Single ESXi server with Veeam running on a VM?

[nebulight]

I have a single server VMSphere setup with local storage. It's currently running 5 VMs. I'm planning on installing Veeam on it's VM and target an iSCSI drobo for the backup repository. To keep the storage traffic separate with a separate switch or network, I was planning on doing a PCI passthrough for one of the NICs on the server and plug the drobo in directly so it could backup to that without going over the network. However I've read that you can get VMSnapshot Errors when doing PCI passthrough, not to mention that the PCI passthrough on a NIC that is doing your iSCSI traffic for the backup destination. Would a vswitch work for this type of setup, or would I have to use a PCI passthrough? And if I have to use Passthrough, is there anyway to get around the VMSnapshot error?

[Vitaliy S.]

Hello Matt,

The usual deployment for this hadrware is to save backup files on NTFS formatted volume that is connected via iSCSI initiator (from the backup server to the NAS box). Can you please clarify what kind of VM snapshot errors are you referring to? Are you also planning to backup your Veeam server?

Thank you!

[nebulight]

Thanks for the quick reply. The Volume is formatted as NTFS and mapped as V: I should mention that the only server that's having issues is the Veeam Server which is the VM that has the PCI passthrough:

Details
Name Status Start time End time Size Read Transferred Duration Details
BKDC Success 2:17:28 PM 2:33:17 PM 199.9 GB 23.7 GB 12.5 GB 0:15:49
BKvCenter Success 2:17:30 PM 2:27:29 PM 120.0 GB 19.3 GB 13.7 GB 0:09:58
BKFS Success 2:26:39 PM 2:46:36 PM 1.0 TB 60.7 GB 45.4 GB 0:19:56
BKVeeam Error 2:46:41 PM 2:47:33 PM 0.0 KB 0.0 KB 0.0 KB 0:00:51 Creating VM snapshot
Error: The operation is not allowed in the current state.

I'm currently running the Veeam as a trial which is why I don't have a support case ID.

[Gostev]

Trial users get support too, this is explained when you click New Topic. Please, open a support case according to the instructions provided there, and post the support case ID. Thanks!

[nebulight]

I should have read that better. However I fixed my issue by removing the PCI passthru and have a standard vswitch with only that VM accessing the switch.

[Vitaliy S.]

PCI passthrough is not required if you want to use NAS device as target for your backups. You can connect it directly to the VM, not the ESXi. Thanks for updating the topic.