Discussions related to using object storage as a backup target.
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voyager529
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VBR Standard to Wasabi and other S3 Compatible Endpoints

Post by voyager529 »

Hello Veeam Friends!

So, we have a few clients on Veeam Backup and Recovery Standard. I've been anxiously anticipating U4 for as long as everyone else, and while I love many of its new features, this situation has me thoroughly confused. I've already called support, and to be transparent, I don't like their answer. Please allow me to elaborate.

On VBR Standard, it seems entirely possible to specify AWS credentials on a Cloud tier. Presumably, there is a way to send data from a backup job to AWS by specifying my bucket keys. It might not have all the kitchen sink features that scale-out repositories allow the Enterprise users to do, but I find it rather difficult to believe that one can specify AWS credentials and then not-do anything with them.

The problem is that this is all speculative, because we've been standardizing on Wasabi, the excellent, 100% S3 compliant service that's just as quick and 1/3 the price. 10/10 would recommend; we've already had great success with them for our Synology and QNAP clients. The problem is that VBR *only* lets me specify the AWS region; I can't specify my own server URL without making a scale-out repository, which isn't possible in the Standard edition.

Now, it's perfectly fine that I can't do a scale-out repo, but what I don't understand is that one doesn't need a scale-out repo for the functions Standard can perform going to straight AWS. I'm sure if I had the time and inclination to do some DNS/Sonicwall routing magic, I could trick the VBR server into sending all of its S3 traffic to Wasabi servers, and it wouldn't be the wiser. I'm sure if I knew where to look either in the bowels of the Veeam database or in the config files, I could find the list of S3 servers and make the change there.

I'm not looking for some massive feature shift or for scale-outs to be part of the standard tier; I'm figuring that I can't be asking for much more than a 'custom' option added to the AWS drop-down list and a text field or two where I can type in the Wasabi URL. This would also be helpful as FreeNAS, and I believe QNAP, support the S3 storage protocols as well; it would be incredibly nice to have these as options without needing scale-outs.

If there is a known workaround where I can change the URLs within Veeam's config files itself, I'd be happy to have that information. If this could be added as a feature request for U4a/U5/10, I'd be incredibly happy with that as well.

Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Joey
anthonyspiteri79
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Re: VBR Standard to Wasabi and other S3 Compatible Endpoints

Post by anthonyspiteri79 »

So, we have a few clients on Veeam Backup and Recovery Standard. I've been anxiously anticipating U4 for as long as everyone else, and while I love many of its new features, this situation has me thoroughly confused. I've already called support, and to be transparent, I don't like their answer. Please allow me to elaborate.
So just before touching the other points below, Cloud Tier is a feature of SOBR which at a minimum requires Enterprise.
On VBR Standard, it seems entirely possible to specify AWS credentials on a Cloud tier. Presumably, there is a way to send data from a backup job to AWS by specifying my bucket keys. It might not have all the kitchen sink features that scale-out repositories allow the Enterprise users to do, but I find it rather difficult to believe that one can specify AWS credentials and then not-do anything with them.
This functionality also exists in the Community Edition. Also as you said, the AWS credentials can be used for multiple features... Direct Restore to EC2 and External Repo for N2WS.
The problem is that this is all speculative, because we've been standardizing on Wasabi, the excellent, 100% S3 compliant service that's just as quick and 1/3 the price. 10/10 would recommend; we've already had great success with them for our Synology and QNAP clients. The problem is that VBR *only* lets me specify the AWS region; I can't specify my own server URL without making a scale-out repository, which isn't possible in the Standard edition.
This is correct...minimum license for SOBR and Cloud Tier is Enterprise.
Now, it's perfectly fine that I can't do a scale-out repo, but what I don't understand is that one doesn't need a scale-out repo for the functions Standard can perform going to straight AWS. I'm sure if I had the time and inclination to do some DNS/Sonicwall routing magic, I could trick the VBR server into sending all of its S3 traffic to Wasabi servers, and it wouldn't be the wiser. I'm sure if I knew where to look either in the bowels of the Veeam database or in the config files, I could find the list of S3 servers and make the change there.
This wouldn't be recommended. There is a reason why the Cloud Tier was designed in such a way. Sending large backup files to Object Storage potentially causes issues of performance etc on IO intensive operations. Specially for shorter term backup files that are under transformation.
I'm not looking for some massive feature shift or for scale-outs to be part of the standard tier; I'm figuring that I can't be asking for much more than a 'custom' option added to the AWS drop-down list and a text field or two where I can type in the Wasabi URL. This would also be helpful as FreeNAS, and I believe QNAP, support the S3 storage protocols as well; it would be incredibly nice to have these as options without needing scale-outs.
Wasabi is classified as S3 Compatible and can be configured as such. I use Wasabi myself for a test Capacity Tier extent. If FreeNAS or QNAP support S3 with v4 Authentication Signatures then in theory they should work. But at this stage will all require SOBR.
Anthony Spiteri
Regional CTO APJ & Lead Cloud and Service Provider Technologist
Email: anthony.spiteri@veeam.com
Twitter: @anthonyspiteri
anthonyspiteri79
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Re: VBR Standard to Wasabi and other S3 Compatible Endpoints

Post by anthonyspiteri79 »

Joey, in addition to the above we have a new Forum Channel for Object Storage and a post to the Unofficial Supportability List

object-storage-f52/unoffizial-compatibi ... 56956.html
Anthony Spiteri
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Email: anthony.spiteri@veeam.com
Twitter: @anthonyspiteri
evilaedmin
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Re: VBR Standard to Wasabi and other S3 Compatible Endpoints

Post by evilaedmin »

anthonyspiteri79 wrote: Feb 07, 2019 1:03 am Wasabi is classified as S3 Compatible and can be configured as such. I use Wasabi myself for a test Capacity Tier extent.
Hi Anthony,

So there is nothing special about "Wasabi Veeam Partnership" when it comes to support? I was imagining enterprise-like things like joint resolution of issues, joint QA/validation, etc?
anthonyspiteri79
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Re: VBR Standard to Wasabi and other S3 Compatible Endpoints

Post by anthonyspiteri79 » 1 person likes this post

Wasabi is one of the Public Cloud Storage vendors we tested with the most and put them through our Veeam Ready validation testing. We wanted to ensure the Cloud Tier would be fully supported.

I can't comments specifically on support, but it is very rare to never happens in terms of getting joint support efforts in the vendor space.
Anthony Spiteri
Regional CTO APJ & Lead Cloud and Service Provider Technologist
Email: anthony.spiteri@veeam.com
Twitter: @anthonyspiteri
voyager529
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Re: VBR Standard to Wasabi and other S3 Compatible Endpoints

Post by voyager529 »

Hey guys, thanks for the responses. It does seem to make a bit more sense that AWS specifically is required because the functions available in Standard involve services other than the S3 storage. That's the part I was missing.

For anyone else reading this thread, what seems to be working out well as an interim solution is an application called TntDrive; it presents an S3 bucket (including Wasabi or any other S3-compliant service) as a Removable Disk, and then it's just a garden variety Backup Repository in Veeam. I'm sure it's not a supported or sanctioned config, but my testing seems to give me optimism.

While I'm sure the 'scale out repository' is the ideal solution, and I look forward to moving our clients who have Standard licenses to the MSP licensing once their contracts are up, TntDrive solves the problem very inexpensively until that time.

Joey
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