Backup and replicate to off site host

[Bigpants2k]

Hello,

I need some help with the below configuration.

I have just upgraded to V7 and need a little help.

In our main office we have 2 x ESXi 4.1 hosts and our Veeam B&R Server. In our remote location we have a ESXi 4.1 Host\Target.

What I would like is to have a backup of a VM on our B&R server and also an updated copy for failover in our remote site. Updates to the failover VM will need to be made at night, until our new line gets put in and then I can do it during the day.
Is this the best way to achieve a local backup and a updated remote VM?

Many thanks

[veremin]

In this case, you will have to create local backup jobs that will be executed during the day, and remote replication ones that will be started during the night. It’s also recommended to have proxy servers specified on the both ends (1st closer to production, 2nd – DR). This will guarantee the data will cross the WAN in highly-compressed and deduplicated state ,etc.

Moreover, it’s advisable to deploy additional instance of VB&R in your DR site and set it responsible for remote replication jobs only. Thus, should need be (your primary site goes down, for instance), special operations like Failover, Failback can be smoothly started from there.

Thanks. 

[Bigpants2k]

Thanks Vladimir

I have created proxy's on all my hosts, so I have two in the main office (Plus the one on my Physical B&R SVR) and one on the remote site and they are showing in Veeam B&R.

So I can backup during the day, which shouldn't be a problem and then create a replication job to copy over the VM\Changes at night. Do I use the Backup copy of the VM for this on the live VM, also id like it to come on if the Live VM goes down?

If I was to create a new instance of Veeam B&R at my DR site, can it be the free version or does it need to be a paid for version, as I don't think ill get the budget for it (

Thank you

[veremin]

Actually, there are a couple of options available here depending mostly on desired RTO/RPO.

Replication jobs are considered to be a best way for protecting business critical VMs and are supposed to provide you with minimal RPO/RTO. That being said, in case of disaster you can quickly failover/failback to the replicated VMs in DR.

On the other hand, if requirements towards RPO/RTO aren’t that critical, and it’s ok for your business to stand idle, while you’re recovering production environment, then, you can stick to just copying backup data offsite.

However, I believe, the best idea would be to utilize all type of the jobs - replication jobs for protecting the most crucial VMs, backup jobs for protecting other generic machines, and backup copy jobs for long-time archival purposes.

Thanks.

[foggy]

If I was to create a new instance of Veeam B&R at my DR site, can it be the free version or does it need to be a paid for version, as I don't think ill get the budget for it (

And you do not need additional license to install second full-blown instance of Veeam B&R in your DR site, as the product is licensed per socket of the hosts your backed up/replicated VMs reside on, not by the number of instances installed or whatever. Just use Enterprise Manager to manage all backup servers from a single web-based console and to push your single license file to them.

[Bigpants2k]

Vladimir,

So I will change my backup window to during the day for the primary VM's and create a replication job to replicate them to my DR Host at night. (Do you have a guide, video etc on how to achieve this?)

Foggy,

Do I need an additional licence for Enterprise manager?

Can my DR B&R Server be a VM?

Thank you Vladimir and Foggy.

[veremin]

Corresponding User Guide (p. 221) has a pretty descriptive section on how replication jobs should be created. So, it might be worth taking a look. Thanks.

[foggy]

Do I need an additional licence for Enterprise manager?

In Enterprise Manager you need to specify the same license file you have for you backup server. No additional license is required.

Can my DR B&R Server be a VM?

Sure, please see user guide for detailed system requirements for Veeam B&R server and its components.

[Bigpants2k]

Thanks for that.

I have created a second B&R server on my remote host (VM). I have tried adding this as a Windows Server\Proxy to my 'main' B&R server but it wont have it. Throws up some errors.

Is this expected behaviour?

Thanks

[nefes]

Do you use exactly the same version of B&R on both machines? Both major version and patch level should be the same.
If it is not your case, please contact technical support directly, as it is recommended for all technical issues.

[Bigpants2k]

Both versions are V7 (Both O's are 2008R2). The only difference is the main B&R server was a in-place upgrade from ver 6.5 and the B&R VM at the remote site was a fresh install on a new VM.

Will sleep on it, you never know something might pop into my head over night ) and if it doesn't ill raise a support ticket.

Thanks for your reply.

[Vitaliy S.]

I have created a second B&R server on my remote host (VM). I have tried adding this as a Windows Server\Proxy to my 'main' B&R server but it wont have it. Throws up some errors.

But why do you this in the first place? You shouldn't add your second Veeam B&R server as a server or proxy to the "main" B&R server. If you want to manage both servers from a single location, you should add your Veeam B&R servers to Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager as foggy has advised above.

[Bigpants2k]

Yup I have installed Enterprise manager and I have added them both into it.

My thinking was that I could create a second B&R server at the DR site in case our main site goes off-line and I could also use that as a proxy?

[veremin]

Taking into account that remote replication jobs, as well as, additional management tasks (such as proxy assignment) will be performed by remote instance of VB&R, it makes little sense to add remote VB&R to the console of production backup server. Thanks.

[Bigpants2k]

Ok so in an ideal world, I would have a proxy and another instance of B&R server at my DR site?

[veremin]

Yep, it’s generally recommended to have additional instance of DR site in case of remote replication jobs. Though, the role of target proxy can be played by it, as well.

Let’s say you’re willing to replicate VM called VM1 from production to DR site, then, you have to:

• DR VB&R: Create a replication job
• Select VM1 as a source
• Select proxy that is located in production site as a source proxy
• Select proxy that is located in DR site (be it additional proxy or DR VB&R itself) as a target proxy

Thanks.

[Bigpants2k]

Cool got it working now.

For some reason it wasn't connecting last night and throwing up errors, now I've had some sleep, I realised it was the firewall..doh!

Thanks for your help

[veremin]

You’re welcome. Should any additional help be needed, don’t hesitate to let us know. Thanks.