V7 Q, Can you replicate using san Snapshots?

[johnlong]

Just wondering.

Thanks!

[Vitaliy S.]

Hi John, can you clarify your question a bit? Do refer to using replication jobs from SAN snapshots or replicating SAN snapshot to another SAN device?

[johnlong]

Using replication jobs from SAN snapshots. I don't currently use SAN snapshots on my P4000 VSA but if Veeam replication jobs could use SAN snapshots I'm hoping the delay to the vm caused by using vmware snapshots can be eliminated.

[foggy]

Yes, you will be able to create VM replicas from SAN snapshots in v7.

[johnlong]

That is awesome! Thanks.

[Gary_Pollard]

Forgive me asking this to be spelt out in large font, (on a billboard would be great thanks) but are we saying that instead of VM snapshots, Veeam 7 will be able to use SAN snapshots for backups and therefore eliminate the VM freeze issue that is a minor annoyance for some and extremely problematic for others? (We fall into the second category, thus my extreme interest).

[chrisdearden]

We still take a VM snapshot , but it is only open for the time it takes to do the SAN snapshot. The issue we are looking to eliminate is where the commit of a VM level snapshot after the backup process can take some time on IO intensive VM's

[foggy]

Gary, backup from SAN snapshots will be available for HP StoreVirtual VSA, LeftHand and 3PAR storages. Here is the official press release for more details.

[Gary_Pollard]

We still take a VM snapshot , but it is only open for the time it takes to do the SAN snapshot. The issue we are looking to eliminate is where the commit of a VM level snapshot after the backup process can take some time on IO intensive VM's

This, I believe is the issue we experience, around 5% of our backups when run hourly would have a freeze of the vm for longer that 3 sec when the snapshot was being removed / resolved; this delay would disconnect data session for some users and they would often lose their work in the process. If what you describe will reduce the chance of this occurring to a negligible level (preferably never) then I will be very happy. We have a HP LeftHand SAN so we look to be in business when Veeam 7 is released. This is fantastic news, as hourly backups were the great promise of Veeam and we unfortunately found that they were not achievable for us without an unacceptable risk of data disruption. Bring on version 7!!