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GlenG
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How to move repository extents to new IP (VLAN)

Post by GlenG »

(related to case 03445600)

I need to create a new storage/repository (Windows) with a new IP (moving to same VLAN as the storage array).

Currently we are using an old Dell physical server that is connected to an IBM V5000 Storwise using 10Gb ISCSI. The IBM is divided into 3 LUNs (42TB each). Those LUNs make up a single SOBR that is about 60% filled.

The plan is to replace the physical server with a VMWare VM (we have 3 Veeam Proxy VMs).

The problem is that the SOBR extents are defined using an IP address.

The advice from support (03445600) is to place all of the data in a staging volume and import the disks.
https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... l?ver=95u4
and
https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... l?ver=95u4

Of course Veeam has been spreading the backups over the 3 extents. Separating the fulls and the incrementals. A lot of coping ( and disk space) will be needed to collect the full and incremental files.

Is there not a better way?

Can I remove the extent from the SOBR, then remove the repository from Veeam, then create the repository using the “Import existing backups automatically” and “Import guest file system index” options and the new IP, then add it back to the SOBR? Support thinks this more of a shot in the dark and may not work at all. Does having the backup files spread across the 3 extents make this process less likely to be successful?

Thanks for any clues,
Glen Gunselman
ejenner
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Re: How to move repository extents to new IP (VLAN)

Post by ejenner »

Are you sure it's a good idea to combine your backup server with a virtual environment? What if the virtual environment isn't available. Can you then restore your backups?

Anyway, you've probably thought about that.

I was on scale-out repository very briefly but decided to go back to individual storage systems which I manually balance as the downsides were far too plentiful having them linked up. I lost all my backups, but was still in the implementation phase so had other backups still in place while I rebuilt the archives on standalone repositories.

I think the only tip I can really give you is that you can move a whole backup off a repository by copying all of the backup files to a new location... then change the target (backup repository) for the job and the job will continue to run like nothing ever changed. That does involve copying data so will be slow.

The other possible option is to clone your jobs and change the destination in the cloned job to point to a new target. Then disable the old job. That way you don't have to copy the old backups off the repository. You just start the job again with identical settings pointing at a new repository. You keep your retained restore points on the old repository for as long as you feel comfortable. When I had to do this I kept the old restore points for about a week before deleting them.

Maybe with a combination of approaches you can clear one of the repositories and split it off from the SOBR? Then start to clear the other two?
GlenG
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Re: How to move repository extents to new IP (VLAN)

Post by GlenG »

Thanks for the comments.

The virtual environment is something to keep in mind. In our case we have multiple sets of hardware. The Veeam management server is on different hardware. The proxies (there are 3) spread across groups of UCS blades. The storage is separate and dedicated to Veeam. At this point if we lost so much hardware that we could not start the Veeam environment it's unlikely there would be any where to restore to. (We do have a hot DR site in the plan.)

We have had good results using SOBR, but defining it using IP has worked against us (multiple times now).

have a good weekend,
Glen
GlenG
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Re: How to move repository extents to new IP (VLAN)

Post by GlenG »

The process:

Remove the extent from the SOBR, then remove the repository from Veeam, [do whatever it takes to move the storage to the new server] then create the repository using the “Import existing backups automatically” and “Import guest file system index” options using the new server/IP, then add it back to the SOBR.

Was successful. It took a little over 4 and 1/2 hours to "Import" each of the three extents. No changes were made to any of the approx. 200 backup jobs.

Hooray for SOBR. :)

GlenG
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