Requirement for storage-based snapshots

[jjules]

Hi all,
we would like to take advantage of the new NetApp integration for storage-based snapshots and we understand a physical server running the proxy role with a FC HBA adapter is required.
However, a Veeam rep visited us and said that a simple VM running the proxy role would be also good (provided all of the FC datastores are visible to this VM).
Can you confirm this?
Thanks.

[foggy]

Generally, virtual server can serve as a proxy for storage snapshots, provided everything is configured correctly, however not in case of FC.

[jjules]

Yes, that's the section I was referring to.
He said that was correct but a VM can also be a proxy for storage-based snapshots (in a FC environment).
Thanks.

[dellock6]

Sorry to disagree with a colleague, but no.
Think about this: a veeam proxy, in order to work in DirectSAN/Storage Snapshot mode, needs to be connected to the storage fabric in the same way as an ESXi server is. So, with FC, also the proxy needs to have an FC connection. I don't see how a virtual machine can have an FC connection, and if the answer is "NPIV", well I'd stay far away from that solution, is not something you want to do. Go physical.

[Vitaliy S.]

Luca, as far as I remember you can use passthrough for the FC adapter, but I agree that it makes little sense to do that for a VM.

Jjules, is there any particular use case on why you would like to have this configuration?

[dellock6]

NPIV is exactly the pass-through, but it makes NO sense. You want to do direct connections to the storage to avoid any additional layer created by the hypervisor, so why you would go again back into it???

[jjules]

Thanks for your comments.
He didn't mention NPIV but I too assume it would be the only way to achieve this... physical is okay to us, it would be the most consistent way to access the NetApp SAN storage.

[rennerstefan]

Agree with my colleagues. Using VMware NPIV to bring your data from the SnapShot backup with BfSS to your virtual proxy and then again out to a repository don't make sence in terms of data flow. In your case the best way is, as already mentioned, using a phyisical proxy for direct FC SAN access.

[ncolt]

Hi, we had exactly the same questions which were answered by this thread.

With regards to securing the datastores now connected to the Windows proxy, am I right in saying you just have to worry about not initializing the datastores in Disk Management as Veeam will already have set "automount disable"?

[foggy]

Veeam B&R actually sets SAN policy to "Offline All" to prevent disks initialization.

[ncolt]

My 2012 R2 Veeam repository says "offline shared", should I set it to "offline all" then?

[ncolt]

I guess when i configure it as a proxy as well it will change that to offline all?

[Vitaliy S.]

When you install proxy server role, everything should be done for you.