Backing up Veeam Backup targets

[niyi]

I am implementing Veeam to backup our VMware environment. My plan is to present a LUN to my Veeam backup server (physical server) to use as the backup target for the VMs images.I will be using the vStorage API mode to do the backups of the VMs.The Datastore LUNs resides on the same HP EVA SAN where the backup target LUN is.Now I have the following questions about this senario:
1. Will there be backup speed issue considering source and target luns are on the same san? and to what extent will the impact be on the speed.
2. I intend to have the veeam backup target LUN backed up at block level (possibly using array snapshot)to Tape using third party software like Netbackup - possible?
3. For those restore points that have been removed by veeam based on job retention settings, does veeam search still keeps the record, for example the date of the backup, so that if there is need to restore from the block level backup on Tape (say from Netbackup media for example) this can be easily traced.
4. I have seen advanced script to triger backupexec for tape backup on this forum, but is there similar script available to triger Netbackup jobs upon completion of Veeam backup job?

Thanks

[Vitaliy S.]

Hello Niyi,

1. Will there be backup speed issue considering source and target luns are on the same san? and to what extent will the impact be on the speed.

I've seen some posts on these forums talking about low performance rates while doing read/write commands against the same storage at the same time, but this might not be your case.

2. I intend to have the veeam backup target LUN backed up at block level (possibly using array snapshot)to Tape using third party software like Netbackup - possible?

Yes, why not.

3. For those restore points that have been removed by veeam based on job retention settings, does veeam search still keeps the record, for example the date of the backup, so that if there is need to restore from the block level backup on Tape (say from Netbackup media for example) this can be easily traced.

Yes, that's correct. Even if VM backups were moved to an external storage device or tape, indexing data for such VMs still remain in the catalog and will be displayed in search results. You can use the Import feature in Veeam Backup & Replication to import the backup to the backup server, and then recover the file.

In Catalog Settings, you need to specify the "Retention period" settings. Note that those setting apply to Veeam Backup and Replication Enterprise Edition only, as Standard Edition keeps index only for backups currently on disk.

4. I have seen advanced script to triger backupexec for tape backup on this forum, but is there similar script available to triger Netbackup jobs upon completion of Veeam backup job?

Yes, that is also available, please take a look at this topic: Noob question (Sorry) Veeam with Netbackup...

Thanks!

[niyi]

Thanks for this. But one more clarification, will you know if there wont be any issue making my veeam server to also be my Netbackup media Server.

[Vitaliy S.]

I haven't heard any issues with such configuration on these forums, so I guess it should be fine.

[niyi]

ore over I have the following questions:
1. is it possible to create veeam backup job that stores increamental (.vib)and Full(.vbk) in a seperate folder on the disk? I am planning to have say DAILY incremental folder and FULL or weekly Folder created so that I can determine which to backup to tape upon completion of the backup using script placed in the advance veeam job settings.Or is there scripts available to differentiate which files to route to Netbackup tape?

2. I am confused about what i have seen somewhere on this forum as regards the restore point settings. That veeam does seem to ignore 7 resore points settings for where 1 Full and 6 incrementals are taking weekly and veeam seems to default to 14 restore points because deleting the first full backup for example will render those incrementals taken in between 1st full vbk and subsequent full .vbk un useful. Is one able to enforce 7 restore points in this regard and not being ignored by veeam?

3.I have tried to use the Netbackup script " c:\program files\veritas\netbackup\bin>bpbackup.exe" -p mypolicy -i on my veeam server to backup to tape immediately after job completion but this didnt work. Can someone explain details of this script and does my veeam backup server need to be a netbackup media server- which i dont think is the case ?

Thanks.

Niyi

[Gostev]

1. No, this is not possible.
2. This is in the nature of incremental backup, so nothing to deal with Veeam. Exact restore point count enforcement is only possible with reversed incremental backup mode.
3. You may want to post this question in NetBackup user forum. Essentially, tape backup integration comes down to using NetBackup to backup "regular files" (Veeam backup files) to tape. My understanding is that this NetBackup tool launches predefined tape backup job called "mypolicy" (in the example above) that you setup to archives VBK files from selected location on disk to tape.

[Vitaliy S.]

Just wanted to add that we've got an updated whitepaper talking about Veeam and NetBackup 7 integration. You can get this document either via Sales Engineer/Support Team or via ProPartner Portal (look at techpapers section). Hope it helps!