Windows 8 Hyper-V

[kslocum]

I am attempting to install Veeam Backup and Replication 6.5 on my Windows 8 machine that is also a Hyper-V host. When I try to add this local Windows 8 Hyper-V host from the console I get a warning/error that says "Windows 8 is not supported for this role". It was my understanding that 6.5 brought Windows 8 compatibility. Am I missing something or doing something wrong? Thanks!

[Gostev]

It was my understanding that 6.5 brought Windows 8 compatibility

That is not so. Please review the System Requirements section of the Release Notes document for the complete list of supported hypervisors.

[kslocum]

Thanks Gostev. Do you anticipate Veeam adding support for Windows 8 Hyper-V? The new Windows 8 Hyper-V is fantastic and is quickly becoming my primary lab environment. I would be happy to pay for such support/functionality as I am sure others will as its use grows.

[Gostev]

Depends on the number of requests. Another platform to test is significant overhead for QC process, so we won't go for it unless there is a big demand.

[Jeffs8247]

Hi Guys,

I would also like it if Veeam supported Windows 8. It'd certainly make my life alot easier being Win 8 Hyper-V is 3.0 as the same as Windows 2012 minus a few goodies.

From a technical point of view (which i'm probably wrong) shouldnt the coding be fairly similar between both products? I'd also be more than happy to be a guinea pig if the option is there?

Thanks guys,

Jeff

[Vitaliy S.]

Hi Jeff, while technical side might look almost the same, the QC factor is still very important. Anyway, thanks for sharing your thoughts on that!

[cmonspike]

Hello Veeam,

Can you PLEASE provide support for backing-up a Windows 8 Hyper-V host, P L E A S E !!!
I have lots of scenarios with my customers that require this and I don't want to send them to another vendor, or should I ???

Thanks!

[Gostev]

Hi, can you please elaborate what are those scenarios that require Windows 8 Hyper-V to be used? Thanks.

[marc_al]

Hello,

I am for the support of windows 8 too
Here is an example of why I need Hyper-v on a Win8 computer (laptop).
My development machine is virtual (Hyper-v). If I have a problem with my computer, I can simply change the computer and import the virtual machine (no re installation... I can change a computer in a few hours).

When I do some tests (deployment), I have a completely empty virtual machine (only Windows installed (no patch)) and I can do a test. When it is done I restore a snapshot. After that I also have a completely updated machine (all the patches installed) and I can do the tests and see if it is working.
With the snapshots I can simply switch from one to the other machine.
As the computer is a laptop I can work anywhere even with no internet to solve the problem (and only connect to give an update when u bug is solved)

Marc

[Gostev]

Hello Marc,

Well, for development environments on laptop, periodic online backup is both unneeded, and mostly impossible. First, you can simply use snapshots for checkpoints, and regular file copy of powered off VM to create "proper" backup to another storage. Also, because (just as you mention), you work anywhere with your laptop, it will too often be disconnected from your corporate network, thus not even giving Veeam backup management server a chance to kick off the backup task.

And as far as bigger and more "proper" development environments using servers instead of laptops as a host, there is simply no sense to build those on a desktop OS when there is free Hyper-V Server available, which we do fully support.

Thanks!

[marc_al]

Hello,

This is what I do at the moment : I stop the VM and then I do an exportation (it lasts 30-40 minutes) and then I make a compression (7-zip) and I copy the file in an external storage (or in the network when I am in the office).
The thing that seemed interesting with Veeam backup was that all the steps were done while the machine was online

Marc

[9swampy]

Bump. I've just built my new Dev environment on a Win8 box, didn't realise Veeam wasn't going to work on it; "Windows 8 is not supported for this role". Please add Win8 support!

[Ruber]

It would be nice to be able to test restore on my Windows 8 machine.
Thanks,
Rune

[jrfolkman]

I would say it would be a benefit for the Sandbox feature. Think of it as a way to compete with VMWare Workstation in the Microsoft world...
Thanks,
Jason

[EdgarPy]

Happy new year for everyone!!!

good afternoon Veeam! So, there is no support about to use the Hyper-V on Windows 8, like an standalone server yet?

thanks in advance!

[Vitaliy S.]

Yes, Anton's post above is still valid.

[Skakke]

Still valid?? No support for the Hypervisor in Windows 8/8.1?

[Vitaliy S.]

Yes, no changes in Hyper-V versions supported.

[Skakke]

What about future releases. Any plans to support this?

[Vitaliy S.]

Depending on the number of feature requests for this functionality, it may come, though in our next major release it will not be available.

[AndrewTFinnell]

I vote to support Windows 8.x Hyper-V as well.

From what I can tell the Sever edition doesn't have any features that the 8.x version doesn't that would impact Veeam unless Veeam relies on some form of Live Migration to do Live backups.

It seems the issue here is the QA Grid would greatly increase by adding another OS to the testing procedures. Is it possible to release an unsupport version of the Backup software that has the OS check disabled? If there are truly features missing on Windows 8.x that would require extra work on the software then I understand the low priority of this feature. However, if it's just to reduce the QA grid then it might prove beneficial to customers if a version was released without that check.

Andrew

[Vitaliy S.]

Hi Andrew,

Can you please tell me a bit more on why you prefer Windows 8.x Hyper-V as opposed to server edition? Just trying to understand the use case, which would be helpful during discussions with the dev team.

Thanks!

[ITSafe]

Hi Vitaliy,
I am not Andrew but I can say why would I want Windows 8 Hyper-V support - Windows 8 has GUI as oppose to Windows Server Hyper-V Core. It is much easier to work with, yet cheap enough to not to worry about licensing.
Windows 8 PC with 2Tb hard drive costs $300 it is a cheap alternative to a replication server.
Hope this helps,
Alex.

[Vitaliy S.]

But you can still use remote Hyper-V Manager snap-in to manage that Hyper-V Core installation remotely with UI, right? Or you were referring to the initial configuration? Thanks for your feedback!

[willhunting]

Hi!
I have windows 8 pro ru, hyper-v 6.2.9200.16384
Veeam backup replication 7.0.0.871
I get a message when you try to add a server hyper-v:
"Windows 8 is not supported for this role"

[Vitaliy S.]

Hi Mike, please be aware that Windows Server 2008R2 and Windows Server 2012 are supported by Veeam B&R. For more info on supported configurations, please take a look at our system requirements, which are available on the website. Thanks!

[alanbolte]

I believe this is not supported because Windows 8 does not include the Hyper-V VSS Writer, though there may be other reasons as well.

[jasonpearce]

My home lab is a Windows 8 x64 computer, Intel i7, and the Windows Hyper-V role. It would be nice to use the free Veeam Backup and Replication 8 v3 to backup the VMs in my lab.

When I attempt to add a New Hyper-V Server, targeting my stand-alone Windows 8 host, I also get the "Windows 8 is not supported for this role." I've tried domain accounts and local accounts without success.

This System Requirements page lists Windows 8.x as a supported OS for Veeam Backup Server:

http://helpcenter.veeam.com/backup/80/h ... ments.html

Yet this forum says that Windows 8 is not supported. Is Windows 8 supported or not? If so, how do I get past this error? I'm running Veeam Backup and Replication version 8.0.0.2084, which I think is the latest version as of 2015 Nov 24.

[alanbolte]

Hello Jason,

You are misunderstanding the system requirements page. It is indeed supported to install Backup and Replication (the software that manages backups) on Windows 8. However, that does not indicate what we can back up. For that, see Platform Support.

[jasonpearce]

AlanBolte,

Thank you for the response. Yes this is a little confusing.

To be clear, I'm not wanting to backup the Windows 8.x OS that is running physically on my home lab host. My host is running Windows 8 with the Hyper-V role installed. I think I could use your free (thank you) Veeam Endpoint application to backup my Windows 8 host.

I am, however, wanting to install Veeam Backup and Replication 8 v3 on my Windows 8 host and to configure my host as a standalone Hyper-V server in my Veeam Infrastructure. I would then use Veeam Backup and Replication 8 v3 to backup the guests on my Windows 8 host. That is what I'm attempting to do.

Windows 8 host is my Hyper-V host/server, which would also be my Veeam Backup Server.

You are correct, though, that the Platform Support documentation does not list Windows 8.x as a supported hypervisor -- right after the introduction that reads "Veeam Backup & Replication provides full support for the Hyper-V virtualizaton platform."

My assumption was that the Microsoft Hyper-V role (which is one of the free hypervisor options that is part of Microsoft's Hyper-V virtualizaton platform) that comes built into Windows 8.x was supported.

I still find the documentation a bit misleading and confusing, but I appreciate your clarification that the free Hyper-V role that comes with Windows 8, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10 is not one of the supported Hyper-V platforms that Veeam Backup and Replication supports.

Feature Request: Please support the Hyper-V role that comes with Windows 8, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10.

Why: My home lab is a 4-core, small form factor, PC with 16 GB of RAM and dual 256 GB SSDs. My wife knows of it as a Windows Media Center DVR that is always on and attached to our main TV. I know if it as my home lab that I may remotely use to create and test several virtual machines. In both cases, we have an always-on PC (DVR and a hypervisor). Having the ability to backup up the VMs in my lab would be a pleasant capability to have. I hope Veeam would consider configuring Veeam Backup and Replication provide full support for all versions of the Hyper-V virtualization platform (as implied here: http://helpcenter.veeam.com/backup/80/h ... pport.html).

Thanks for taking the time to consider this request and/or better clarify your documentation.