Sizing for Veeam backup for O365 appliance

[_james]

Hello,

I have a few questions about appliance sizing.

Veeam mentions that Quad core cpu and 8GB of memory is fine, but in how does such deployment perform in larger infrastructures (for example 1K users). How to size and what should be the perfect fit for that many users. I assume backup, restore and backup explore performance is affected due available resources.

The second question is about the disk size. Is it the right way to approach it in this way when again for example we have 1K users, 900 of those users use about 2GB of their mailbox in 2-3 years, and the rest 100 about 4GB, in total it comes 2.2TB of space per 3 year retention. Should I just go for ~2.5TB repository?
And what about the OneDrive? Should I look again on average use per time plus add some headroom? The limit of it is 1TB per user (which can be increased), would have a hard time explaining the boss why I need 1PB of storage for cloud backups.

I can add more info if needed,

Thanks

[Polina]

Hi Janis and welcome to Veeam's community!

8GB RAM is the recommended minimum.
According to our tests, a single VBO installation (a default proxy and controller on the same machine) works well for processing up to 4k users. The recommended configuration is 8x CPUs and 32GB memory.

Repository sizing is more complicated. For Exchange backups, the following formula might be helpful:
(Current mailbox/archive total size within the retention period)+(mailbox/archive daily change rate x2)*(Days of retention)+(10% for logs, etc.)

For OneDrive and SharePoint sizing is less predictable (please check out this thread for more details).

Note also, that we're using JetDB which allows for up to 15% data compression.

Thanks!

[_james]

Thank you for the swift reply! Ill look into this, thanks.

[_james]

Only now got into the formulas..
Anyhow can you please explain what is archive daily change rate? About other variables can you please confirm that im correct: Current mailbox - is the space used now, archive total size within the retention period - space used size in 3 years (if 3 years is the retention period), Mailbox - max space that can be used (for example 2GB).

Thanks.

[Polina]

Hi Janis,

My apologies for a delay with the response, but I wanted to make sure on some things before getting back to you.
Daily changes for Archive mailboxes is something that has to be calculated manually (unfortunately). You can perform periodical checks of such mailboxes in your organization via PowerShell (i.e. "Get-Mailbox -Archive | Get-MailboxStatistics | Select-Object DisplayName, ItemCount, TotalItemSize") and calculate the average changes based on the historical data.

Current total size = Primary mailboxes size within the specified retention period (3 years) + Archive mailboxes within the specified retention period (3 years) (in case you're going to back up both Primary and Archive mailboxes, of course).

[pdimarco]

Hello Polina.

Digging up this thread to get a clarification : is the "x2" in (mailbox/archive daily change rate x2) because it is comprising mailboxes AND archives ?

I do assume it is, only to make it crystal clear...

Thanks
Pascal

[Mike Resseler]

Hi Pascal,

Actually it is not. It is x2 for either Archive or Mailbox.

[marieelieg]

Hello,
Hope everyone is doing well.

Just wanted to make sure if the sizing formula for Exchange online posted above by @Polina is still valid?

Also, the sizing link for SharePoint online, also posted above, does not exist anymore. Can you please provide a new link/formula for it?

Thanking you in advance

[nielsengelen]

We have a best practice guide available which should have all the numbers and information you are looking for.

[marieelieg]

Thanks Niels, have a nice day