Backup VM's and Data Separate

[WORKS2019]

I have a windows Server 2016 Standard with 2 VMS. I'm backing up the VM's fine. Question is I'd like to backup the Host is it possible to select "Entire Computer" out of the three options below and exclude the VM's? Is this done automatically if not can I configure to skip them?

1. Entire Computer: Backup entire computer image for fast recovery on any level. Deleted, temporary and page files are automatically excluded from the image to reduce the backup size.

2. Volume Level Backup: Back up images of specified volumes, for example only data volumes. Deleted, temporary and page files are automatically excluded from the image to reduce the backup size.

3. File Level Backup (Slower): Back up selected files and directories only. This mode still produces an image-based backup, but only with protected file system objects included in the image.

[HannesK]

Hello,
I moved your question to the"Veeam Agent for Windows" forum instead of "Backup & Replication"

"entire" means "everything". There is no "exclude" for "entire" or "everything".

I expect that you have your VMs on a separate drive / volume. That means you probably only want to backup your operating system. Just use the checkbox shown in the user guide for file level backup. That will exclude the volumes where your VMs live.

Best regards,
Hannes

[WORKS2019]

I don't have the option to select folders as the user guide shows. I only have the option to manually enter the file path. For example:
D:\DDFT GT MG
D:\Quickbooks
D:\Company Data
D:\Software.

Do you know why the folder tree is missing?

[wishr]

Hi RJ,

Could you please share a screenshot of that?

Thanks in advance

[WORKS2019]

Here you go, not sure this is going to work and why Veeam doesn't have an upload option.

[Dima P.]

Hello RJ,

When agent is managed by Veeam B&R server the only option for file level backup is to type in the path manually (folder tree is available via agent running in standalone mode). Mind me asking why you are protecting VMs via agent based backup instead of built-in VM backup jobs? Thank you!

[WORKS2019]

Hi Dima, thank you for asking. Because I'm new to Veeam and I learn best by installing, configuring, etc. Majority of my posts are coming from my test lab while I learn the product.

"Mind me asking why you are protecting VMs via agent based backup instead of built-in VM backup jobs?" I believe I'm backing up VM's using the built in backup jobs. I'm trying to backup several folders on the server where Hyper-V is configured, the host itself and not on specific folders on any VM's.

Please let me know if I need to clarify.

[HannesK]

Hello,
did you look at the evaluation guide I recommended to you in this post ?

It would help if you could tell us what you try to do and which products you are currently using.

Veeam is built for VM backup. VM backup is without agents. We built agents for physical workloads but now some customers start to use them in VM because "they always did that". That leads to confusion in the forum because we don't have the concept of agents in VMs.

In general, we don't care about the hypervisor. It has no data (if used correctly). I understand that some customers want to backup the Hyper-V host to avoid re-installation after a crash. That's why they sometimes so backups of the Hyper-V host with an agent.

It should be no problem to point you to the right parts of the user guide, as soon as we know which products you are using and what you try to achieve. And also whether you are using Veeam Cloud connect provider (as you asked about cloud in your other post).

Are you configuring the agent via Backup and Replication console or standalone?

Thanks,
Hannes

[WORKS2019]

Yes I looked at the evaluation guide, if that's all you're gong to talk about why have this forum!? I have a windows Server 2016 Standard with 2 VMS as it's clearly stated in the first sentence of this post. If you're going to point me to the guide great, do so. If that's all you have for me then hopefully others in here will contribute. There are literally hundreds of online forums available to assist with learning a product and troubleshooting. In these forums there are those that communicate with ideas, try this, that, and there are those that click and paste an article or have you read the guide. If you're the latter just send me the entire guide and please ignore my posts. Thank you.

[HannesK]

Hello,
yes, I ignored the links to your screenshots, as they seemed to be broken. Sorry for that. Now I clicked on them and I don't understand why you cannot find the "operating system" checkbox. I marked it in red now. As you asked to "backup the host", I guess that you want to backup the operating system. Excluding the VMs happens automatically if they are not on the same volume.



There is a separate guide for agents managed by the backup server. That's why I asked which UI you are using. You can find the step by step guide here

Best regards,
Hannes

[WORKS2019]

"I guess that you want to backup the operating system." I can find that but I don't want to backup the OS I want to backup separate folders.

[HannesK]

sorry, I have to give up. In the screenshot above you already found out how to backup folders as far as I can see.

[WORKS2019]

You obviously didn't read my question rather just be too quick to try and pinpoint a section in the manual to cut and paste into this thread. You're 99% theory/manual and 1% practical. Please don't tell me you're the only Veeam tech that reads this forum and will see my post?

[wishr]

Hi RJ,

Could you please let us know what particular queries/ideas you'd like to discuss at the moment?

Thanks

[WORKS2019]

Hi Wishr, I think this question got moved and maybe is part of the issue. Is there a way to backup folders and select them from a folder tree rather than add them by directory (like in the image above).

Thank you.

[wishr]

Yes, but at this moment only if you use Standalone Agent (not managed by B&R server) as Dima mentioned above.

Here is an example:

[WORKS2019]

The setup is a 2016 Server Standard as the host with 2 VM's running on Hyper-V. My understanding was not run the agent on the 2016 Standard server since it was managed by the B&R Server, which is backing up the 2 VM's. Is it alright to have the B&R server manage the VM's and to create another backup and install the agent on the same 2016 Server for folder level backups? Thank you.

[wishr]

There should not be any issues. You may even configure this Standalone Agent to put backups to your existing B&R repository - it will appear in the predefined "Unmanaged" group in the B&R UI, Inventory section.

[WORKS2019]

Thank you and I sincerely appreciate all the help.

[WORKS2019]

It's not an option, have no idea why but I don't have the drop down option like in your screen shot. I'm install the stand alone agent as well. Any ideas.

[WORKS2019]

Do I have to install the Windows agent manually? I was told when I select windows agent while creating the backup set that it pushes it out and installs at this time.

[wishr]

Hi RJ,

Yes, to get a Standalone Agent you should install the Agent manually on the server by running the independent installer. Please note, that it will be required to uninstall the current Agent version first and all the related Agent components. If any issues with the latter arise - please contact our support team for assistance.

Thanks