How to Restore from SOBR?

[Johnson]

Hello everyone, I have configured the following:

1. Added a local NAS as a local repository
2. Added AWS S3 inside the local NAS as a capacity tier SOBR.

Backup is successful and the backup files are replicated to my AWS S3 bucket.
However, when I tried to restore, there is no option for me to select my S3 bucket.

Things I have tried:
a. Import backup > In the dropdown there is no option for me to select my S3 bucket
b. Restore backup > Same as above.
c. Tried to google but to no avail

I think I am missing a step somewhere.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thank you.

[Mildur]

Added AWS S3 inside the local NAS as a capacity tier SOBR.

Am I getting this right?
- Performance tier: NAS
- Capacity Tier: S3 compatible Object Storage on the NAS

If you want to restore directly from the capacity tier, you need V11a. Before V11a, restore was always done from the performance tier, if the restore point was there.
With V11a, you can choose to restore directly from the object storage.

You can find your offloaded backups under „Backups > Object Storage“ in Home in the vbr console.

https://www.veeam.com/kb4215

Restore directly from Capacity Tier: when a restore process is initiated from backups stored in the Capacity Tier (using the Backups > Object Storage node), we will no longer read matching data blocks from the Performance Tier and instead use solely the data from object storage. This capability can be useful for performing periodic non-disruptive restore tests directly from the cloud without putting your Performance Tier into maintenance mode.

[Johnson]

Am I getting this right?
- Performance tier: NAS
- Capacity Tier: S3 compatible Object Storage on the NAS

Yes. You are right.

A few more questions:
1. For restoring VM/Guest Files from SOBR, may I know what is the best practice? Restore from Capacity Tier directly or from Performance Tier? or is there no "Best practice" in this case?
2. If I am on Veeam v11, and if for example, my NAS (Performance Tier) is faulty, how can I restore from the Capacity Tier?
3. Similarly to #2, in the performance tier configuration, my retention is only 7 days, but if I need to restore the past month data from month Capacity Tier, can I do it without v11a?

[Mildur]

1. For restoring VM/Guest Files from SOBR, may I know what is the best practice? Restore from Capacity Tier directly or from Performance Tier? or is there no "Best practice" in this case?

Restoring from performance tier is for most environments the best option. For an example, If you have your data in a public cloud, you can save money if you don‘t use the capacity tier for the restore.
In your case, with Onprem Object Storage, it doesn‘t matter from which tier you do the restore. Both will work without any cost.
I don‘t know what NAS you are using and how the performance will be for smb or the s3 bucket. Use the tier which gets you more performance in the restore process.

2. If I am on Veeam v11, and if for instance, my NAS (Performance Tier) is faulty, how can I restore from the Capacity Tier?

You can put the nas extend in maintenance mode. That way, you force veeam to use the capacity tier for the restore. Second, If the nas is not available, veeam uses automatically the capacity tier for the restore.
https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... ml?ver=110

3. Similarly to #2, if on my performance tier, my retention is only 7 days, but I need to restore the past month data fro month Capacity Tier, can I do it without v11a?

Yes, you can do that with Veeam V11.
I assume, that you have already configured the move Policy with a operational window of 7 days.
If you start a restore of your vm data which is older as the 7 days, veeam will automatically restore this data from the capacity tier. You don‘t have to choose it manually.

[Johnson]

Thank you so much, Mildur, for your useful information. I have tested setting my NAS to maintenance mode and I can restore from capacity tier.
No further questions for now.

[Mildur]

Your welcome

[Johnson]

Hello again,

Yes, you can do that with Veeam V11.
I assume, that you have already configured the move Policy with a operational window of 7 days.
If you start a restore of your vm data which is older as the 7 days, veeam will automatically restore this data from the capacity tier. You don‘t have to choose it manually.

I have tested backing up to SOBR for about 4 to 5 days.
Today I wanted to test if I can restore older files from the capacity Tier.

After putting the Performance Tier in maintenance mode, I am not able to select the backup older than 3 days.
Any advice is much appreciated.

Thank you.

Uploaded Screenshots to my google drive.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u_V ... ue&sd=true

[Mildur]

I can not see your screens clearly.
Is the retention in the job 1 day?
Then this is expected. The capacity tier will use job retention to decide when a restore point must be deleted.

[veremin]

Fabian might be correct here, but to be 100% sure can you also share the screens of job active full and SOBR Capacity Tier settings? Thanks!

[Johnson]

Backup job retention is set to 2 days. I have more than 3 days of backup in the capacity tier. (since last week)

Screenshots:
Backup job settings:


SOBR settings - Capacity Tier


Unable to select restore points older than 3 days.


If this is expected, then how do I restore last week data. For example, the previous 6th day.

[Mildur]

Your retention setting is to keep 2 days of backups.
How do you want to restore from the 6th day, if you choose to only keep 2 days? You told veeam to remove everything after 2 days

You need to configure the retention in the job to 6 days, if you want to have 6 days of backup.

What is your goal?
Do you want to have only have 2 days of backups on the performance tier and more days on the capacity tier?
If that‘s the case, then you need todo daily synthetic fulls to seal the chain and configure the move policy to the capacity tier with „2“. But i don‘t recommend todo that.

I would configure for the job weekly fulls, with the retention you need. For example 30 days and some GFS.

And in the SOBR Wizard, configure in the capacity tier setting „move“ policy to offload inactive chains immediately after a new chain has started. That is possible with a value or „0“ in the setting.
If you have configured it that way, you will have no more than 2 Fulls and some increments on the performance tier. And all of the restore points in the capacity tier. All Fulls and all Increments. They will be kept in the capacity tier as long you have configured in the jobs retention setting.

[Johnson]

Do you want to have only have 2 days of backups on the performance tier and more days on the capacity tier?
If that‘s the case, then you need todo daily synthetic fulls to seal the chain and configure the move policy to the capacity tier with „2“. But i don‘t recommend todo that.

I would configure for the job weekly fulls, with the retention you need. For example 30 days and some GFS.

Yes this is what I would like to have. I will try this configuration.
Thank you for your patience to explain

[Mildur]

Your welcome
If you have any other question, please ask