Architecting Backup Admin Server in a Cisco UCS Environment

[SteveInTallyFl]

We are adding an external Windows 2008R2 server as the Virtualization Backup admin server (VEEAM is planned) in the same Cisco UCS as the four blades for our ESXi 4.1 datacenter hosts. There are 3 dvSwitches defined: one for Management and vMotion (2 vNICS for 2 VLANS), one for internal and DMZ server guest communication (2 vNICS for 2 VLANS), and one for IP-Storage to the NFS Exports that comprise the VMware Datastores (2 vNICS for 2 VLANS -- one per NetApp NAS Appliance controller). The new backup admin server will be attached to SAN storage that the VMware Hosts do not see, but the software will need to see the VMDKs. As best I can cogitate, the NFS Exports are formatted by vSphere as VMFS on the way to becoming datastores that hold the VMDKs.Therefore that is the network over which to reach the VMDKs.



Am I correct, then, in guessing that the NICs I define for the new external server will need to point the same as the vNICS that connect to the IP Storage? Should this server also have a vNIC to the VMware Management Network? As for assigning this server to a network, would it be on the same VLAN as the VMware Management network? I am thinking that, if I put it one of the IP Storage VLANs it would only see one of the NAS controllers directly and might have to traverse a switch in order to see the other. I believe I want to avoid traversing any switches if possible in order to avoid potential timing issues breaking connections while reading/writing, do I not?

[dellock6]

Hi Steve, NFS storage is used "as is" by ESXi servers, no format in VMFS here. Also, Veeam DirectSAN mode cannot be used with NFS storage, so there is no need to connect Veeam server to the storage network, you need to use HotAdd (or Network mode).

Luca.

[Vitaliy S.]

Also if you're planning to use Instant Recovery feature (or any other vPower based functionality), make sure your backup server (VM or physical box) is on the same network as vmKernel interface of the ESX(i) host.

[SteveInTallyFl]

Each ESXi host has vmKernel interfaces to the Management dvSwitch (vmk0 and vmk1) as well as vmkernel interfaces to the IPStorage dvSwitch (vmk4 and vmk5). For the purposes of vCenter all the hosts are recognized by the IP address associated with vmk0. Am I correct in surmising from the advice above that I want to put this backup server in the same network as vmk0 interfaces on the hosts?

[Vitaliy S.]

Yes, that's correct.

[SteveInTallyFl]

I always help to provide all the *relevant* information from the start! The IP address of the vCenter Server is in the 'Server' VLAN. The ESXi hosts (on which the guest servers live) is in the 'Management' VLAN. Is it more approrpiate to assign the IP address of the VEEAM BARS in the VLAN of the vCenter Server or of the ESXi hosts?

[Vitaliy S.]

Veeam B&R needs connection to both vCenter Server and ESX(i) hosts, so I'm not sure which will work better.

[Andreas Neufert]

I think if you look at the load... connect the B&R Server(s) to ESXi Hosts VLAN. Maybe add a second network card to B&R to have direct connections in both vlans, but keep care about reliable DNS settings.