Do I need separate jobs for Windows and Linux backups?

[HendersonD]

Currently I have two backup jobs running each evening, they are linked together, once the first job finishes the second starts
The first job is for my 4 Linux VMs

1. Under Storage...Advance Settings...vSphere tab the checkbox "Enable VMware Tools quiescence" is checked
2. Under Guest Processing the checkbox "Enable application-aware processing" is unchecked

The second job is for my 36 Windows VMs

1. Under Storage...Advance Settings...vSphere tab the checkbox "Enable VMware Tools quiescence" is unchecked
2. Under Guest Processing the checkbox "Enable application-aware processing" is checked

Since the settings to backup a Linux VM and a Windows VM are different, do these have to be run as two separate jobs?

[nielsengelen]

Job chaining is considered as a bad practice to use (see https://www.veeam.com/blog/worst-backup-practices.html). In regards to splitting Linux & Windows it's a best practice to do this so you're good there.

[HendersonD]

So if separate jobs for Linux and Windows VMs is best practice and chaining jobs is not best practice that leaves me with two choices:

1. The linux job takes about 15 minutes so start my Linux VM backup job at midnight and schedule the Windows VM backup job for 12:20am
2. Start both jobs at the same time and let Veeam sort things out

Which is the better choice?

[nielsengelen]

Best is to go for option 2. We have built in knowledge for this .

[HendersonD]

I am going to throw one more curve into this. I actually have 4 different jobs

1. Backup of 4 Linux VMs with source being a Nimble production array and the target being a Nimble array in our DR site
2. Backup of 36 Windows VMs with source being a Nimble production array and the target being a Nimble array in our DR site
3. Backup of 4 Linux VMs with source being a Nimble production array and the target being an Exagrid box off campus
4. Backup of 36 Windows VMs with source being a Nimble production array and the target being an Exagrid box off campus

The two Nimble arrays are connected by a 10 gig connection on campus. Our off campus Exagrid box has a 500Mbps connection. Should I start all 4 of these jobs at the same time and let Veeam sort it out? Right now I have these 4 chained

[DGrinev]

Hi,

You can start first and second backup jobs at the same time and let Veeam sort it out.
Then I'd highly recommend to replace other two backup jobs by backup copy jobs that will be moving data blocks from the DR site repository to the off campus.
Thus, you will significantly reduce the workload on the production and let Veeam to allocate resources in the best way. Thanks!

[HendersonD]

We cannot use a Backup Copy job to backup to the Exagrid. When running Veeam forever forward incremental, when the number of restore points exceeds the retention, a transform happens. The oldest incremental is rolled into the full and then deleted. The Exagrid does a poor job of this transform since it would need to drag data out of the archive. To prevent the Exagrid from doing this transform, a full or synthetic backup must be run before this transform point is reached. A Backup Copy job only allows a full backup, not a synthetic full. Doing a full backup across our WAN connection would not work, not enough bandwidth. For this reason, we use a Backup job to the Exagrid. The Exagrid backup jobs have a retention of 10 days so by running a synthetic full each Saturday, the transform never takes place. This synthetic full happens directly on the Exagrid box so no data traverses the WAN.

If my understanding of all of this is off, please let me know

[foggy]

Your understanding is correct, but synthetic full also requires data to be retrieved from the archive unless the entire week chain is stored in the landing page, which then can be achieved with the backup copy as well.

[HendersonD]

That is true but I thought that the Exagrid box has some technology built in so a synthetic full will be faster than the transform process? If both of them take equally long and are both done directly on the Exagrid box them perhaps I should consider moving to a Backup Copy job. Your thoughts?

[foggy]

Both are performed on the storage itself, though transform is more I/O intensive, so you should test which method will give better performance.

[sg_sc]

I do Linux and Windows VM's in 1 job. I enable "VMware Tools quiescence" and also enable "application-aware image backups", you can set different credentials for certain VM's or even disable it for certain VM's in the job.

[antipolis]

You won't get any benefits with vmware tools quiescence on linux guests, they will only be crash consistent no matter what; check my thread : vmware-vsphere-f24/about-vmware-tools-q ... 39069.html