Recovering from Veeam backups in public cloud

[mdb_ec]

Hi.

I'd like to know if Veeam can handle this scenario:

Veeam B&R server running on premise, sending backup copies to an Azure storage.

Disaster strikes at premises.

Azure storage contains a Veeam backup.

Would deploy Veeam B&R server on an Azure VM.
Deploy nested Hyper-V on Azure.
Connect the Azure based Veeam B&R server to the Azure storage containing the backups created by the B&R server on premises (now lost).
Restore backed up VMs on Azure nested Hyper-V (so VM format remains Hyper-V, not changed to Azure).

Later, on premises infrastructure is rebuilt.
B&R server and Hyper-V hosts are redeployed on premise.
Replication job is configured from B&R server running on Azure to newly deployed B&R and Hyper-V host servers on premises.

Failover is scheduled from Azure to on premises.

On premise VMs start running.
Azure VMs (B&R and nested Hyper-V) are decomissioned (cutting costs).
Only Azure storage continues to be used to send backup copies.

So far I've seen B&R allows running a Direct Restore of a VM over to Azure, but that requires B&R server to be working. There's also the Veeam Replication with Cloud Connect option. But I want to know if DR on Azure can be accomplished based only on the Veeam backup repository on Azure storage and using nested Hyper-V to avoid VM format conversion.

Finally, if any 3rd party product would be required or help in accomplishing this (StoneFly maybe?).

Thanks

[HannesK]

Hello,

But I want to know if DR on Azure can be accomplished based only on the Veeam backup repository on Azure storage and using nested Hyper-V to avoid VM format conversion.

I see no reason why your idea should not work (but I did not test it): https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/ ... ualization - from Veeam side, it's just Hyper-V.

Deploy nested Hyper-V on Azure.

I would skip that step if possible. Which operating systems do you have? Restore to Azure should be easier. Then you do backup with Veeam agents or Veeam Backup for Azure (to be released probably before a disaster hits you ) . Restore on-prem would be with Instant-Recovery to Hyper-V (with Windows VMs). For Linux VMs, only bare-metal restore would be supported.

Replication job is configured from B&R server

well, that's not possible with my idea. right. so your failover time would be longer with my suggestion.

Best regards,
Hannes

[veremin]

If you stick to your original idea, then, you won't need to use Cloud Connect, everything will be possible via Veeam Backup and Replicaiton features only (namely, restore to Hyper-V and Hyper-V replication job).

However, the biggest concern that I can have is connectivity, how are you going to connect on-prem to Azure and vice versa?

Do you have already site-to-site VPN in place, if not, check our Veeam PN solution?

Thanks!

[mdb_ec]

Hello, Hannes and Vladimir.

Thanks for your insight.

Maybe I should state the goals I'm after: minimizing cloud DR costs, and minimizing downtime when returning from cloud to on premises environment.

Most VMs are Windows 2012/2016, but there's a CentOS VM too, with Hyper-V integration services installed and working (i.e. host can shutdown Linux guest).

The point of using nested Hyper-V (I agree it's more hassle) is maintaining VM format, otherwise going back from cloud to on prem requires converting Azure VM format to Hyper-V VM format.

At least one VM is relatively large (1 TB) especially considering available internet bandwidth. This is challenging for minimizing downtime for going back from cloud to on premise. This is why I'm considering B&R replication for this allows to have the VM running in the cloud until replication is up to date. Then a minor downtime is scheduled, VM in cloud is shutdown and small delta is replicated to on prem where the VM can be turned on and resume service.

I would think using Veeam Agent for Windows or Linux is more effort and more downtime.

Further thoughts appreciated.

Regards

[hrai]

Hi mdb_ec:

I ma interesting on setting up something identical to what you proposed. Would you care to update if you managed to do this and tested it?

Regards