Backup from storage snapshots

[BuffaloBucks]

I am ready to create my first backup job and I want to use storage snapshots to do that. Some VMs are large file servers, others are SQL servers where I will want to use Veeam Explorer for MS SQL Server and others are pretty basic application servers. I have the Hyper-V Cluster Nodes added to the Managed Servers list. I have the Hyper-V Off Host Backup Proxy role added. I have the backup repository added and setup for scale-out for future extents. I have installed the Western Digital Plugin for the primary storage array onto the Veeam servers. The WD array is connected to the Hyper-V Cluster and to the Veeam server via Fibre Channel utilizing CSVs. I have the Veeam server zoned so that it can see the storage LUNs.

I have been reading through the veeam_backup_9_5_u4_user_guide_hyperv.pdf but they don't mention hardly anything in there about backing up from storage snapshots. I have also been reading the veeam_backup_9_5_u4_storage_integration_user_guide.pdf but they only mention VMware vSphere in there. I currently do not have any storage snapshots created on the storage array. I believe I was told that I can control all that through the Veeam B&R console. What is the right process to do this correctly? Any limitations or other things that I need to be aware of?

[Egor Yakovlev]

HI Al,
Yes, functionality called "Backup from Storage Snapshots" is available for VMware infrastructures only. Scenario you want to check in Hyper-V guide is called "Off-Host Backup" and related "Off-Host Proxy" configuration.
In Hyper-V environments backup "by-default" is done using Microsoft Volume Shadowcopy Service snapshots. Those snapshots are taken at the volume level, and could be created by either Software VSS Provider(default), or Hardware VSS Provider(provided by SAN storage vendor). So closest match to what you are looking for is Hardware VSS Snapshots integration.
All the requirements, settings and configurations steps could be found by links above.
Hope that helps!

[BuffaloBucks]

Hi Egor,

Thank you for the information. I have looked through those 2 links and it does provide some good information but it is not helping me move forward unfortunately. It doesn't give me specifics steps to follow. Questions I have, is that do I need to install the "Western Digital Plug-In for Veeam Backup and Replication" for Hyper-V instances or is that just for vSphere? I know there is also a Tegile Data Protection Services (TDPS) plugin that might be needed for this but there is nothing that details out step for step what to do and it is quite frustrating. I'll keep plugging away an hopefully something will come together or maybe someone else with my setup will chime in as well.

[Egor Yakovlev]

Plugins are for Hardware SAN Snapshots, and yes those are for VMware infrastructures only.
You need to get a "Hardware VSS Provider" from your storage vendor and install it on both Hyper-V hosts as well as Veeam Off-Host Proxy. That will allow Veeam to initiate Hardware VSS Snapshots and use those for backup. Off-Host Proxy link above has step-by-step requirements that must be met in order to work.
/Cheers!

[BuffaloBucks]

I have opened a ticket with our storage vendor and am waiting for a response.

So the "Western Digital Plug-In for Veeam Backup and Replication" is only for VMware and it should be uninstalled from our Veeam server, correct?

[Egor Yakovlev]

Correct, it has no use for Hyper-V infrastructure anyway.