Please add support for snap packages.

[the_mentor]

Hi Veeam Developers,
Please package the veeam agent for linux in the universal snap package format to make it easier to install and update.
This will also allow for more distributions to download veeam agent for linux.

thank you !

[nielsengelen]

We'll look into it. May I ask for which distros you are already using snap?

[the_mentor]

Ubuntu/Ubuntu Core and a few other distros that support snap packages for example solus.
snap packages will allow for easier deployment and updates.

Thank you !

[the_mentor]

We'll look into it. May I ask for which distros you are already using snap?

Here you can find an updated list of distributions and more information on snaps:
https://snapcraft.io/

Thanks.

[nielsengelen]

Thanks for the link. Could you let us know which ones you are actually using (or is it still limited to Ubuntu & Ubuntu Core in your environment)?

[the_mentor]

I am currently using a few of them but my mine distribution is Solus.

[PTide]

Hi,

Although your feature request has been noted, it is unlikely that VAL will support snap packages for distros other than major (Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS etc.) soon.

Thank you!

[drohm]

@PTide what difference does it make what OS he's using? A snap package is a snap package, regardless of the OS he's using. Thats kind of the point of snaps (or flatpaks even). They're universal and will run on any OS that supports it.

For the record, I'm using Solus and would *really* like to see Veeam add support for snaps.

[nielsengelen]

We ask OS information for extra statistics to get a better idea on what is being used in combination with VAL.

[PTide]

Hi,

They're universal and will run on any OS that supports it.

That does not sound very universal, to be honest

Also I have a question - how is installing snap package much easier than using apt-get install veeam? What are the benefits of using snappy for you?

Thanks

[drohm]

We ask OS information for extra statistics to get a better idea on what is being used in combination with VAL.

Yep, and thats perfectly valid. My comment was in regards to how PTide phrased his statement, which makes it sound that snaps only work on some linux distributions, which to my knowledge, is not the case.

[drohm]

That does not sound very universal, to be honest

You're missing the entire point of snaps or flatpaks.

[PTide]

I dare to think that I understand the main (but not the only) purpose of snaps - to pack everything an application might need and deliver the application as a single piece, thus avoiding cross-compatibility problems and problem of system libraries updates. Everything is controlled by snapd which is claimed to be available on a vast majority of distros. Yes, we could create .snap for one of the two packages that constitute VAL, but the second packages contains the kernel module which is required for VAL to work. As far as I know, currently it is quite problematic to carry out such operations using .snap packages. That is, you will still have to install the module via conventional means (rpm/deb packages). Although I admit that snaps can simplify things, currently it is not much use of it for VAL, unless they (snapcraft) have already developed the way to install kernel modules. Again, please tell us what are the benefits for you? Current installation process via deb/rpm packages is not complicated, or is it?

Thanks

[drohm]

@PTide - I'm running Solus, which debs or rpms do not work. The benefit would be that I can run VAL on Solus, thats the end goal I like the product...a lot. Again, my request for snap (or flatpak) support isn't just for having an alternative method of installation, it's so that I can actually run it.

I suppose, an alternative to this, would be to build this natively as a solus package. Would that be a possibility? https://solus-project.com/articles/packaging/

Going that route would get around the kernel module problems with snaps.

[PTide]

I'm running Solus, which debs or rpms do not work.

Well, that's a bummer, indeed. We'll take that into consideration. Meanwhile, may I ask you how you use that distro? I mean, is it for gaming, coding, or some other application?

Thanks.

[drohm]

Meanwhile, may I ask you how you use that distro? I mean, is it for gaming, coding, or some other application?

I do some occasional gaming with it, but it's primarily my work machine doing Python development. Thanks for taking it into consideration, I really do love the application. It's saved my hide a couple times.

[PTide]

Have you ever tried to install drivers onto it? For example some gaming controller? I wonder what is the conventional way for that distro to install modules...

Thanks

[krzynio]

May I ask for the same, please. Veeam Agent Free is best backup solution for not only for servers but for workstations also but fast changing Linux components make that Veeam for Linux has problems with compilation especially on testing Linux releases. So it would be really very nice to have kernel independent Veeam version provided as snap, flatpak or appimage package.

[Tecbil]

+1, would love to see Veeam Agent for Linux as an appimage.

[PTide]

Kernel independent version will be reliant on LVM snapshots because veeam snapshot module depends on kernel.

veeamsnap/blksnap is exactly the thing that allows you to take a snapshot of filesystems that don't have LVM beneath them.

That is, flatpak, appimage, or snap will still require either a precompiled kmod/kmp in order to keep the snapshot functionality, or you will have to compile the module separately. Otherwise you'll have to make sure that your machine meets certain criteria to be able to use snapshots.

Thanks!