Feature Requests: Provider with 200+ Computers C#02949140

[XFCTech]

Currently Testing VEEAM as we are looking for a new provider for our Managed backups for 200 + Computers.
Our Test Setup:
-- Our Data Server in the Data Center has VEEAM Backup and Replication
-- Our Remote Server is in a Clients Location (3.5 TB of Data)
-- VPN Connection between the Data Center and Client Location
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Goal is to do what our current system does… Managed our backup clients from a centralization management program. Deduplication and instant Recovery
Reason for switching Indian support is horrible and lost some data while trying to assist in our backup server.
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Set up the Data Server and or Remote Server in Backup and Replication.
Set up our First Job Managed by Server -- Entire PC – Compression High and WAN LOCATION, No Bottleneck.

Problem 1: The Remote Server couldn’t find the Data Server. After reading the logs it was trying to find the Data Server through DNS. (When the Job is set up the Manage by the Agent you can point it to an IP instead of a DNS) so to fix this problem we added in the Host file the DNS = IP (Testing quick fix)

Request 1: Allow the remote Computer under the Managed by Server to search for it by IP instead of DNS

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Problem 2: After doing a quick fix for that problem we allowed the Job to run which ended after 7 days incomplete. (Average speed was 3mb/s which seemed pretty slow.) After looking into it we found out that there is a limit with the program where it will stop after 7 days.

Request 2: Remove the 7 day limit.
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After talking to Support, they stated that the workaround was to bring an external hard drive to the remote site to do a full backup. After a full backup you would be able to bring the external hard drive back to the Data Server and copy the data to it. Then set up a new job where it would do an incremental backup instead of a full backup. KB2321 (This is the same with our current program)

Problem 3: We used the VEEAM B&R to make a job using the agent to backup to an external hard drive (which I had a tech drive out and install to the remote server) The Backup ran no problem at an average of 100mb/s. Sent a tech back out to get it and bring it to the Data Server. We copied over the data and Called up Support. They stated that we can’t use that data as we allowed VEEAM B&R to create the local Agent. That we had to install the Agent with out VEAAM B&R on the remote server and run the backup again. Which was stated in KB2321 and we missed that part. (Had to send out a tech again to the remote site.)

Request 3: Shouldn’t matter if the VEEAM B&R creates the job using the local agent or the managed server.. you should be able to switch between all three. Local Machine to VEEAM B&R or VEEAM B&R to Local Machine
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While on the phone with support before we enabled the remote server Windows Agent. (Wanted to make sure settings were correct so I didn’t have to do this process again……) He stated everything was good and once it was done bring the external hard drive to the Data Server (Again). Copy the data from the External to the Data Server. Then he stated we can change the Local Agent on the remote Server to point to the Data Server using the VPN. At this point it will run an incremental back up over the VPN.

Problem 4: After understanding the process I asked him how we can get the Data Server to Manage the Remote Server again through VEEAM B&R. He stated that is impossible and not supported. (Without doing a full back which we already had a copy on the Data Server) My Comment to him is how do you expected any IT Department to support over 20+ Computers this way… We would need to login to each machine to check the status of the backup. He stated he agreed and we should make a request in the forums. He also stated this is still a new feature (5 Months) and that request will help.

Request 4: Allow VEEAM B&R to turn remote computers running the local agent to be converted to a managed solution after an External Hard Drive Transfer. so, we can run an incremental backup instead of a full over the network.

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We have heard great things about VEEAM over the years but never looked into as we deal with physical machines mainly. Once we heard they were finally supporting physical machines we were excited. The best part about this test is we have had American or English Support that knew what they were talking about. The Interface is very clean and the Documentation is very detailed. The problem I see is it seems like this new feature using the VEEAM B&R is in beta still. So, at this point I can’t move all my machines to this but I will move smaller clients so I can help test newer versions. I believe the only way to make software good is by user input so I will keep putting in my two sense + Request. But once again I can’t see Managing 20+ Machines by logging into each one. Please look at the provider view.

Still need to test the following: Full Metal Backup, Deduplication (How well does it work as I heard some complain), What the speed of a incremental backup average is, VM Recovery test)

[XFCTech]

Problem 4: After understanding the process I asked him how we can get the Data Server to Manage the Remote Server again through VEEAM B&R. He stated that is impossible and not supported. (Without doing a full back which we already had a copy on the Data Server) My Comment to him is how do you expected any IT Department to support over 20+ Computers this way… We would need to login to each machine to check the status of the backup. He stated he agreed and we should make a request in the forums. He also stated this is still a new feature (5 Months) and that request will help.

Request 4: Allow VEEAM B&R to turn remote computers running the local agent to be converted to a managed solution after an External Hard Drive Transfer. so, we can run an incremental backup instead of a full over the network.

So an update after finally succeeding an incremental backup after an External Hard Drive transfer. VEEAM B&R will see the agent in the console.. but you can't manage it. You can see if it completed the backup job or not. Which is a plus but I am not sure if moving it to a protection group will break the connection or not so we can group our machines.. will test. You can't see the progress of the current job running in detail till it finishes.. it finished running at 6mb/s average which was double the speed. You still have to login to the remote server to change the settings.. but it seems the dedicated Agent has a lot better options then setting it up through VEEAM B&R. There should be no difference between the two in options in my eyes. I do understand this was a first run on adding this feature to VEEAM B&R. Hoping the next update will add more features from the Agent to B&R. Will keep updating during our test.
The Good news is that you can see from VEEAM B&R if the server/computer backed up or not... so you don't need to login to each server/computer to check.