioM]

Thanks v.Eremin.
But that means that in a Vmware Enviromenment I'll have to have Veeam Ent.Plus and a compatible storage system to deploy backup jobs in DirectSAN method?
Or are these two concepts (Backup from Storage Snapshots and DirectSAN) different things?
Thanks in advanced

[veremin]

But that means that in a Vmware Enviromenment I'll have to have Veeam Ent.Plus and a compatible storage system to deploy backup jobs in DirectSAN method?

Nope. Direct SAN processing mode is available in every paid product edition.

Or are these two concepts (Backup from Storage Snapshots and DirectSAN) different things?

Two different things. Check these sections; might clarify your confusion - Direct SAN, Backup from Storage Snapshots.

Thanks.

[FabioM]

Thanks Eremin.
I think I understand now.
DirectSAN uses VMware Snapshots... and Backup from Storage Snapshots uses the Hardware Snapshots features.
Like an evolution for DirectSAN

[foggy]

On the other hand veeam says that we can use integration with storage snapshots for HPE 3Par with Veeam B&R Enterprise Plus...Is this feature (this level of integration) only available with Vmware or it is also possible with hyper-v?

This Veeam B&R feature is only available for VMware. While for Hyper-V backup Veeam B&R is able to utilize technically similar functionality (using storage snapshots) with the help of hardware VSS providers to perform off-host backup and this functionality is provided natively by Hyper-V (Veeam itself hasn't implemented any "integration" in this regard).

If I can get storage snapshots with Veeam Direct SAN access mode in Vmware and off-host backup with hyper-v why would I need Enterprise Plus?

As mentioned above, direct SAN is not backup from storage snapshots, those are two different features, while in Hyper-V you have just off-host backup.

[veremin]

DirectSAN uses VMware Snapshots... and Backup from Storage Snapshots uses the Hardware Snapshots features.

Backup from storage snapshot still involves creation of VM snapshot (needed for CBT data and OS quiescence). Though, this snapshot is committed as soon as Storage one is created, which typically happens very fast. Thanks.