Order of Installation

[pufferdude]

Assuming I'm using latest versions and setting up a new server that will do Veeam B&R *and* M365 backup... is there any issue with installing and configuring the Veeam M365 backup FIRST, then later installing Veeam B&R? Does either have any dependency on the other?

[Mildur]

The recommendation is to use a dedicated server for the VBO365 installation.

If you use the same server, they will share some components (veeam explorer). That is important to know, if you want to update for example vbr, but not VBO365. That can and will lead to issues. You will need to update always both products at the same time to be compatible between both products.

Second, if you install both products on the same system with local attached backup storage, it will be difficult to follow the 3-2-1 (or 3-2-1-1-0) rule. A dedicated VBO365 (virtual or physical) can be backed up by your vbr server to get a second copy of the data. To disk, tape or immutable object storage. That‘s the official way todo a backup copy today.
It is possible to do that when you have installed it on the same server, but getting a second copy of the data will be complicated.

And third, VBO365 needs a large amount of RAM for bigger environments. Sharing this with vbr can lead to performance issues in the backup software.

If you must use the same server, then install first VBR and then VBO365. But consider first to have a look at the design and use a dedicated server if possible.

[Mike Resseler]

Nothing more to add than what @Mildur has said. Just want to stress out the advice of installing them on separate servers. Doing it on the same server is only for special scenario's for service providers.

[pufferdude]

Wow, I'm glad I asked. I had no idea running both on same server wasn't supported, since we've been doing that for a couple of year now without issue (this is a new server replacing an old VBO/VBR setup).

I don't think it's feasible to get another server with enough DAS storage just for VBO, but would I be better off making VBO run on a VM that points to my main server (the one running VBR with all the storage) as a repo for the VBO backup? (If that's even possible?)

[Mildur]

No, it‘s not possible. VBO365 Backup Repositories do not work like VBR. If you add your VBR as a backup repository, then your VBR would be again a VBO365 proxy server with all the required ressources.

VBO365 can use the following backup repositories:
- direct attached storage
- iscsi or FC attached storage
- Object Storage (not suitable for the 3-2-1 rule and immutability)
- experimental support: SMB, your vbo server and the smb server must be in the same or trusted active directory domain

You could try to use windows iSCSI Target Server on your vbr server to provide the vbo365 vm the storage for the backups over iSCSI. But I'm not sure if this would be a good solution. Should be tested first for performance and stability.

My customers are not that big (between 500GB - 5TB). Because vbo365 uses jet databases to store the backups, I prefer to use a storage with stability and good performance for the backup repository. Normally, i deploy a vm on their hypervisor and use unused storage from the esxi/hyperv datastore.

[pufferdude]

Yeah, I'm right at the 4.5TB mark for our VBO repo, and can only expect it to grow. That's a LOT of space on my SAN to carve out just for backups... especially when I I have a shiny new physical host meant to do (both) Veeam duties with 80TB sitting in it. Sigh.

[Mike Resseler]

Just to be clear, the scenario of running VB365 and VBR at the same server IS supported, just not recommended