[V13] Hardened Repository

[AbdelO]

Hi Experts !!

I’m currently design a deployment with Veeam Backup & Replication v13, where a backup repository server is directly connected to a storage array using SFP28 DAC cables.

According to the official documentation , JeOS ISO requirements only locally attached block storage (SAS, internal drives, etc.) is supported.
Connections through SFP28 ports are usually iSCSI or Fibre Channel, which would classify them as network-based storage, not local block devices.

My questions are:
Can the JeOS deployment recognize and support storage attached via SFP28 DAC if it presents LUNs as block devices to the OS (for example, using iSCSI direct attach without switches) ?
Or is it mandatory to use SAS direct attach with a hardware RAID controller to stay compliant with the JeOS requirements ?
Is it supported to deploy a standard Ubuntu Server (not JeOS) with XFS-formatted disks for backup volumes in a hardened repository configuration ?
Has anyone successfully deployed a similar setup using SFP28 direct attach with either JeOS or Ubuntu Server ?

Thanks in advance

[Gostev]

Correct, iSCSI storage is not supported for VIA-based hardened repositories in principle (FC storage should work though).
And yes, of course you can continue using BYO Linux approach for hardened repositories, this is fully supported.

[AbdelO]

Even from the VSA linux-based (like VeeamSoftwareAppliance_13.0.0.4967_20250822), are immutable directories supported (BYO Linux), or do we have to wait for Veeam v13 on Windows ?

[Gostev]

Yes they are supported. Both VSA and V13 installable software for Windows are running the same exact cross-platform code, so there won't be any differences like that in principle.

[chaos]

(FC storage should work though).

But this wouldn’t be a supported solution, right?

[Gostev]

Only in a sense that our Customer Support will not be able to provide assistance in setting up or troubleshooting fabric connectivity or any storage array related issues outside the server where Veeam is installed.

But the beauty of FC SAN is that it should "just work" with the corresponding volumes appearing in the OS as disks without any OS-side configuration required (unlike with iSCSI SAN). At which point it makes no difference for our software if backing those disks are internal drives, SAS enclosure or FC SAN.

[chaos]

That sounds great!
You now opened another can of worms for me - in regards planing our greenfield deployment - as I was under the assumption that this isn't a "supported" config.
Okay i have to dig deeper, next problem might be multipath.conf don't know how "good" the out of the box one is.
But this would be an easy fix via elevate to root or veeam pushes a modified one for the verified block system in partnership with the vendors.