File share to disk to tape

[MaPf]

Hi all,

I didn't know where to put this thread, file share or tape, so please move it correctly.

Next to the usual VM backup we are backing up some customers file servers with Veeam file backup to disk in the datacenter.
I want a monthly backup to tape for archival reasons. For the usual VM Backups I write the last full of the weekly Backups to tape. The tape loader is also in the datacenter.

As I understand, file backup to tape backups from the original location (file server at customer site)
How can I instead write the disk-backup from the datacenter to tape (to relieve the customers line and speed up the tape write process)?
I see no way to use the File backup to disk job as source for the tape job.


2 possibilities:
1. add the repository as another fileshare in veeam and do a file to tape backup with that source
2. create a backups to tape job and back up the whole repository to tape


Questions:
for 1. could that be a possible (clean) way and how would a restore work?
for 2. since there are other VM-Backups on that repository, I probably would have to split that up, right? Also, how would a restore work?

Are there other options?

Thanks in advance
Best regards
Markus

[PetrM]

Hi Markus,

Any chance to use file to tape job in order to grab data directly from the file servers?

Thanks!

[MaPf]

Hello Petr,

that's what I'm doing currently, but it takes ages due to slow customer connection and MANY files on the Fileserver (NAS)
And during the time when backup is written to tape, the loader is not available for other Jobs.
Thats why I'm looking for a better, faster way

[PetrM]

Hi Markus,

In this case, I'd stick with the approach 2. If I get it right, the idea is to backup up the whole VM and to use backup to tape job to offload data to tape.

Thanks!

[MaPf]

Hello Petr,

I just tried that:
Created a new "Backups to tape" Job
added the repository where the file backup is located as source (it's the only data there, no other VM backups yet)
But the repository is listed with 0 Byte in size, although there's around 300GB of file backup data in it.
I guess, only VM backup data is recognized there, and file backups are ignored?

I will try the 1st approach, do a restore test and report back.

Could you tell me why it is not possible in File Backups to have tape as secondary destination?
Is there a technical reason?

Thanks
Markus

[PetrM]

Hi Markus,

It's hard to say why is repository space used for file share backups ignored and 0 Bytes is shown. From my perspective, it looks like a technical issue and it would be nice to have to a support case for it as our possibility to troubleshoot technical issues on forum is limited.

Tape support is not implemented yet but this is something we're going to deliver in our future releases. Although, I cannot give any ETA so far.

Thanks!