Backup to Azure

[geksi]

Hello,

i will need to use cloud (AZURE) to copy backups to offsite location due business requirement.
I have V8 installed, but i can't find AZURE in the VCP list.
Should I continue to use VEEAM Cloud Edition, or how do I get the backups in the AZURE cloud?

Thanks

Alex

[veremin]

The best approach would be to find a service provider that answers your requirements best and get a cloud repository from him/her. The reasons are outlined in the adjacent thread. Thanks.

[ennorab]

Hi,
I'm looking for some advice/recommendations on the best way to backup to Azure for an off-site backup.
What needs configuration from both the Azure side and the Veeam B&R server. Do we spin up a VM / VPN, etc?
Any help much appreciated
cheers,

[ennorab]

not sure how my thread got merged with a title of "stupid question" - I don't think it's a stupid question! quite valid really and am looking for advice how to "hand roll" your own solution to backup offsite to Azure storage...

[foggy]

Topic title fixed, please review Vladimir's answer above and reasoning behind it in the thread he refers to. Thanks.

[Gostev]

not sure how my thread got merged with a title of "stupid question" - I don't think it's a stupid question! quite valid really and am looking for advice how to "hand roll" your own solution to backup offsite to Azure storage...

Merge fail this is just how the original poster decided to call his own topic

[scottf99]

I am currently testing Backup Copy to Azure and AWS.

I tried using AWS Storage Gateway which allows you to map an S3 bucket via iSCSI to an on-prem Veeam Server. This worked great until the backup copy retention was reached and a transformation was needed. This "downloaded" data from S3 which started to get very expensive so we killed this idea.
Next step was to install a VM using EC2. We added this to the Veeam Backup Infrastructure as a Repository and Wan Accelerator and this is working really well. Have done the same with Azure with same results.
Summary. You need a Veeam Repository Server in the cloud. Don't need a VPN as the Server doesn't need to join a domain or anything like that. Ensure you have appropriate AWS/Azure access lists/firewall in place to only allow connectivity from your on-prem Veeam Servers.
Hope this is helpful

[tsightler]

I tried using AWS Storage Gateway which allows you to map an S3 bucket via iSCSI to an on-prem Veeam Server. This worked great until the backup copy retention was reached and a transformation was needed. This "downloaded" data from S3 which started to get very expensive so we killed this idea.

I believe you can overcome this but the cache must be big enough to keep the recent data local.

[Gostev]

Don't need a VPN as the Server doesn't need to join a domain or anything like that.

But what about MITM? How do you know you are connecting to YOUR server, and not sending your backups to someone else?

[scottf99]

I believe you can overcome this but the cache must be big enough to keep the recent data local.

Fair call. Pretty hard trying to sell a solution where I need 10TB in the cloud but also 10TB on-prem but yes technically true. Just trying to add real world test results to the forum

[scottf99]

But what about MITM? How do you know you are connecting to YOUR server, and not sending your backups to someone else?

If this is of concern to others trying this then then just use a VPN. The cost is small. I tried both with and without VPN with similar results. Once again, just real world test results.

[tsightler]

Fair call. Pretty hard trying to sell a solution where I need 10TB in the cloud but also 10TB on-prem but yes technically true. Just trying to add real world test results to the forum

Fair enough, I guess I was assuming that they might be looking to keep more data offsite than onsite. Many customers use solutions like Azure as "tape replacement" to keep monthly fulls and such, so then you might need 10TB on-prem and 200TB in the cloud and that's still a pretty good deal!

[veremin]

Many customers use solutions like Azure as "tape replacement" to keep monthly fulls and such, so then you might need 10TB on-prem and 200TB in the cloud and that's still a pretty good deal!

Just out of curiosity - are saying there are customers using 200TB of Azure Storage? What billing model they're utilizing? And how much they're typically paying for that?

[tsightler]

Well, I think I only typed Azure because that was the service named in the topic, but we were specifically referencing AWS and the storage gateway. I've seen one customer that was at the maximum size of an AWS gateway, 150TB total, 16TB cache but I have no idea what they were paying, I'm assuming published prices.

[veremin]

Got it. Knowing about Azure Storage prices, I was surprised a bit to hear about tenants' renting 150 TB, thus, the questions. Thanks for clarification, anyway.

[techlogik]

I am currently testing Backup Copy to Azure and AWS.

I tried using AWS Storage Gateway which allows you to map an S3 bucket via iSCSI to an on-prem Veeam Server. This worked great until the backup copy retention was reached and a transformation was needed. This "downloaded" data from S3 which started to get very expensive so we killed this idea.
Next step was to install a VM using EC2. We added this to the Veeam Backup Infrastructure as a Repository and Wan Accelerator and this is working really well. Have done the same with Azure with same results.
Summary. You need a Veeam Repository Server in the cloud. Don't need a VPN as the Server doesn't need to join a domain or anything like that. Ensure you have appropriate AWS/Azure access lists/firewall in place to only allow connectivity from your on-prem Veeam Servers.
Hope this is helpful

Can you provide some more info on this? I would like to try this since I'm an Azure customer and use recovery services an have storage/VMs with Azure.

So you create a new VM, and call it a repository server. Then use Veeam to deposit backups to it with attached storage drives to the VM via some method? IP etc..site to site vpn or whatever?

Thx

[Gostev]

So you create a new VM, and call it a repository server. Then use Veeam to deposit backups to it with attached storage drives to the VM via some method? IP etc..site to site vpn or whatever?

Correct. He does not use VPN though, just native traffic encryption by Veeam (see at the end of the quote, and also following discussion on the previous page).

[scottf99]

Yes as per previous posts I tried using AWS S3 via Storage Gateway to move backups offsite but having a datamover next to the storage had many benefits. You can use a VPN to Azure/AWS (I actually found that made thing easier but there is a cost to it). I just created a Server 2012R2 in Azure, setup the firewalling or ACL or whatever Azure call it and then using the Veeam Console I just added the Azure Server as a Managed Server and the added it as a Wan Accelerator and then added it as a Repository. Then just treat it like any other Veeam Server. The first job takes a while as the WA is not cached with anything but after that it all calms down and works well (for me anyway). I'm now doing the same thing with AWS to get a feel for actual pricing as it is near impossible to estimate Azure or AWS pricing unless you know exactly how much traffic and IO and CPU/RAM you need and even then it convoluted

[veremin]

I will be interested, Scott, to hear about the results of your findings. Storage space usage, prices, etc. Please, keep us updated. Thanks.

[techlogik]

One last question, which ports do you have open in Azure for the repository to work properly. I've opened up 6160-6164, it gives an error on the repository install I'm assuming because the File/print share 135/137 aren't open etc.

But it shows a successful install. Still is having issues trying to connect/backup to the repository with a connect error though.

Thanks

[veremin]

Hi, Seth,

Can you confirm that you have opened all ports outlined in the system requirements?

Thanks.

[techlogik]

It says 2500-5000, but that is not possible with Azure. It might be with some custom script, but unless I use the site-to-site vpn which is a free for all of course, not sure the exact ports for the backup/recovery function to work to the repository.

Iv'e got 6160-6164 open for the ports it says it uses for transport etc..not sure what else except the nfs and other app port it really needs. Netbios ports seems a bit odd to need open except to identify the serve/os version possibly.

[scottf99]

Hi. I just created an Azure ACL and allowed the public egress IP of my datacentre full access to my Azure systems. An implicit deny all prevents anyone else accessing it. Alternative is to create an Azure VPN, very simple to do. NetBIOS ports are required to install agents.
Cheers
scott

[veremin]

If you don't want to open ports required for installing transport services, you can try to install those components on the given machine manually by copying and running msi files. Thanks.

[zqadri]

Cloud service providers can setup Veeam Cloud Connect to setup back jobs in Azure. Can a user do the same directly?

[Vitaliy S.]

You can certainly buy VM resource in Azure, create Veeam repository there and then configure your local backup server to transfer data to the offsite location. Is this what you're referring to? This does not require Cloud Connect though (see above).

[alex1002]

Did you ever get this to work?

[Vitaliy S.]

Alex, can you please clarify the issue you're facing with this functionality?