How does Veeam determine what mgmt vmk to access a host added to vCentre inventory

[rrkerr]

I'm looking for an explanation on how Veeam console determines communication with ESXi hosts that have multiple mgmt. vmk IP addresses on different subnets Can anyone help me understand what happens during the API call to vCentre when the Veeam backup job starts?

example scenario:

Veeam 11
vSphere 6.5

VCSA - IP 10.10.10.x/24
ESXi vmk0 10.10.10.x/24
ESXi vmk1 10.10.20.x/24

Veeam Server 10.10.20.x/24
Veeam Proxy 10.10.20.x/24
Veeam Repo 10.10.20.x/24

VCSA 10.10.10.x/24 added to Veeam infrastructure. VMs added to job. Job starts, host where VM resides is contacted and always on 10.10.10.x/24 address, never the other subnet IP.

I'd like to force communication to the host mgmt port that's on a different subnet from the vCentre mgmt subnet. VCSA is added to Veeam backup infrastructure, but how is the host communication determined when a backup job starts? Obviously if I just add the host standalone to Veeam using the alternate mgmt vmk IP , communication is on that subnet but surely that's not the only workaround.

For info, VMware have told me they won't support a multi-homed VCSA other than for VCSA HA deployment scenario.

[PetrM]

Hi Ryan,

What about DNS name resolution of ESXi hosts? Did you check it?

Thanks!

[rrkerr]

A records in place resolve to first vmk mgmt IP 10.10.10.x/24. I thought about adding CNAME to 2nd vmk mgmt IP but question is the same. How would Veeam determine which interface to use?

Thanks!

[Andreas Neufert]

Simple. We ask within APIs the vcenter for an ESXi host and we will get the FQDN of the host (it do not matter if the host was added by IP, ShortDNS or FQDN to the vcenter, the API always reports the FQDN). Basically what you have set in case of hostname and domain on the host itself will be noted in the Vcenter no matter how you add the server to the vcenter.

We go to DNS and ask for the IP and then connect.

When you want to move arround the IPs used, please add a hosts entry on Veeam Backup Server AND all Proxy Servers that reslove short name and FQDN with the IP that you want to use.

[rrkerr]

Hi Andreas
Thanks for the reply and explanation. That makes sense, I'll use local hosts file to point to the correct IP.

[Andreas Neufert]

Please find in our best practices guide further explanations:
https://bp.veeam.com/vbr/VBP/3_Build_st ... ution.html