NetApp Snapshot with Veeam Repository VMware Quiesce

[adam.paradis]

Hi, I did some searching in the forums but didn't find anything exactly like what I have a question about.

Currently I have all of my VMware 6.7 datastores backed up with Veeam using a NetApp snapshot-only configuration. The job starts and VMs are snapped in VMware with quiescence and then Veeam takes a snapshot on the primary array, then releases the VM snapshots, and finally transfers the snapshot to the peer array snapvault volume for retention.

This has been working well for the several months since we started using Veeam, however we have a Cisco UCS S3260 that we would like to introduce as repository storage for VM backups.

I've been testing with the job configuration that I thought would be very similar to what I listed above only with changing the "Backup Repository" in the job to the new server instead of the NetApp snapshots.

The ultimate question I have is why when using this configuration and I have the "Enable VMware Tools Quiescence" option checked as well as "Enable backup from storage snapshots" there is no storage snapshot taken on the NetApp. When I uncheck the "Enable VMware Tools Quiescence" option and re-run the job the storage snapshot does happen, however the VMs no longer snap with quiescence.

I found a Veeam KB article which might reference this limitation but I can't tell for sure. https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... ml?ver=100

"If you enable the Enable VMware tools quiescence option in the job settings, Veeam Backup & Replication will not use Backup from Storage Snapshots to process running Microsoft Windows VMs that have VMware Tools installed."

Am I missing something or was this intentionally designed this way?

Thanks.

[HannesK]

Hello,
yes, that's a limitation with NFS.

Please use Veeam Application Aware Image processing (the default setting): https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... ml?ver=100

Best regards,
Hannes

[adam.paradis]

How does a job using that includes a repository differ from a job that uses NetApp snapshots only. Isn't it the same scenario since it takes NetApp snapshots anyway and the repository step is at the end where the proxy transfers it to the repository server? Almost seems like an oversight.

[adam.paradis]

Also, AAIP involves setting up credentials for every single VM that will use this backup configuration. This limitation really makes it discouraging to use a Veeam repository and makes a strong case to continue using NetApp snapshot-only jobs.

[soncscy]

Hey Adam,

>makes a strong case to continue using NetApp snapshot-only jobs.

I'm not sure I can agree I understand it's a lot of work, but snapshot-only jobs aren't backups. If your filer tanks or is over-taken, so are your backups.

I get your point, you don't want to have to deal with the limitation, but don't let that sink you into bad ideas like this.

Powershell surely can make this very easy. A CSV file with VMs and a way to look up the required info and pass it security with a secure string object to set the password in Veeam.

[HannesK]

Hello,

1) it's very different scenarios
2) you can use VMware tools quiescing (not recommended for reliability reasons). It's just that backup from storage snapshot is not used. But backup still works fine as you should have seen in your environment.
3) as Harvey said... we advocate the 3-2-1 rule https://www.veeam.com/blog/how-to-follo ... ation.html
4) normally there is one backup user for all VMs or full automation with PowerShell. So normally there is no need to set it manually for each VM.

Best regards,
Hannes