Advice needed

[Gagagu]

Hello all,
i'm new to veeam. I need an advice what soludion is best for my requirement?
We have three esx host (2 sockets each) with virtual vcenter and dx80 SAN. Currently i am using two vmware data recovery vm's to backup the virtual machines to a second lun on the same dx80. I had tested to use a nas for backup location but the data rcovery vm's generated many errors while backing up on nas. Now i am using a second lun as backup destination. If the san will be damaged all data will be lost (no good solution). Thats the reason for looking to veeam.

As second we have a nas device (readynas) for our userdata and other business important data (cad, databases). This nas will be mirrored every night to a second nas, and a backup server, too. Every day the backup server will be save the data to a tandberg storageloader over symantec backup exec (light version from storageloader. Not able to backup from network). And weekly we save some data to a cloud (compressed and crypted).

Now i want to replace the data recovery and symantec backup exec with veeam, but what is the best solution?

My first idea is to use a veeam backup server as virtual appliance. Every host has one network adapter free and i will create a new separate network with it and connect a free nas to the same network. The veeam appliance can then backup the data to the nas. Because its not possible to connect the storageloader to the veeam applicance i would set up a second veeam backup server as a physically server to backup the busines nas data.

I have read some veeam documentations include the deployment documentation but i do not recognize my enviroment in this documentations.

What would you advice me? What is the best solution to backup my system?
By the way: I am thinking about the backup essentials enterprise license.

Thx forward

[Vitaliy S.]

Hello,

Now i am using a second lun as backup destination. If the san will be damaged all data will be lost (no good solution).

Yes, indeed. It is not recommended to store production and backup data on the same storage even as a temporary solution.

My first idea is to use a veeam backup server as virtual appliance.

Assuming you have SAN storage, you may want to leverage direct SAN access or hotadd mode to backup your VMs. I would recommend using direct SAN access, this should be possible for virtual backup server as well if you have an iSCSI SAN.

]Because its not possible to connect the storageloader to the veeam applicance i would set up a second veeam backup server as a physically server to backup the busines nas data.

Actually with the workaround mentioned in this post it should be possible. The drawback of using a secondary Veeam backup server to offload your backups to tapes is that you would have to use file to tape jobs (no VMs tracking) and not backup to tape jobs. If I were you I would take a look at the trick described in the topic above.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

[Gagagu]

Hi,
thx for your advice.

The thing ist that i want to backup the vm's only to a separate NAS and important files (from other NAS Systems and DB, Exchange files from Virtual machines) to tape.
Every Host have a free separate Network lan apapter free. Is it possible that the physically backup server uses this separate connection for backup instead the management network?
I know it would be better to use a separate FC adapter and connect the backup server directly to the SAN but i want to save money and use the slower version and buy an FC adapter later.
in detail:
I will setup an physically veam backup server which backuped the files to tape. This server will be connected to a separate LAN. Ther will be also a separate NAS in this lan as backup location for the Vm backups.
Instead of using the management network of the hosts may be its possible to setup a windows server as virtual machine that is connected with a separate network card to the backup lan. This server will be used as (for me called) proxy to transfer the data from SAN to the physicall backup server over the backup lan.

Thos should be the first step. If everything will work we will extend the backup server next year with an FC adaper may be the whole server.

i've made a small sample image of my idea.

[Vitaliy S.]

Is it possible that the physically backup server uses this separate connection for backup instead the management network?

Yes, it should be possible.

Instead of using the management network of the hosts may be its possible to setup a windows server as virtual machine that is connected with a separate network card to the backup lan. This server will be used as (for me called) proxy to transfer the data from SAN to the physicall backup server over the backup lan.

Yes, that's correct. You should install Windows servers with proxy roles and add your NAS repository by IP address from the backup lan/network. BTW, how did you add your NAS to the backup server? As a CIFS share? Linux box?

[Gagagu]

Hi,
ist a Netgear ReadyNas 2100. I haven't checked yet if there is a plugin from netgear for veeam, otherwise it will be conected though CIFS.
The Backup NAs is a Readynas 4200 V2 with more space. May be i will use it for veeam backup destination. I have to calculate (get overview of) the data amount.

I have anotehr question. Can i use the essential enterprise license for it? Every host have two sockets each (together 6)?
Thx

[Vitaliy S.]

Yes, you can use Veeam Essentials offering if the total amount of sockets on the source hosts do not exceed 6.

[Gagagu]

Thx for helping.
I will test it out!