Cloud Connect for Enterprise

[lwarner]

We have a CCE license. I was told numerous times that we can back up laptops in the field using CCE. However, I can find no way to do this. I've opened a ticket requesting help (05847062) but was told that Veeam only does break-fix, and the support rep refused to provide any help. There is NO documentation on CCE. Support just parrots that CCE documentation is the same as CC docs.
Nobody at Veeam seems to be able to answer a simple question, and provide a simple straightforward answer to this. I'm super frustrated as I've been spending months just getting Veeam to acknowledge that CCE even exists, getting the licenses, and then not getting any support.

Are there any users out there who use CCE?

All I want to do is back up laptops / remote endpoints over the CC to my repositories. If I create an Agent job, the XML file contains the local hostname and IP address. Nothing references the Cloud Gateway or IP. I don't understand why this is so difficult.

[HannesK]

Hello,

Support just parrots that CCE documentation is the same as CC docs.

That's correct. You can use any documentation for service providers (that includes the best practice guide) It's just a different license and VCC-E customers are allowed to run VCC directly on the backup server that is also doing normal backup.

Nobody at Veeam seems to be able to answer a simple question, and provide a simple straightforward answer to this.

could you maybe send me the names via direct message who your Veeam contacts are? Because our engineers and sales teams should know about cloud connect enterprise

All I want to do is back up laptops / remote endpoints over the CC to my repositories. If I create an Agent job, the XML file contains the local hostname and IP address. Nothing references the Cloud Gateway or IP. I don't understand why this is so difficult.

Correct, the XML file always points to the backup server. There is no integration with Cloud Connect at this point. The backup job itself can point to Cloud Connect. But the laptop needs to connect to the backup server first to get the backup job. The alternative would be to use the Veeam Service Provider Console (also free) to manage the agents. The question is, whether it's worth to do that.

Best regards,
Hannes

[lwarner]

Hannes, are you saying that the only workflow is:
[my 'tenant' Veeam backup server] ---> [CC Gateway]

and there is no provision for:
[endpoints in the field, laptops, etc] ---> [CC Gateway]

[lwarner]

Part of my confusion stems from articles such as these, this one explicitly shows a Windows Agent backing up directly to CC:
https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/agent ... tml?ver=50

And this one for Mac:
https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/agent ... tml?ver=10

It literally says "... you can connect to a Veeam Cloud Connect service provider (SP) and create Veeam Agent backups in a cloud repository..."

[HannesK]

Hello,
yes, you can go directly to CC with the agents. Both scenarios from your post above are fine.

But with the XML file / protection groups with pre-installed agents, one has to connect to the backup server first. Only once that's done, the agent can get the backup job configuration (which points to cloud connect)

The easiest way to get it working is using standalone agents. Give the agent a license and then point to cloud connect directly.

Best regards,
Hannes

[lwarner]

Hannes, please forgive my ignorance, on this.

I followed documenation and got the Mac installer package from the Veeam B&R installation iso. It is the same package generated when a Protection Group is created, and it requires an XML config file to install. There is no option to "point to the cloud directly." Is there perhaps another version of the agent somewhere that I'm missing?

[HannesK]

Hello,
no worries... probably I was not clear enough, that your scenario is not directly supported today.

The workaround is, that you enroll the agent while having a connection to the backup server. Once that's done, the backup job can point to Cloud Connect. The backup job configuration and the protection group configuration are two different things.

There is no way that the XML (protection group part) can point to cloud connect directly.

step 1: install agent with XML and connection to backup server (that's the "protection group" part)
step 2: the agent receives the backup job configuration from the backup server with cloud connect as target
step 3: the laptop can connect to cloud connect

Alternatively, manual configuration could be used (this screenshot is from version 2 which should be released soon)



Best regards,
Hannes

[lwarner]

So what you are saying is that a permanent connection must be established and maintained beweent the Laptop and Veeam, on LAN connection?

I just had a long conversation with Sales / Sales Engineering and they flat out told me that the scenario I explained: Laptop ---> CCE over WAN was EXACTLY what this product was supposed to do.

You are effectively saying that all endpoints must be on the LAN. That is not the definition of a mobile device. CCE is advertised on the Veeam site as being a product to protect mobile users and mobile devices.

Somebody at Veeam needs clarify this, because I keep getting two different sides, with one side promising that it will work, and another arguing against it.

[HannesK]

no... it's about the initial connection and "getting the job". The job then can point to cloud connect.

But the laptop needs to connect to the backup server first to get the backup job

If you send me the names, I can check what they suggested and where the misunderstanding comes from

I'm not sure where clarification is needed... the result you see is what I described above.

[lwarner]

Hannes, just an update in case anyone stumbles on this thread. I am finding that use of CCE is not very widespread, which is probably why there is not a wealth of information and also much confusion.

Anyway, the part that was left out of the conversation is the Service Provider Console.

All backup jobs for CCE are managed through that SPC, not through the B&R server. None of what we discussed earlier in this thread is relevant.
In the SPC, it becomes very clear how to deploy the Agents and configure them.

Basically from the SPC, you can download the Agent, then install it on the endpoint; it is configured with a single command. The endpoint then shows up in the SPC, and from that point you can take over management of that endpoint. Very simple. No LAN connection needed, everything is over https through the CC Gateway as intended.