Backups Using Replicas?

[NerfHerder]

Hi All,

I have VBR server installed at a secondary site, and replication jobs are doing their thing - replicating VMs from primary site to secondary site.

I need to get backups going also. Is it best practice create backup jobs that backup from the replicas at the secondary site to a repo also at the secondary site (and then go offsite from there)? I am mostly just curious about taking backups from the replicas. Is this normal / expected practice?

TIA!

[haslund]

There is an existing, but older, thread about this topic here: vmware-vsphere-f24/backup-the-replicated-vms-t3703.html
It's not something I've seen many customers do, but it will work. You can keep CBT enabled, just make sure you don't perform the backups while the replication job is still running.

Just to check, you want to replicate from production to DR site, then backup the replicate from the DR site to backup repository located in the DR site?
Do you plan to produce backups locally in the production site?

[NerfHerder]

Thanks for the information.

I currently have 2 esxi hosts and 20-30 VMs at the production site.
I currently have 1 esxi host and the VBR server at the DR site.

I am replicating the VM's from the prod site to the DR site.
I need backups though.

I do not have storage available at the prod site.
I DO have storage available at the DR site, in the form of a Windows VM with large VMDK configured as a backup repo. Not ideal, but its what I got.

I can create backup jobs that backup the VMs form the prod site directly to the repo at the DR site. This works. I am just looking for ways to be more efficient with what I have.

Thanks!

[haslund]

How often are you currently replicating? And what kind of retention do you need for both the replicas and backups?

[NerfHerder]

The replication job runs every 4 hours.
Not sure what you mean by retention for the replicas?

[haslund]

In the replication job, a certain number of restore points are retained.
How long are you looking to retain/keep backups for in time?

[NerfHerder]

The replication jobs are configured to retain 5 restore points.

I - obviously - don't have much experience with replica jobs. I hadn't considered that they themselves can be used as backups? Is that what you are getting at?

Thanks!

[haslund]

5 restore points, replication every 4 hours is only 20 hours back in time. Consider increasing the number of restore points, then perform restores from there. However, just to be clear if you are looking to data from inside the virtual machines from further back in time, backups are still relevant, just then you need to ensure your backups have the proper retention.