Destination as iSCSI target?

[MarsBaby]

Hey, I set up my brand new NAS as iSCSI target. How do I select in Veeam Agent for MS Windows that iSCSI target as destination for my backups?

[MarsBaby]

To clarify - no VMs are involved. It's a simple file level backup from Windows host OS to NAS.

[PTide]

Hi,

There are two options:

a) Connect to the target from your Windows machine and use it as a destination just the same way as you would do if it was a local drive.
b) Connect to the target from some other machine, and configure the machine to serve as Veeam backup repository using the target as a destination. After that configure the Agent to send backups to that repository.

Thanks

[MarsBaby]

@PTide, thanks. I went with a) and so far I'm very happy. I was reading that iSCSI is more reliable and potentially faster than SMB/CIFS for Veeam, is that correct?

[DGrinev]

Hi,

That's correct, using iSCSI protocol is a recommended way of exposing your target storage. Thanks!

[PTide]

However, you should keep in mind that if you are going to send your backups over WAN (or other high-latency link), then you will not be happy with iSCSI (and pretty much any other block protocol) performance and reliability.

Thanks

[pkelly_sts]

Given the above scenario, can I ask if there are any embedded solutions for *mounting* an iSCSI target during a bare-metal restore? Preferably one that doesn't involve mounting via a 2nd server if at all possible.

In other words is there any way of getting iSCSI initiator connectivity working inside the recovery ISO?

[Dima P.]

Hi Paul.

Yes, here was reported that with the use of ADK (Windows ADK can be installed separately to use Windows PE image instead of default RE image) you can include the iSCSI initiaeor to the recovery media

[pkelly_sts]

Was just coming back to post that link as I'd found it in the meantime

I've only looked at PE once but out of interest, if I install Win ADK prior to installation of backup, will backup use PE by default or will I need to create my own recovery disk at this point?

[Dima P.]

VAW will use PE by default whenever it recognizes ADK components on the machine.

[pkelly_sts]

Great, thanks, I'll give it a try!