Integration with Storage Snapshots : Vendor Roadmap

[BigGeorge]

Hi all,
I see the new and very interesting feature introduced in Veeam B&R 6.5, but
do you know if there's roadmap (and when ) in the ability to use storage snapshots?
In particular Dell Equallogic?

Thank you!

Giorgio

[Gostev]

Hi Giorgio, what exactly do you mean "use"? Regarding support for Dell Equallogic specifically, I have already provided the response earlier here. Thanks!

[BigGeorge]

Hi Gostev, the post that you've link is the reply at my previous answer.
Thank you!

[roadking]

Any word on if this will start supporting other storage platforms? (Dell, EMC, NetApp?)

Thanks

[Vitaliy S.]

Our next step would be to introduce support for HP 3PAR models. As to other vendors support (Dell), please see Anton's answer above for further details.

[Gostev]

Unfortunately, I cannot make any comment regarding support for other storage platforms at this time.

[kirbya]

Hi all. I have spoken to VEEAM support and they tell me that they have no information around the question I have asked.

I would like to know if there is a pipeline for disks / arrays to be added to the SAN explorer functionality.
I have seen that it was developed along side HP but would hope that a standard API set will be available for other mainstream vendors.

Many thanks
Andy

[ldegros]

Hello.

Will VEEAM upport next IBM SAN, like V7000?

Thank you.

[mpgcc]

Hi,

I'm not sure if the Veeam developers are aware of this, but the latest release of the Dell PowerVault firmware now has built in array based replication (it's also now a supported array for VMware SRM 5.1). We are using this on the MD3600i. The remote replication is also available on MD3600F, MD3200i, MD3220i, and MD3620i. Maybe this replication engine does not have the same hurdles as the Equallogic?

The PowerVault would be a great addition to Veeam Storage Snapshots, because this is a very affordable array, and those running the PowerVault probably do not have the budget to license SRM.

[jake1829]

Hi

Is there any sort of time line for when other vendor's will be supported for storage snapshots?
After configuring one of my customer's Veeam7 deployment with a HP SAN, i was very impressed at the backup and restore times but the majority of our customers are running IBM SANS

thanks

[NightBird]

I would say majority of customers are running EMC SANS or Netapp SANS the two market leader...
Unfortunately, I think a EMC plugin will never be release... because EMC BRS branch (avamar, networker...)

Too bad for us... EMC and Veeam partner :'( because I have a lot of EMC customers with Veeam B&R...

[dellock6]

Hey, with EMC and Avamar you can now have also VM (almost) Instant Access, so why do you care about Veeam support? Oh, right, you need to also use a DD to make it work (obviously, I'm kidding).

The original poll is almost two years old, things have changes meanwhile, for example I suspect the ratio between clariion and vnx is now the opposite. And we do not now about other storages being supported while we speak, even if are less common than others (see the original percentage of 3par in that poll...).
There are also strategic alliances involved in this kind of integration I think, it's not only a technical issue.

Luca.

[NightBird]

Because Veeam roxx I have begun Veeam B&R in 2008 (version 2.0) and I love it...

Avamar ??? for what a price ??? ouch...

I think Veeam with backup copy job will work flawless to a DD, and DD price drop.

[Gostev]

There is no dark magic involved in how we choose who to integrate with.

We are considering the following 3 criteria for future storage integrations:
1. Good snapshot engine.
2. Significant market share for the storage device.
3. Technical and marketing support from the top down by the storage vendor.

[VladV]

I, myself, am looking forward to Veeam adding support for software based storage, primarily NexentaStor. Hope that this storage solution will make into supported SANs in the future.

[NightBird]

There is no dark magic involved in how we choose who to integrate with.

We are considering the following 3 criteria for future storage integrations:
1. Good snapshot engine.
2. Significant market share for the storage device.
3. Technical and marketing support from the top down by the storage vendor.

So we can expect EMC VNX Veeam B&R support in a near future ?

1. Good snapshot engine => VNX Snapshot
2. Number 1
3. mmm... ???

[Gostev]

3. mmm... ???

You have nailed it

[RakeshP]

Hi

We have two Pure Storage SANs and are migrating off our EMC equipment. We have used Veeam for several years and would like to see the snapshot technology you have in place with HP SANs working with the Pure Storage SANs. I spoke to Pure who have said Veeam are indeed in discussions with Pure, but I had to express my interest on the forum to help the discussions progress further.

I appreciate Pure are a relatively new vendor with a small market share compared to some of the others.

If there are others on the forum who have the same set up, please express your views...

[Gostev]

Just to reiterate my announcement at our VMworld session on the storage integration roadmap, the integration for the next major storage vendor is feature complete and is currently in testing. This should be a part of the next minor release. I don't know when we will announce the vendor name though, this is not up to me.

[aldvm]

Do you have plans for integrating with IBM Storwize (for ex. V7000), within next six months maybe?
We are considering upgrade to Enterprise Plus and storage snapshot is feature we would like to have, of course if our storage is supported. Thanks

[Regnor]

With the power of scripting everyone should be able to use Storage Snapshots for their backup, regardless of the storage vendor.(though I didn't test it)
Many vendors are offering some kind of powershell or scripting interface and I can think of a way where you combine this interface with PowerCLI and Veeams PS Plugin.

1. Create VM snapshot via PowerCLI
2. Create Storage Snapshot via Vendor "Shell"
3. Remove VM Snapshot via PowerCLI
4. Add VM from Storage Snapshot to vSphere Datacenter via PowerCLI
5. Start Backup via Veeam PS
6. After Backup finished, remove VM from Datacenter via PowerCLI
7. Delete Storage Snapshot via Vendor "Shell"

It sounds that easy, so how will try it out?

[Gostev]

@Vlad unfortunately, I am not allowed to comment on which storage we will or will not going to support next

@Regnor this is far from optimal, as this way you are going to lose quite a few things:
1. No application-aware processing with regular VM snapshot.
2. CBT data will be lost due to a new VM registration, so each backup will effectively be a full backup.
3. Initialization and deinitialization alone (adding and removing snapshot datastore from ESXi host) will take a few minutes before you can even start the backup.

[dellock6]

There are also other considerations to be made in supporting storage snapshots, one for example is how the storage manages not only the snapshot creation/deletion, but how it then converts the snapshot into a cloned volume. This is needed by Veeam to mount the cloned volume and copy data from it.
Some storage are simply not so optimized in doing this, and they for example end up creating a thick lun, thus filling up their free space (with the risk of breaking something...), and also be really slow since Veeam would have to wait for the creation of the cloned volume.

Storage with redirect-on-write capabilities would be for sure a better target for this kind of operations, but many of them are niche players with too low market share, so (at least until they do not gain market...) it would be difficult for Veeam to justify the effort to support them. But, since most of these new storages are made with Flash disks and are really really fast, even with the simple san-mode and no storage snapshots, backups are really efficient. I read in these forums some guys for example using Pure Storage, I doubt they have compelling needs for storage snapshots based on the performances these storage have

Luca.

[Regnor]

Ok it do understand that my way isn't that optimal

[scott.anderson]

Is there any time frame on additional Storage Plug-ins being released? Even a rough "before/after Christmas" would be interesting.

I realize the "Veeam Team" won't be able to let the identity of a vendor out of the bag, but there are only so many tier 1 vendors so hopefully its one of the ones our customers tend to use a lot of.

[veremin]

Hi, Scott,

As mentioned above, the integration with the next storage vendor is currently being tested and should be included in the next minor release. So, stay tuned.

Thanks.

[Gostev]

hopefully its one of the ones our customers tend to use a lot of

Absolutely it is.

[NightBird]

It's not EMC and DELL EQL, so it's simple... => NetApp !!!
As Gostev said DELL EqualLogic "bad snapshot engine", and EMC... "mmm... Nailed it"
alternative one, IBM Storwize...

I "love" so much EMC VNX Storage...

[dellock6]

Or it could be HDS (Hitachi), Fujitsu, HP P2000, other IBM models, there are many primary vendors around... hoepfully we only have to wait at most 3 weeks...

By the way, what's so special in a VNX? Compared to a 3Par, a Compellent, or a NetApp? Don't get me wrong, I don't want to start any flame, this is not the right place, and the VNX is as good as other solutions, but I do not see any "super exclusive disruptive" feature it has that is missing from other arrays...

Luca.

[NightBird]

For example EMC support roxx compared to other vendors support.
HP P2000 G3 ? crap array, I sold one of the first model in 2010 to a customer, an FC one and I experiment data loss due to crap firmware... thanks to Veeam 1,5To of data restored in about 2hours.
Compellent ? whow what a price compared to VNX 5100 or 5300 model.

It's simple for storage array vendor. EMC big focus on BRS AVAMAR, DELL ??? hum ??? vRanger ?
So I think that NetApp should be one of the next storage plugin, perhaps IBM storage array too.

Fujitsu, HDS ? hum...

Too bad for my EMC VNX and Veeam customers, but it's life !!!