how config backup proxy and repository for use free-LAN

[baber]

Dear all
Hi

i have 5esxi hosts in my vCenter and esxi host connected to san and vms are in shared storage (about 50vms) i have 7 datastores on my esxi host and all of esxi host can see 7 datastores now want to know in this mode (all of vms are on shared storage)
1 -how can use free-LAN backup ?
2 -do i have to assign backup proxy role and backup repository role to veeam backup & replication for use free-LAN?

BR

[veremin]

Start with reviewing corresponding section of our Help Center, and ask additional questions afterwards, if any is left. Thanks.

[baber]

thanks dear friend
i have read that previously but realy could not get answers

[veremin]

1 -how can use free-LAN backup ?

Make sure that you have a physical proxy server that has access to production LUNs and that the proxy is configured properly (refer either to already mentioned Help Center or our sticky FAQ)

2 -do i have to assign backup proxy role and backup repository role to veeam backup & replication for use free-LAN?

Not necessarily a backup server, it can be any physical machine that combines proxy (configured in Direct SAN mode) and repository roles.

Thanks.

[baber]

1 - in that mode (5 esxi host that connect to san and use shared storage) my veeam backup server put on this shared storage (veeam was vm) also assign backup proxy and repository role to veeam server will use LAN-Free?

2- if install veeam backup & replication on physical server and assign backup proxy to veeam server and backup repository on shared storage in this mode will use LAN-Free?

BR

[veremin]

backup repository on shared storage in this mode will use LAN-Free?

I'm slightly confused with this statement, are you planning to store backups on production datastore? If so, I'd strongly advice against such strategy due to reasons mentioned here. Thanks.

[baber]

this is my scenario now i want to use what do i have to do for use LAN-Free

i have 6 esxi host each of them has 2FC that connected to san switch now i have added all of my 6 esxi hosts to veeam
my backup proxy is on veeam backup server and my backup repository is a on that SAN now what do i have to do that my backup traffic not cross from network and just cross from FC ?

my main question is what do i have to do if want my veeam is on physical server and use LAN-FREE
where do i have to my backup proxy ? (backup proxy had to on veeam physical server? my veeam backup proxy had to put on virtual ?)

where do i have to backup repository?

BR

[tdewin]

if you want lan free backup :
a) proxy and repository have to be on the same server
b) proxy has to be physical, vmfs volumes need to be assigned to the proxy and the proxy needs to be setup in direct san (actually the auto select mode should work just fine because it prefers direct san / https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... tml?ver=95)

if you want the repository to backup to a SAN volume, you need to assign the volumes where you want to back up to, to the proxy server and format them there? Then add the directories as a repositories in Veeam Backup & Replication. Although it is highly discouraged to backup to the same SAN on which you are running virtual machines in production

[baber]

1- is that your means if my veeam backup installed on physical server and veeam server connected to storage and put backup proxy on veeam physical server in this mode had to enable LAN-FREE?

2- do i had to put backup repository and backup proxy on same server for use LAN-FREE ?

BR
Babak

[nielsengelen]

1. Correct.
2. Correct.

[baber]

can i set backup proxy role tp veeam backup physical server and for backup repository create a LUN on my san storage(EMC) and attached that lun to my veeam backup & replication for use LAN-FREE?

BR

[nielsengelen]

Yes, u can put all roles on 1 server if it is has enough resources (CPU/Memory) to do this.

[baber]

is that better for use LAN-FREE create a lun on my san storage and attach it to veeam backup & replication or create a virtual machine on SAN and set backup repository to that ?

BR

[tdewin]

Both are possible. But again, it is not recommended to backup to the same SAN that is used for running the production VMs. If your SAN dies, both your VM's and your backups are gone

Best thing is to just set it up, test it out, instead of speculating

[baber]

is that recommend copy backups file to other SAN storage?

BR

[foggy]

A more common approach is backing up directly to some other storage.

[nielsengelen]

Best practice is to backup to storage not related to production storage.

[baber]

so thanks
but while we set backup proxy role to a vm while start backup the disk of machine will be hot add to backup proxy for get backup and after that will be release disk but now while our backup proxy role has been assigned to a physical server in this mode i think can not use hot add now what will be do ?

BR

[nielsengelen]

As Timothy has mentioned you will have to use directsan mode. This is configured as default. More info can be found in the userguide: https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... tml?ver=95

[baber]

in below scenario can i use LAN-FREE:

my veeam backup and replication has been installed on physical server and my backup proxy role also assign to veeam backup (physical server) and i have attached an external HDD as backup proxy to veeam server but my esxi hosts connected to NAS via lan and all of my vms put on NAS in this mode can i use LAN-FREE or can not ?

BR

[tdewin]

If you use NAS and a physical server, you'r traffic will flow over the network if using Direct NFS or NBD transport mode. However, normally a production NAS (e.g Netapp) is connected to a separate Ethernet Network / separate switches and so in Direct NFS mode, the data should only flow over that specific Ethernet Network and not the production network/

I guess LAN-free is an interesting topic but for me personally, I think it is better to have a good backup stored with the correct retention and applying the 3-2-1 rule (https://www.veeam.com/blog/how-to-follo ... ation.html), instead of focusing LAN-free.

[baber]

excuseme,
i confused you said don't save backups on same storage that vms has been created
now want to know if i want to use LAN-Free had to put backup proxy and backup repository on one physical server(here is veeam server) and this server had to link directly to SAN now in this mode will use LAN-Free?

[baber]

Dear all
Hi

my storage ability is connect directly to veeam backup server now
1- i want to know in this mode can i just add storage to my veeam server instead of vcenter or esxi host ?
2-if answer of previous question is YES in that mode can i select each vm for backup or it will get backup from lun ?

BR

[PTide]

Hi,

Is it a repository storage, or a storage that hosts VMs' disks (vmdk)? If it's a repository, then what is the purpose of having VM storage which is not connected to vcenter or ESXi?

Thanks

[baber]

i think the correct method is connect repository directly to veeam
Is that correct ?

but actually i want use best method that not use from LAN
i have a physical veeam server and an EMC SAN. Do i have to use one SAN or 2 SAN(second san use for repository) as best practice now want to know can i use with on physical server as veeam and an EMC san as storage that hosts VMs' disks (vmdk) and Repository and my backup traffic not through from LAN?

BR

[PTide]

You can use as many SANs as you want - be it 1 or 2. However it does not make much sense to store backups on the same SAN with your VMs. If you want the traffic to stay out of LAN, you should use direct SAN method, or Hot-add (proxy appliance should also server as a repository in this case)

Thanks

[baber]

i understand if want to through traffic from san not from LAN had to keep backups and vms on same SAN
is that correct?

BR
Babak

[PTide]

No.

With direct-SAN mode your backup proxy will read VM data directly from SAN, and you proxy must be physical in this case.
With hot-add mode your backup proxy should be a Virtual Machine on a host that is able to access the datastore where the source VM’s disks are stored. Also the proxy should also be a repository. That does not imply that proxy VM must be on the same datastore with your production VMs.

Regardless of the method that you choose, it does not make any sense to keep a VM and its backups on the same storage, because you'll lose everything in case the storage crashes.

Thanks

[baber]

excuseme
i have 2 question:
1-My veeam Backup is a physical server that is connect directly to my SAN that my vms reside on that
on the other hand my proxy server rule has been assigned to that physical server (veeam backup server) now in this mode will my backup traffic pass through SAN or LAN?

BR
Babak

[foggy]

Traffic from SAN to backup server/proxy will pass through SAN fabric and then will go to the repository server.