From remote SMB share, to remote Tape through remote proxy

[emachabert]

Hi,

Is there a way, when building a "file to tape" job using a SMB share as source, to choose the proxy through which the SMB share will be read (same option you have for a repo for example) ?

I have a setup like this:
- Two HP Storeonce replicated each other (one on the primary site (A) , one on the secondary (B) )
- A Veeam Backup server on each Site, backuping local VMs to the local Storeonce array
- A Veeam proxy server on the primary site having a SAS LTO 6 autoloader connected to it. Used for backup to tape and archive purpose

What I do:
- A file to tape job is configured on Veeam Backup Server (A) to write to tape the backups made by Veeam Backup Server (B) after they have been replicated by Storeonce arrays.

The problem:
- When I build the "file to tape "job, I browse the network to choose the readonly share exposed by the local storeonce array and that contains the replicated backup file. I can't tell the job to read the SMB share through the same proxy as the one holding the LTO drive. You can only browse the network through "this server". Then, when I start the tape Job, the backup server reads the SMB share and sends the data to the proxy who writes it on tape.
How can I configure it to make the tape proxy be the one who reads the SMB share ?

Thank you.

Eric.

[emachabert]

No one encountered this issue so far ?

[Dima P.]

Hello Eric,
I am sorry for delay in response and thank you for the interesting question.

Is there a way, when building a "file to tape" job using a SMB share as source, to choose the proxy through which the SMB share will be read (same option you have for a repo for example) ?

Tape server (we used to call it a tape proxy before the v8 release) is an actual data mover for all file transfers between source side and tape device. In order to push data from the repository to tape you need to directly attach tape device to the said repository with a remote tape server component installed.

[emachabert]

The tape server has the tape device directly attached. The fact is, when you launch the job, the data from the SMB share (which is not a repository in the Veeam terms) is read by the Veeam backup server and then sent to the Tape server who writes it to the tape, I see the network graph on the Backup server going to 500mbit/s.
The problem is at the job creation, to choose the files in the SMB share you want to backup to tape, you can only choose "This server" as source machine for the browsing.
Do you see what I mean ?

[tsightler]

The problem is at the job creation, to choose the files in the SMB share you want to backup to tape, you can only choose "This server" as source machine for the browsing.
Do you see what I mean ?

I know exactly what you mean, it's only possible to add a SMB share when you choose "This server", selecting any other server allows for only the selection of drives, you can't select a different server and then add it as an SMB share. I think you can overcome this with Powershell, but I haven't tried it with v8.

[emachabert]

Do you have any advice about dealing with this through powershell then ? I understand I could change the source server from here ?

Thank you Tom.

[tsightler]

I'll take a look at it later today and see if I can figure out a way to manipulate this via Powershell. I'm not 100% sure it's possible, but it feels like it should be.

[veremin]

Just interested - what particular portion you're willing to script? Probably I can help you with that. Thanks.

[emachabert]

Changing the source server from where the SMB share will be accessed.

[ccatlett1984]

I just ran into this as well.

I even tried mapping the drive persistently on my "remote" server (the one that has the tape drive directly attached).
This is a much bigger deal for me, as the share and tape server are at a different physical site that the main veeam server (and the file to tape was saturating my wan link).

EDIT: I found a workaround, but I still want proper support.

If I map the drive under the "system" context (net use as SYSTEM, via psexec) and set it to be persistant. I can select the "shared" drive as if it was a physical disk in veeam on the remote server.

[smartsys]

I can confirm the workarround works.

Using Resource Monitor it seems it is the SYSTEM proces that is actually doing the data handling in this case, so the SYSTEM process needs access to the shares.
After creating a batch script that creates the drive mappings and running this script after a system startup using the system account with the task schedular I am able to send traffic over the proper 10G backup network and not over the LAN to the Veeam Server and back to a tape enabled proxy.

[csu-rpoore]

Has anyone done this with an NFS mount? The workaround that ccatlett1984 posted gets me almost there. I am able to see the mapped drive and expand it. However, when I click Next to move on to the next step in the New File to Tape Job wizard, I get "This network connection does not exist".