Repository for replica metadata

[mporliod]

Hello, I wanted to have some information, I'm doing a virtual machine replica on a specific datastore of an esxi host.
But I realized that the metadata are located on an external NAS, is that correct? I thought they were on the host.


Name: Replica VM
Type: VMware Replication
Enable application-aware processing
Source items:
SRV-FILE (192.168.0.201)
SERVER2K12 (192.168.0.201)
SRVWIN-DC (192.168.0.201)
SERVER2K8 (192.168.0.201)
APC (192.168.0.201)
SRV-VEEAM (192.168.0.201)
SuseServer (192.168.0.201)
SRVWIN-DC02 (192.168.0.201)
ZIMBRA (192.168.0.201)
Replica destination:
Host: 192.168.0.201
Resource pool: Resources
VM folder: vm
Datastore: VEEAM-REPLICA [751,2 GB free]
Replica suffix: _replica
Restore points to keep: 7
Source proxies: Automatic selection
Target proxies: Automatic selection

Repository for replica metadata: NAS (host: use backup proxy, path: \\192.168.0.220\backup_vm)

Command line to start the job on backup server:
"C:\Program Files\Veeam\Backup and Replication\Backup\Veeam.Backup.Manager.exe" backup efc4680a-7322-4248-85f3-6efaae176c2d

[Mildur]

HI Massimiliano

You have to choose the repository for the metadata in this step:
https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... ml?ver=110
If you only have a NAS repository, then that's the location where the metadata will be stored.

But I realized that the metadata are located on an external NAS, is that correct? I thought they were on the host.

Yes, if you have chosen your NAS as the replica repository.
You can't store metadata directly on a ESXI host. ESXI host is a closed system.

Best,
Fabian

[mporliod]

But if for some reason I lose the metadata on the NAS, can I not activate the replicated vm on the hosts?

[Mildur]

Metadata folder is not required for a failover.
Also if you loose the metadata folder, the next job run will recreate the metadata.

Best,
Fabian

[mporliod]

What can't I do if I permanently lost the medata folder?

[Mildur]

The replica metadata is used during an incremental job session, when CBT is not available. In that case the source proxy uses the metadata to determine which blocks of the source VM have changed and needs to be replicated.
If CBT is available, we don't need to query the metadata. But we will update metadata with each job session.

What can't I do if I permanently lost the metadata folder?

You can do everything. Run a Replica Job, Failover VMs, Restore files or application items, ....
If you delete the metadata folder, it will be recreated automatically when the job session is started the next time.
Just make sure that your replica job has configured a repository which is powered on and usable so the folder and metadata can be recreated if required.

Best,
Fabian

[mporliod]

But correct me if I'm wrong CBT is only used with the veeam agent, if I do VM replicas I don't use the veeam agent.
If I don't have the metadata how do I track the changes of the VMs

[Mildur]

VmWare has built-in support for CBT for VMs since years. I believe it was introduced in ESX/ESXi v4.

I'm 100% sure that you already are using CBT for your VM backup jobs and VM replica jobs, because it's a default setting in Veeam:
https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... ml?ver=110