Veeam Agent for Windows 2.0

[Dima P.]

Hi guys,

Currently we just back up the SQL databases on the physical servers. It would be nice to back up an entire image. I understand that the new Veeam Agent for Windows 2.0 (Server edition) which is coming December 2016 will allow a backup of those physical servers to our Veeam repository.

True. Veeam Agent for Windows 2.0 will have full support for Windows servers and residing applications like SQL server.

Can a backup image taken with the Veeam Agent 2.0 Server edition be restored at all, in any way, to a VM on our VMware hosts, or can it only be restored to Azure or a Hyper-V host?

Yes. Export as virtual disks (vmdk, vhd, vhdx), direct restore to Hyper - V and direct restore to Azure are supported.

If it can be restored to a VMware-hosted VM, can this be a "bare metal" type restore which creates the VM in the process, or do we first create the VM with appropriate virtual hardware and only then restore the image?

Bare Metal Recovery to a blank VM will work.

Last question (I hope) -- what Windows Server versions will the Veeam Agent 2.0 support? Can it be run on Windows Server 2003?

Unfortunately, no changes here. Veeam Agent for Windows will support operating systems starting from Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 and Windows 7 SP1

[chavron]

For clarification, since there is very little info on the website thus far, and a long announcement video is very painful/time-consuming to weed through just to find a 30-second clip outlining the details I'm looking for:

- I currently have Veeam B&R
- I currently have Endpoint Backup installed on a few machines
- Those machines show up in my B&R Console, but are not manageable

If I am reading everything here correctly, once the paid-for Veeam Agent for Windows is released, I'll get the same desktop functionality, but I still won't be able to edit and schedule the Endpoint backups in the Backup and Recovery console. I'll have to set those schedules manually while RDP/etc onto each workstation. Is this correct? If that's correct, that's a huge let-down, because this product could easily be used for an Acronis True Image replacement within a local environment. I think the Veeam Endpoint Protection product being manageable via the B&R console is what a lot of us have been waiting for Veeam Endpoint Backup to evolve into, so clarification on this is needed. What I'm reading is that Agent for Windows backups will only be able to be managed in the Veeam Availability Console. I'm also reading that the only entities that the VAC is going to be available to are service providers and "enterprise" (have yet to find Veeam's definition of what an enterprise is thus far). We are a firm with roughly 275 physical endpoints. Is the VAC available to us?

[Dima P.]

Hi Chris,

Here are answers to your questions from Anton's weekly digest:

Q: Will there be any changes in Veeam Backup & Replication 9.5 in regards to enhanced centralized agent management?
A: No. Since Veeam Backup & Replication 9.5 will release much sooner than the Agents, integration level will remain as it is today for now.

Q: How can the Veeam Agents be centrally deployed, managed and monitored?
A: Centralized job monitoring (via Veeam Backup & Replication console) and reporting (via email notifications) is available for both free and licensed editions when backing up to a Veeam backup repository (just as today). Centralized deployment, configuration and management strategy depends on the deployment size:
- Under 10 agents: manual deployment and management is recommended.
- Above 10 agents: using remote configuration and management API available in licensed agents to automatically deploy and configure agents with logon scripts, Group Policy, SCCM, or whatever tool or method you have in place for software distribution is recommended.
- Hundreds of agents and multiple locations (hybrid cloud, remote offices, home offices, mobile users): Veeam Availability Console is recommended.
Note that this is a short-term answer for the immediate future – we are looking at providing additional options down the road.

Q: How is the Veeam Availability Console licensed?
A: Veeam Availability Console requires a free license that can be obtained by qualified enterprises customers (minimal deployment size requirement) and Veeam Cloud & Service Providers at no extra cost, and it includes 24.7.365 support. However, Veeam Availability Console can only manage licensed Veeam Backup & Replication and Veeam Agents installations – managing free editions is not supported.

[Frosty]

Unfortunately, no changes here. Veeam Agent for Windows will support operating systems starting from Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 and Windows 7 SP1

Ahh, so close, yet so far.
I might have to look into other mechanisms for imaging the Windows Server 2003 physical boxes then.
Thanks for your quick reply.
Frosty

[AlexLeadingEdge]

When can we expect VEEAM Endpoint 2.0 ?

[Anguel]

If I am reading everything here correctly, once the paid-for Veeam Agent for Windows is released, I'll get the same desktop functionality, but I still won't be able to edit and schedule the Endpoint backups in the Backup and Recovery console. I'll have to set those schedules manually while RDP/etc onto each workstation. Is this correct? If that's correct, that's a huge let-down, because this product could easily be used for an Acronis True Image replacement within a local environment. I think the Veeam Endpoint Protection product being manageable via the B&R console is what a lot of us have been waiting for Veeam Endpoint Backup to evolve into, so clarification on this is needed. What I'm reading is that Agent for Windows backups will only be able to be managed in the Veeam Availability Console. I'm also reading that the only entities that the VAC is going to be available to are service providers and "enterprise" (have yet to find Veeam's definition of what an enterprise is thus far). We are a firm with roughly 275 physical endpoints. Is the VAC available to us?

I think you understood it correctly. I am also very very disappointed and regret having paid for 2 more years Veeam Backup Essentials (VBR + Veeam One) maintenance. As a small business with 10-20 PCs I was really expecting to get Endpoint Backup integrated into VBR like they did it for LabTech. It not only did not get integrated but it looks like even if you pay for the new paid agents (prices are still to be seen) there is still no way for small businesses to centrally manage and monitor endpoint backups. Sorry Veeam, but it is the small businesses that really need such functionality as they don't have time and resources to write scripts and learn APIs. Again, extremely disappointed

[Vitaliy S.]

When can we expect VEEAM Endpoint 2.0 ?

The release is targeted to the end of this year. You can get more info on that from the recorded breakout sessions from the big launch event.

[skydok]

Hi Guys,
I need some insights
We are in the phase of customer solution PQ which of course i'm buliding on Veeam , BUT we are
having an obstacle with the Laptops. Avamar are giving a big fight here

Maybe one of you guys at Veeam (gostev i'm sure you know ) can a little help with that ?
I want to understand more new features that will be specific for laptops if someone is somewhere in the world with it.
Currently i can only backup with EP1.5 if the VPN is open to the office for the customer.

PLZ PLZ PLZ !!!

[Jeff L]

Swap the VPN for windows Direct Access?

[skydok]

It's something that cannot be altered if the organisation uses it , so it's not an actually option.

I was hoping maybe for a WAN/Cloud option for Laptops in smoking of global repo.

[Dima P.]

skydok,

I want to understand more new features that will be specific for laptops if someone is somewhere in the world with it.

Direct backup to cloud connect repository and local backup cache for remote targets. Check the recording of Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows 2.0 announcement here

[AlexLeadingEdge]

I might have to look into other mechanisms for imaging the Windows Server 2003 physical boxes then.
Thanks for your quick reply.
Frosty

We have a similar issue with VEEAM Backup & Replication version 9 not supporting Windows Server 2003, which is part of the client's critical infrastructure as they have custom programs that won't run on servers newer than Server 2003. We have decided to keep the old install of VEEAM Backup & Replication version 8 just because of that one Windows Server 2003 install.

Perhaps you could use an older copy of VEEAM Endpoint? Perhaps Version 1.0? Reading the notes for 1.0, it supported XP and Vista so that would mean it should work with Windows Server 2003.

I have copies of the different versions of Veeam EP (below) if you want them

1.0.0.1954
1.1.0.110
1.1.1.212
1.1.2.119
1.5.0.306

[Vitaliy S.]

Perhaps you could use an older copy of VEEAM Endpoint? Perhaps Version 1.0? Reading the notes for 1.0, it supported XP and Vista so that would mean it should work with Windows Server 2003.

Doubt that it would work due to this > Windows 2003 support

[Dima P.]

Perhaps Version 1.0? Reading the notes for 1.0, it supported XP and Vista so that would mean it should work with Windows Server 2003.

I don’t want to upset you but Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 2003 and Windows 2008 (non R2) operating systems were not supported since alpha version.

[frankive]

is there beta avaiable for veeam agents?

[Mike Resseler]

Frank,

Not yet for Veeam agent for Windows, but there is for Veeam agent for Linux. The beta for Windows is expected soon

Mike

[frankive]

goodie

[cdlane]

So...to recap... I could install the agent on our single, Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 (Core only) Hyper-V host to backup the C drive? Belt and braces I know but I like to have EVERYTHING backed up...

[Vitaliy S.]

Hi Chris, it seems like I'm missing the context. What is this recap for? Sorry if I missed it, couldn't find your previous posts in this topic.

[cdlane]

Sorry, kinda thinking out loud I suppose.

It was a rhetorical "so to recap" the previous, multiple, comments in to what I hoped (FAIL ) was a succinct summery of my planned use.

I know you don't need to back up the host and it's supposed to be quicker to stand a new one up etc but I'm always worried I'll forget the "crucial" step to get the iSCSI initiator back up or the widget attached to the crank shaft etc, wracking my brains to remember what I did last time etc.

Sorry to create confusion (it's a special skill I have )

[Mike Resseler]

Chris,

I do so an issue with the fact that you use CORE as a host (don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of it...) But Veeam Agent for Windows 2.0 won't support core at GA because we rely on components that don't exist in Core. Are you using more core (besides your Hyper-V hosts?)

Thanks

Mike

[cdlane]

Hi Mike,

OK, I can wait as I'd prefer not to convert it to GUI. Are there plans to allow it to run it in Core?

We have 8 VM's running; the 2 DC's and the file server are all core. The remaining 5 are all GUI due to the LoB software running on them.

I'm trying to work out whether it's work backing up the Veeam (VM) server too. Some people say yes, others no.

Thanks for the personal reply too.

Best regards,

Chris

[Mike Resseler]

Chris,
For the plans... I'll leave this to mr. Popov to reply... He is the man for this

For the Veeam server... I personally say no... What I do is make sure I know exactly at what version my Veeam server is (version + update #). I do have a config file moved to another location.

The reason for that is simple... I can rebuild a Veeam server somewhere in worst case scenario (even somewhere on cloud resources if necessary...) Then I can rescan a repository (that hasn't has a Veeam server anymore since it is "dead") and still start restoring very fast... But this is my preference, and my design for DR... Your design can be different and based on different techniques so...

[Vitaliy S.]

Support for server core edition is not coming in v2, however this FR is on the radar.

[cdlane]

Chris,
For the plans... I'll leave this to mr. Popov to reply... He is the man for this

For the Veeam server... I personally say no... What I do is make sure I know exactly at what version my Veeam server is (version + update #). I do have a config file moved to another location.

The reason for that is simple... I can rebuild a Veeam server somewhere in worst case scenario (even somewhere on cloud resources if necessary...) Then I can rescan a repository (that hasn't has a Veeam server anymore since it is "dead") and still start restoring very fast... But this is my preference, and my design for DR... Your design can be different and based on different techniques so...

Excuse my ignorance as I am relatively new to Veeam but do you mean a .BCO when you refer to a "config file" or is it something else and if so where does it live?

Best regards,

Chris

[Dima P.]

Chris,

BCO file contains your Veeam Backup and Replication configuration backup and should be used to restore your backup server it case of total disaster. If you are referring to VAW central management and configuration via API it will be supported by simple scripting options (import/export of config) and distribution of this configuration via file.

Regarding the core support. It’s not going to be introduced in v2, but it's planned for sure.

[mathias]

HI,

With the new Windows agent, will I be able to backup UNC-shares or are only locally connected disks supported?

/Mathias

[Vitaliy S.]

Hi Mathias, unfortunately, no, only local connected disks will be supported, but this feature is still on the radar.

[btmaus]

Any update on when this Agent for Windows will be released?

[Dima P.]

Coming soon in 2017. Don’t forget to subscribe to public beta which goes live first.