Backup Copy Job Using SnapShot

[mbaker33]

Hey guys,

I'm playing around with the new features of Veeam 9.x and one of the ones that is really interesting to us is the ability to backup via SnapMirrors. I've got the "Prod" job working fine using the SnapMirror, and it in turn replicates to our DR site and I see it on the Netapp on both sides, however, the Backup Copy job still tries to pull from the actual backup set rather than the SnapMirror. In my opinion, for this function to be even remotely useful, this should work, and based on what I read, it should.

I created a case, and worked with Bryan and he is going to look into it a bit and get back to me. I was hoping I could also get some input from the community here and see what the consensus is.

Thanks,

Mark

[foggy]

Mark, backup copy job uses Veeam B&R backup files as a source, while storage snapshot contains VMs data in their native format and cannot be used as source for the backup copy job.

[mbaker33]

Thanks foggy, I get that. I'm just trying to figure out the purpose for this new SnapMirror backup method if it can't be used in a way that helps make DR backups easier. It seems like the technology is there, why not go a step further to allow a DR job to backup the same data as Prod, without having to traverse/congest the link between the two sites.

Perhaps there is something else that I am missing.

Thanks,

Mark

[mecki]

Hi Mark,

you can use the SnapMirror as a source in a Veeam Backup Job to a repository. Configure a "normal" backup Job with a repository as target. Check secondary target, configure SnapMirror as Target, there is a new Checkbox "Use as source".

There is then a Netapp snapshot on Primary Netapp, Veeam wait for the commit of the sync of SnapMirror (or SnapVault), makes a Snapclone (if licenced) from that on the secondary Netapp. That is used as source for the Backup Job to Repository.

Cheers,

Martin

[larry]

I use Veeam with SnapMirror in production and it changed a lot for the better. I did need to change the way I did things. I now use NetApp SnapMirror for all WAN traffic (Veeam never goes over WAN) I then use Veeam to backup from the SnapMirror at the remote site, then backup copy using that backup to send to tape or archive. I now use Veeam to control all NetApp snapshots. Using Veeam I can snapshot some data stores a lot locally during the day and then use Veeam to SnapMirror all those Snapshots off site. Other data stores I snapshot hourly and SnapMirror right then. I moved my RTP RPO requirements to the data store, then place the VMs into the data store which has the required RTP RPO. My WAN traffic dropped 50 percent with the new setup. My VMs are only snapshotted for seconds and are all application consistent. Backup tasks total time is now half of what it was. I totally redid my DR procedures because of the instant restore from the Snap Mirror using Veeam, time to restore is the time the server takes to boot. I use the Veeam SnapMirror instant restore and not remote replicas anymore, saved a lot of SAN space.

See my post
vmware-vsphere-f24/veeam-9-vm6-netapp-t33044.html

[mbaker33]

Thanks for the replies guys. I am in the process of doing exactly what Larry has done. The only issue is, I essentialy have two different Veeam backups because there is no way to use the same SnapMirror for both prod and dr jobs. I'm hoping this is something that will come eventually, as it makes so much sense.