storage snapshot-only job

[nick76]

Hello all,
we have a Dell Unity XT SAN with different Consistency Groups (CG). one of these CG, that about 300TB of file data (no virtual machine or VMWare infrastructure), need to have a storage snapshot that need be scheduled.
I've read that Veeam B&R can act as storage snapshot manager on the Dell, by running a Snapshot-Only Jobs.
I only find documentation about running snapshots of VMware infrastructure, while I need some documentation about running a Snapshot-Only Job for windows filesystem data.
there's a way? can you please give me some hints or some documentation about it?
thank you very much

Nicola

[Andreas Neufert]

The Unity XT integration has no option to schedule snapshots from the Veeam side. However Veeam can restore from an existing snapshot. For example if you have created those manually or scheduled within the Unity user interface itself.

Newer Dell integrations have this functionality:
https://www.veeam.com/kb4206

[nick76]

Hello Andreas,
thank you very much for your reply.
there's some documentation about Veeam to restore files from a snapshot created by Unity XT itself?
thank you again
best regards

Nicola

[Andreas Neufert]

Please find here:
https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... ml?ver=120

In a nutshell, we detect new snapshots and mount them temporarily to our Veeam Proxy server to check what is on the snapshots and to display it in our UI.

If you start a restore we fast clone the snapshot and mount it to an ESXi host. Our restore wizards access the VMs or Data within the VMs to provide all kinds of restores listed on the above link.

[nick76]

Hi Andreas,
thank you very much for your quick reply. this procedure applies also to NON VMWare snapshot but to file system SAN Snapshot?
kind regards
Nicola

[Andreas Neufert]

No, it is only for VMware datastores with vmdk based VMs in it, but you can restore guest data from within the VMs that sit on the volumes there.

If you search for some NAS backup (filer data) you can check out our NAS backup. There you can backup as well from an alternative path (snapshot location that you mount there or is automounted there). As well there is the possibility of pre and post script processing so that you can automate snapshot creation as needed.

[nick76]

What I'm looking for is a windows share (not a NAS share). the LUN within the Consistency Group will be shown as disks on the destination servers.
in this scenario I need to pilot (create snapshots and restore files from these snapshots) in the easiest way (and more automated way).
I see in the Veeam interface I can take snapshot from the Storae Infrastructure. But this has to be done manually.

What I'm looking for is some automation (even via Veeam API) to automate this.
If this isn't the case, I would like to automate in the Unity Management interface the snapshot creation, but then manage the restore via Veeam (for easier and safer approach).
there's no VM.

thank you again and sorry for the misunderstanding in what I would like to obtain.
regards

Nicola

[Andreas Neufert]

Hi Nicola,

you speak about a share and a LUN at the same time. Is it a SMB share that you gave to the Windows System or a Block Volume?

If it is a block volume, then the only option is to use our agents to backup the volume. Or use our NAS backup with the Windows Server to backup file level incremental forever which scales well.

[nick76]

Hello Andreas,
you're right. it's block volume. but the agent then will use a repository as target or I can use a snapshot-only procedure. Because we don't have a target with that amount of storage to use as backup.
thank you again
Nicola

[Andreas Neufert]

No, you need a backup target then. And remember Snapshots are not backups. When the original storage has an issue, you will loose the snapshots as well. Snapshot only processing is usually used for the case to create additional restore points between normal backups to improve RPO window and as well for faster restore (RTO window).

[nick76]

hello Andreas,
thank you very much,
you're right, snapshots aren't backup but for our purpose is the one it fits better. We only need in case some users deletes accidentally a file in a short period.

So I need to figure out how to manage storage snapshots created by Dell Unity.

thank you very much
Nicola

[Andreas Neufert]

Jup maybe you can do the following. Schedule a snapshot in Unity. Create a script (outside of Veeam) that goes and mounts the snapshot fore store purposes to a helper server where an admin can copy files backup over the network to the original system.

Please consider investing into an immutable backup target storage to protect you over time.