limit the outbound traffic from Offsite backup server

[shuji]

Hi there,

I have been testing the backup copy for future offsite backup in the past week. Right now, I am doing the backup copy to a server on our main site. The backups on the "backup copy server" have exceeded the number of restore points to keep, so every time the backup copy occurs, Veeam will perform a full backup file merge.

Let's call "backup copy server" as Server A, "Onsite Veeam Server" as Sever B.

I checked the data transmission of Server A when it was doing a backup copy (as the picture below).


I found that Server A sent large mount of data to Server B (first red peak) before the backup copy transmission (the first green peak). And the second red peak occurred when full backup file merged on Server A because of the exceeded number of restore point.

Why does server A need to send data back to Server B?
Is there any way to minimize the data send from Server A?
Do we need to deploy a Veeam backup server on offsite just for accelerate backup copy, because the size of some backup copy files are several GB?

Thank you
Ryan

[alanbolte]

What storage are your backup files on: standalone Windows or Linux servers, or a CIFS/SMB share? If the latter, you may need to configure specific 'gateway' servers in the repository settings.

[shuji]

Hi,

The backup files and backup copy files are both on CIFS share from QNAP servers. How should I configure specific 'gateway' servers in the repository settings?

[Vitaliy S.]

These settings can be configured via backup repository wizard > Specify Server or Shared Folder Settings

[shuji]

If you perform backup and replication over WAN or slow connections, choose The following server. From the list below, select a Microsoft Windows server on the target site that you want to use as a gateway server. The selected server must have a direct access to the shared folder and must be located as close to the shared folder as possible.

from https://helpcenter.veeam.com/backup/vsp ... erver.html

According to the quote, it seems I still have to deploy a veeam server on the offsite. Just like the 3rd question on my OP.

Can the gateway server to be a PC without Veeam on it?

Ryan

[hyvokar]

I think I'm having the same problem. BackupCopyJob was stalled at status "creating GFS restore point (10% done)", for more than 160 hours. The action pane says "|>Merging oldest restore point into full backup file (10% done) and |> Creating synthetic full restore point". I see veeam's 10Mbit/s traffic between main site and off-site. I was told that GFS restorepoint creation would not use bandwidht, but that isnt apparrently true?

[Vitaliy S.]

According to the quote, it seems I still have to deploy a veeam server on the offsite. Just like the 3rd question on my OP.

This server should be added to Veeam backup console, thus some Veeam components will be deployed to this gateway server, but you don't need to deploy Veeam backup server there.

I see veeam's 10Mbit/s traffic between main site and off-site. I was told that GFS restorepoint creation would not use bandwidht, but that isnt apparrently true?

There are two ways of creating GFS restore points, please take a look at this link > Methods for Archive Backups Creation

[shuji]

I think I'm having the same problem. BackupCopyJob was stalled at status "creating GFS restore point (10% done)", for more than 160 hours. The action pane says "|>Merging oldest restore point into full backup file (10% done) and |> Creating synthetic full restore point". I see veeam's 10Mbit/s traffic between main site and off-site. I was told that GFS restorepoint creation would not use bandwidht, but that isnt apparrently true?

This is what I am worrying about as well. I tried using another Windows 7 PC with Veeam installled not activated to be a gateway server for "offsite" backup copy (all tests are still onsite, haven't moved to offsite), it seems the backup copy is using the PC instead of the Veeam backup server. Maybe you can try that too.

[shuji]

This server should be added to Veeam backup console, thus some Veeam components will be deployed to this gateway server, but you don't need to deploy Veeam backup server there.

Does the gateway server have to be a windows 2012 server, or a regular PC is okay for the job?

[hyvokar]

Methods for Archive Backups Creation

I'm doing synthetic fulls.

[alanbolte]

System requirements (os, memory, and cpu) for a CIFS/SMB gateway are the same as listed in the user guide for a Windows repository

[Vitaliy S.]

I'm doing synthetic fulls.

In this case full backups will be synthesized locally, given that you have a gateways server (required for CIFS repositories only)

[hyvokar]

In this case full backups will be synthesized locally, given that you have a gateways server (required for CIFS repositories only)

I dont have a gateway server, only a NAS, which is connected to backup server via iscsi. Do I need a server on the off-site office?

[Vitaliy S.]

Yes, that would be a recommended approach.

[hyvokar]

I have now deployed a win7 quadcore laptop with 12gb ram on a off-site office.
What roles should I install on it?

How should I connect the laptop to NAS via iscsi and share the disk with veeam server, or what would be recommended configuration?

[alanbolte]

To use iSCSI to store backup data, the laptop should be given the 'repository' role, of the 'Windows' type.
You'll then have to change all your offsite jobs to point to the new repository.

[hyvokar]

Hi!

This worked perfectly. Now the gfs retention works and veeam uses no network bandwidth to compose synthetic full backups.
So shuji, PC with win7 sp1 is enough, you dont need windows server os.

https://helpcenter.veeam.com/backup/hyp ... .html#repo
minumum win winsta sp2, x86 cpu, 4gb ram (atleast 8gb recommended).