How to design a VBR/DB for DR without Orchestrator

[BobbyHood]

I'm pushing to get DR Orchestrator but I don't know if it will happen. How would you design a secondary B&R and DB server at a DR site?

My environment:
- Veeam prod and DR infrastructure is on the same NSX network segments spanned between data centers which simplifies a lot (no networking will change in a DR situation)
- DR copies at the second site are created with Veeam copy jobs

My oversimplified ideas:

1) Full DB replication
- Create secondary VBR and DB servers at the DR site
- Do daily copies of the primary VBR config backup to the secondary VBR server
- Configure SQL replication to secondary DB
In a DR situation, just install the backup config on the secondary VBR and start recovery to DR hardware.

2) No DB replication
- Create secondary VBR and DB servers at the DR site
- Add only the DR infrastructure to the second VBR server (proxies, repos, vCenter)
In a DR situation, scan the repositories for latest backups and start recovery to DR hardware.

Anyone have any other ideas/suggestions?

[Mildur]

Hi Bobby

I would keep it simple, create a configuration backup from the first VBR server and store it in the second site. In the same repository, where you have the copied the backups. If your Database is below 10GB, SQL express will be enough. No need to install an extra DB server.

If you primary site fails, you can import the configuration backup and start restoring the backups. You could also consider using Veeam Replicas (Replica from Backup). Then the configuration backup would be necessary to be able to failover the replicas with the Veeam console on the second VBR server.

Thanks
Fabian

[BobbyHood]

So the original database isn't required to import the config to the secondary VBR and begin restores? That would greatly simplify things.

[Mildur]

Hi Bobby

Yes, it's that simple
https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... ml?ver=110

If you want to use replicas, then best practice would be to place the backup server at the secondary site.
But configuration backup restore will also work.

Thanks
Fabian