Physical Server Backup?

[bunger]

It has been a while since I have evaluated Veeam's capabilities for physical server backup.

Our environment currently consists of 7 virtual servers and 1 physical server ( a SQL server ).

I know Endpoint is intended for physical backups of desktops and laptops, but does it extend to servers as well? And if so, can the backup be managed through the same interface as the virtual backups?

Thanks!

[widmerkarl]

Hi bunger

Of course you can use Veeam Endpoint Backup FREE for your physical servers. We do that also and we had no issues until today.

You may look at the Veeam helpcenter how to install and configure it:
http://helpcenter.veeam.com/endpoint/11/index.html

If you are already using Veeam Backup & Replication, then you can use the already existing backup repository for Veeam Endpoint Backup, or create a new one withing Veeam, and just use that in Endpoint Backup.

The only point i am missing is the management capability. You can't manage an "Endpoint" through Veeam Backup & Replication console like you would manage for example backup jobs or so. But you will see whats going on and you can at least use the notification. If you have enabled the global notification settings in Veeam Backup & Replication, you will recieve an email if the backup job from Endpoint Backup is fine or if there are issues. The mails look the same as the known Veeam backup notification.

You can use the many Veeam Explorers to recover data, like single guest file or even SQL databases or Exchange things. So you're good to go together with Veeam Backup & Replication and Veeam Endpoint Backup FREE.

Have fun

[jessie0]

Hello KawiMTF.

I am new to Veeam and I have been trying a few things with the software on virtual machines.
Lately, I have been pondering on the possibility of backing up a physical server other than the one
on which my Veeam community edition server runs.

My Lab environment:
*Two Dell R320 servers, Esxi 6.7 installed in one of them and Centos6.9 on the other (both are within the same network segment).
*Three virtual machines created on the Esxi host (one windows 2019 and two Centos7 servers).
*Veeam community edition runs on the windows 2019 server.

Current Situation:
1.No problems with backing up virtual machines.
2.Attempting backup of the Second Dell server running centos6.9 with Endpoint produces the below Error.
"Unable to obtain a Veeam Agent for Windows license from the backup server".

Question:
1. Can I backup the same windows server that hosts my Veeam server?
2. Can I also backup the second Dell server running centos6.9?
3. If yes, Please how do i go about it?

Thank you.

[HannesK]

Hello,
and welcome to the forums

1: yes, that's technically possible (not recommended for production, but okay for lab)
2: CentOs 6.9 is supported https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/agent ... tml?ver=30 - so this should also be possible
3: well, your error message makes no sense to me. If you try to backup a Linux server and you get a Windows server license issue... that's something where support needs to have a look at. Please post the case number here for reference. In general, it works as described in the user guide: https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... l?ver=95u4

Best regards,
Hannes

[jessie0]

Hello HannesK.

Thank you for the clarification and for supporting them with links. I will go through them carefully.
However, a few technical expressions are still not clear to me.

1. Physical Server Backup: my understanding is that this means backing up the same non-virtual server that houses the OS on which VB&R runs.
If wrong, please educate me.

2. Remote Backup of Physical server: using my environment as an example, would I be wrong in thinking that this means backing up the other Dell server running cent0s6.9 with or from the VB&R software installed in the first Dell machine.
If wrong, again, please educate me.

3. How does Veeam Endpoint differ from Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows?
Since "physical servers" can only be backed up using Veeam Endpoint, does it mean that Veeam Endpoint is not recommended for backing up physical machines as you have advised?

Thank you.

[HannesK]

Hello,

1. you wrote that your VBR is running on Windows 2019, which is a VM on ESXi. So my answer "1" was backing up the VBR server itself as a VM. You can also use the Agent for backup. But I would use standalone (free edition) to avoid chicken-egg problems

2. I don't understand your question. Only the agent runs on the centos machine. But the agent is managed centrally by the VBR.

3. No difference. Just the old name (free edition). Veeam Agent for Windows is the success for Veeam Endpoint backup

As you only have four machine... I'm thinking about to recommend not even using VBR and just use the free agent.

Best regards,
Hannes

[jessie0]

Hello,

Thank you for the kind response.
Just to make sure that I understand your advice correctly.

1. you recommend that I prioritise standalone Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows over VB&R when backing up a physical or virtual machine.
Correct?

2. VB&R is only necessary for a centralised management of physical and virtual servers.
Correct?

3. Without the VB&R console, the standalone Veeam Agent installed in the target machine is capable of both full and generational backup.
Correct?

Please correct me if I have misunderstood you.
Thanks.

[HannesK]

Hello,
1. only in your specific situation because you only have 3 machines. With 300 machines, I would not recommend that
2. yes, correct
3. yes, correct

Best regards,
Hannes

[jessie0]

Hello,
Thank you so much for your responses.

Its now a bit clearer to me.