V11a Feature "Restore directly from Capacity Tier" + vPowerNFS Server

[Mildur]

I'm testing the instant vm Recovery from our capacity tier. The configuration:
- Veeam Backup Server: WIN-SERVER1 (virtual windows server)
- Performance Tier Mount Server: WIN-SERVER2 (physical windows server)
- Capacity Tier Gateway Server: LIN-Server1 (physical linux server)
- vPowerNFS Server: WIN-SERVER2 (physical windows server)

An Instant VM Recovery Session from the Performance Tier uses the WIN-SERVER2 as a vPowerNFS Server.
An Instant VM Recovery Session from the Capacity Tier uses the WIN-SERVER1 as a vPowerNFS Server.

If it's using the VeeamBackup Server as a default, then restores from capacity tier could get very slow. The Veeam Backup Server doesn't have the necessary resources if it's a vm. The same happens, when I choose a windows Server as the Gateway Server for S3. Instant VM Recovery always uses the Veeam Backup Server as the vPowerNFS Server.

FEATURE REQUEST:
Can veeam add an option to choose which vPowerNFS Server shall be used for an instant vm recovery session from the capacity tier? It should not be the Veeam Backup Server. At least it should be another Mount Server with the vPowerNFS component installed.

[HannesK]

Hello,
with V12 and "direct backup to object storage", there is a mount server configurable for each object storage. I think that solves your request.

Best regards,
Hannes

[Mildur]

Thanks Hannes, that resolves it

[sandsturm]

We are running Veeam V12 and I found the option to configure a specific mountserver (to not use the VBR server as mount server).

I tried to do an Instant recovery from capacity tier, but got an error:

Failed to publish <VM_Name> Error: Failed to add NFS datastore for NFS host '<VBR_Server_IP_address>'. Failed to mount NFS volume (<VBR_Server_IP_address>:/VeeamBackup_<FQDN_VBRserver>). Fault "PlatformConfigFaultFault", detail "Operation failed, diagnostics report: Mount failed: Unable to complete Sysinfo operation. Please see the VMkernel log file for more details.: Unable to connect to NFS server

I created a Veeam case based on that: case ID 06223044 and the answer was:

in a SOBR configuration, when performing instant recovery from capacity tier backups, we always use the Veeam Backup & Replication server itself as the mount server, hence also for the NFS Datastore setup.

It seems to me, that the option to configure a mount server is visible in veeam but does not really work as expected. Instant recovery process tries to use VBR server as mount server and that is not working in our environment and will propably not work for other customers as well.

thx,
sandsturm

[HannesK]

Hello,
I looked at the case and will check the explanation from support and the background of that design decision with the responsible colleagues once back from vacation.

Best regards,
Hannes

[sandsturm]

Hi Hannes

Thanks a lot for your help. The way it's implemented now makes no sense in our environment, because only proxy servers do have access (firewallpolicy) to the required resources. The Veeam backup server itself cannot be used to act as a mountserver for example.

thx,
sandsturm

[HannesK]

Hello,
sorry for that long delay... my colleagues told me, that the behavior was changed in V12. I tested it right now with 12.1 and the mount server is used correctly as vPower NFS when doing instant recovery from capacity tier. We also adjusted the user guide.

Best regards,
Hannes

[sandsturm]

Hi Hannes

Thanks a lot for the feedback and the solution. I'll test it as well, as soon as we are on 12.1

thx
sandsturm