Hyper-V Cluster Configuration Question

[MG@Metro]

I have used Veeam a lot in VMware but not as much in Hyper-V. We are looking at making some config changes and I wanted to get some advice first.

My work uses Hyper-V and has 2 Hyper-V clusters, each cluster is in a separate datacenter. Each cluster has 4 Hyper-V hosts. Both clusters have a Dell Equallogic ISCSI SAN for storage and all Hyper-V hosts are 2012 R2

Attached to each Dell Equallogic ISCSI SAN is an older Dell physical host. Both hosts are not being used as an off host proxy but are being used as a backup repository with a LUN from the SAN being presented as V: drive on each Dell physical host.

We also have another physical server with lot's of disk in it that we use to hold backup copy jobs from each of the 2 Dell physical host backup repositories.

We are looking at removing the 2 Dell physical host servers as they are quite old. Obviously if we do this we will lose the ability to have the backup repository mounted as V: drive.

Instead of having the physical host servers backup repository mounted via the LUN as V: drive can I build a VM inside each cluster and use that instead? Each VM would have a C: VHDX drive for the install and a separate VHDX to act as the backup repository. These would be on the CSV volume on the SAN. Each datacentre cluster would backup all of the VM's that reside on it to the backup VM located on the relevant cluster.

If I lost the SAN I would lose my VM backup repository but that is already the case with the 2 Dell physical host servers as the LUN is already on the SAN.

Can you see any problems with what I am proposing?

[Mike Resseler]

If I understood it correctly, your first backup will go to the physical boxes with lots of disks in it, and from there you will do a Backup Copy Job to a VM that is being used as a repository.

That at least gives you the 3 copies of the data from the 3-2-1 rule, 2 different media (SAN and JBOD) but not the different location (so be aware of that and think about cloud/ tape/ repository that is located somewhere else...)

Are you planning to use those physical boxes as off-host proxies? Or using software VSS?

[MG@Metro]

Hi Mike

Thanks for replying. The plan is to ditch the 2 older Dell physical hosts that are connected into the SAN as they are old and out of warranty. I wasn't planning on using them as off-host proxies.

My first backup would go from my VM's into a VM on each cluster. From there I would do a backup copy job to another physical server with lot's of disk in it and off to tape and USB disk.

So the question revolves around backing up VM's on a CSV volume to another VM that resides on the same CSV volume. Hopefully that will work?

[Mike Resseler]

That work. I was actually rather thinking on using the new physical servers with lots of disks as a off-host proxy. But your setup will work also. You will need a software VSS obviously.

[Shestakov]

Martin, I would also suggest running HV Configuration Assessment report to verify if your clusters, hosts and VMs configuration meets best practices.
Thanks!

[MG@Metro]

I ended up changing this as per my original idea and it works well, thanks for everyone's advice.