Veeam 5 - Backup to USB?

[btn003]

Hi -

I have installed Veeam on a physical server 2008 backup machine.
I need to backup on Esxi 4.1 host with one VM.
I have setup Monday to Thursday backups to Disk D on my backup server. Then I planned to backup to a USB disk on Fridays for rotating weekly offsite copy. ( 2 different disks, one each friday)
What do you recommend for the Friday USB backup. Should I backup directly from Veeam to the USB disk, or first store on the backup server, and then some sort of copy to USB?
If so, how to automate the copy?

Kind r

Bjørn.

[Gostev]

Hi Bjørn, I recommend backup followed by copy. You can use post-job script in the advanced job setting to automate the copy. If you search the forum you can find a PowerShell script that picks up the latest backup after backup job finishes successfully, and executes required operation on it. Thanks.

[btn003]

Hi - thank you for answer.

I cant search the forum due to a strange error: Sorry but you cannot use search at this time. Please try again in a few minutes.
Can you direct me to a link with Power shell example?

[btn003]

Actually I found out I can Schedule a Veeam Copy File Job to do this. That should work as well?

[Vitaliy S.]

Yes, but file copy job picks up the entire folder, plus you need to make sure that file copy job doesn't overlap with the backup job.

Here is the script Anton is referring to backup naming when using reversed incremental (nevermind the title)

[bbeavis]

I backup directly to USB and it is mostly fine. Like anything, you need to keep an eye on it. The issues are related to my methodology. I use two other pieces of software beyond Veeam that can cause trouble. First, I use Truecrypt to encrypt my USB drive. That way if it is ever lost or stolen, it would be a major hurdle to overcome. Older versions of Truecrypt have caused periodic BSOD, completely random. The second thing I use is call MirrorFolder. I backup to the one USB and MirrorFolder (after mounting them both under Truecrypt) keeps the second USB drive in sync with the first. A complicated set up for sure, but it meets our needs.

IF you have the capacity AND the time, I recommend using VM Copy, not File Copy. Also, when you create your folder on the USB Drive use the built in Windows Compression (under advanced properties of the folder). In my simple tests VM Copy with compression gets almost the same size as a VM Backup.

The benefit of VM Copy is that you can immediately power up versus Backup requires installing Veeam, Importing Backup, restore, etc. The penalty for VM Copy is that is does not support Changed Block updating.

I currently use backup for nearly all the VMs. I use VM Copy for Domain Controls. In DR, we will need them up quickly for authentication, DNS, NTP, etc. Besides, my last DR Test I could not import the backup for DCs at my location (good thing I make two copies). I did call Veeam and the recommendation was to re-run the backup...Um I am simulating a disaster there ain't nothing to re-backup.

Another note, with USB be mindful of bandwidth. USB 2.0 is 480 Mbps. Many SATA hard drives are 1-3Gbps. Network speed could be 10-10,000Mbps. Some functions related to service console on ESX(i) are hard throttle to 100Mbps. So if you are on an active 100 Mbps network, you will not get full USB speed from your backup/restore. Whether you can support it or not, buy only USB 3 drives. We use portable Western Digital drives that are powered by USB. Next ones I get will be 1TB USB3 WD drives for about $100 each.