Optimal configuration

[RobMiller]

I'm new to Veeam and wondering what would be the optimal configuration for my scenario. I have two physical servers available but am only interested in backing up the VMs on one of them as the other was already set up with a Datto. I have at present two DCs as VMs on one physical machine along with three other VMs, one of which I have installed Veeam on. Two are Server 2012 and three are Server 2016. I was thinking I would use the other physical host (both hosts are running Hyper-V) as the backup proxy and backup to my Netgear ReadyNAS. My concern is that the Veeam install is on the same physical box that hosts the domain controllers and file server (all in VMs) so if I lose that physical box I've lost the ability to do a restore unless I can spin up the Veeam host VM elsewhere. I really don't know how this all works as far as spinning up a VM on an alternate host. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good configuration? I don't have a SAN at my disposal -- basically just two physical servers with VMs and one Netgear NAS. I could add another physical box, or VM for that matter, with Windows 10 on it. Thanks in advance for your comments.

[csydas]

Hey Rob,

Veeam has a Configuration Backup done by default, you can see it in the Veeam Menu -- just make sure that goes somewhere nice and safe, and if your Veeam server tanks for whatever reason, you can just restore from config on another Veeam server and be up in < 1 hour. Even without the backup config, I think you can have just a Veeam server running with the hosts added, import the backups there, and run a restore from the imported backups.

In our shop, we just have a sleeping Veeam server at a DR site that has all the connectivity already set, and we test it every other week to make sure it's okay (Power On, Restore from most recent config backup, test a restore to a standalone host).

You could easily just have a second Veeam server running on your other host and just leave it powered off, and restore from config should you need immediate restores.

[RobMiller]

Is there any reason I need to run Veeam on a server or should I just create a Win10 VM and install on that? So, what I think you're suggesting is:
1 Veeam server install (can be on Win10) as a VM on my main server using the 2nd server as a backup proxy.
A backup Veeam server install (can be on Win10) as a VM on my 2nd server, also using itself as a proxy (I presently have the proxy on the Hyper-V HOST machine, not a VM...)
Copy my Veeam backup configurations to my 2nd install and restore from there if necessary.

Is this a reasonable configuration?

[Mike Resseler]

Yes, sounds reasonable

There is a thread around windows 10 versus windows server also that can give you more insight: veeam-backup-replication-f2/win10-vs-wi ... 53357.html