Backups not using preferred network

[jessey316]

Hi,

I have been searching for a solution for some time but no luck in getting the backups to use my backup nic. My setup is below

Production Site
NIC1 - 10.40.x.x/16 - Main Production VLAN - Default gateway configured.
NIC2 - 172.32.x.x/22 - Backup VLAN - No default gateway. Specified in VBR Preferred Network

VBR server ver.11 - Has a Production IP and Backup IP

Windows Server - Has a Production IP and Backup IP

What is the best way to get the backup jobs to run over the backup network and not production? I have the backup network specified in the preferred network.

My current workaround is to add the windows servers I want to backup via their backup IP and configuration agent jobs in the VBR console to specify the VBR backup server ip as the repository. However, I would prefer for the jobs to be managed by the backup server so I can utilise the enterprise management console and veeam one dashboards etc.

Is there a way to force this without adding to host files or creating new DNS entries?

I read one solution was to remove the default proxy at setup and specify the backup ip of the VBR server. Is there a way to do this after install?

Thanks in advance

[PetrM]

Hi Jessey,

The preferred network setting is applied between components on which source and target Data Movers are running, for example proxy or repository servers. If you protect physical machines, then both source and repository must have interfaces in the backup network. In case of virtual machines backup, the proxy and repository must reside in the backup network.

Could you please clarify what kind of workloads whether physical or virtual did you try to process before you started to use the workaround?

Thanks!

[jessey316]

Hi Petrm,

Sorry for the late reply

we are backing up virtual machines. The proxy and repository are on the same server, the VBR server if that helps which has a nic on production and backup network.

The source (server I want to backup, correct?) and the VBR machine both reside on the backup network. However, if i add a server via its hostname, the connection seems to only go over the production network, not taking into account the backup network

[PetrM]

Hello,

The preferred network setting is applied between source and target Data Movers to route traffic from proxy to repository over a dedicated network, please take a look at this diagram to get a better idea of Data Movers. If you have all-in-one setup and run backups in vSphere environment, then the preferred network will not come into action because data movers are running on the same machine. However, which transport mode do you use? You have the option to deploy a virtual proxy and run backups in HotAdd mode. This approach allows you to transfer data from proxy which is running on ESXi to repository over the backup network.

Thanks!

[jessey316]

Hi Petrm,

Thanks for explaining this further. We do not use Vsphere but can I assume this would work with a hyper-v environment and a virtual proxy? in terms of transport mode, we are using direct storage.

[PetrM]

Hi Jessey,

Yes, it works in Hyper-V environments as well. However, you cannot have a virtual proxy in Hyper-V, backups are performed either in on-host or off-host mode.

Thanks!