Using S3 Storage as Backup Copy?

[josh_swr]

I'm currently using Backup and Replication with 2 backups jobs. One is the primary backup going to a local storage disk, and the other is a backup copy going to a basic 'Cloud' type repository.

I want to switch from this cloud repository to an S3 compatible repository (Wasabi) as it will be much cheaper for us. However, I don't seem to be able to use S3 repositories on a backup copy job. I've done a bit of reading which points towards needing to use scale-out repositories, however, I'm not experienced with those so am not really sure how to go about setting them up or what their purpose is.

Can anyone provide me with some instructions for using S3 as a backup copy location, or point me in the right direction?

[Mildur]

Hi Josh

For now, you need to use a SOBR.
With Veeam V12, you will be able to directly to a backup copy Job to S3 Storage.
Creating the SOBR needs a VUL license or if you have socket licenses at least Enterprise Edition.

Steps to create a SOBR for s3 offload:

1) Add the S3 Bucket to Veeam
2) Add a SOBR with your onpremise storage and the newly added S3 Bucket as a capacity tier.

[HannesK]

Hello,
and welcome to the forums

Yes, scale-out repository with capacity tier in copy mode is the way to go today. V12 (planned for 2022) will also support backup copy jobs directly to object storage.

The quicks start guide has some basic information that should be good to start
Helpcenter has more details
and I recommend checking out the FAQ
and forum search of course

Best regards,
Hannes

[josh_swr]

Thanks - makes sense. If its set up with a copy policy will that work the same as the copy job does? I.e. will it have the same retention as the local repository so as not to increase storage costs unnecessarily?

Also, when is v12 due to be released? If it's really soon I may just wait for that. I'm currently running v10 (Enterprise Plus), would it be a free upgrade from that?

Thanks

[HannesK]

nope, please check the documents I linked

V12: not "soon" - except you second half of 2022 is "soon" for you. As always, a valid support contract is required.

[josh_swr]

Looking at the links you sent I can't immediately see anything which talks about the retention in scale-out repositories. Would you be able to brielf explain how that would work?

At the moment our backup job keeps 14 restore points and the copy job keeps 5 restore points. Can I achieve this using the SOBR? If not, what is the best I can do here?

Thanks

[sfirmes]

@josh_swr think of the Capacity Tier as an extension of the SOBR's Performance tier. This is a great link to learn about the Capacity Tier in greater detail.

[HannesK]

the copy checkbox means 1:1 copy. the retention is the same what backup jobs do. "copy" is a repository setting, not a job setting.

[josh_swr]

Makes sense and I think that should work fine for me.

One last thing - in the event that I had a total local data loss of both the backup repository and the backup server, what would be the steps to restore from the capacity tier? Would a fresh install of veeam be able to link back to the existing capacity tier backups? If so how?

Thanks

[oleg.feoktistov]

Hi Josh,

Have a look at this restore scenario. If configuration backup is also unavailable, just add your object storage to a newly installed VBR as the first step.

Thanks,
Oleg

[josh_swr]

Hi Oleg,

Am I right in thinking that as soon as the object storage is added to a new install of VBR it would immediately detect the existing backups and allow you to restore them? Would that work the same if they were encrypted? I guess it would just ask for the key?

Thanks,
Josh

[oleg.feoktistov]

Josh,

You will need to launch import wizard for that.
Yes, the import wizard will also ask you for the key if any backups are encrypted.

Thanks,
Oleg

[szwicker]

Jumping into this thread as I'm exciting to learn about this.
With Veeam 12, will we have the ability copy the completed backup job directly from the onprem Veeam Server to S3 storage WITHOUT Cloud Connect server requirements?

So:
1. Onprem Veeam backup to local storage. Same as it has been.
2. Backup Copy job runs to S3 "Wasabi, Azure Blob, etc.

No need to connect it to a Cloud Connect.

[veremin]

With Veeam 12, will we have the ability copy the completed backup job directly from the onprem Veeam Server to S3 storage WITHOUT Cloud Connect server requirements?

You can do this even now with the Capacity Tier copy mode, what v12 brings in terms of object storage support is the ability to use object storage repository as target for backup, backup copy and many other jobs. Thanks!