Priority Networks for data transfers

[loelly]

So, I need to set up preferred networks to avoid Veeam proxies trying to connect via iSCSI networks, see
http://helpcenter.veeam.com/backup/80/v ... twork.html

My question is, do I setup the networks which are available on the source (proxy) side or the side the virtual machines reside in? For example: backup server in network 1 (LAN) and 2 (iSCSI SAN), proxy servers available in network 1. The VM to be backed up itself has interfaces in networks 3 (other LAN) and 2 (iSCSI SAN). I want to avoid the proxy connections to the virtual machine via network 2, as the proxy cannot reach the VM over that network.

Which network(s) do I have the setup as preferred (network 3 or 1)?

Thanks!

[Vitaliy S.]

Hi Maik,

Priority networks cannot be configured for source VM data retrieval process, as these rules are applied between Veeam backup components. I have tried to draw your setup, but there is one thing I do not completely understand. Proxy servers do not connect to VMs, instead we are using connection to the ESXi host/datastore (in case of direct SAN mode usage).

Can you please tell us a bit more on what transport mode you use and where data traffic is routed to?

Thanks!

[loelly]

Hey Vitaly,

sorry for the confusion. I figured a solution myself, but maybe this is useful for you and others, so here's my setup:

a) backup server located on network A (VLAN A) and B (iSCSI)
b) VM w/ two virtual disks located on network B (VLAN B) and B (iSCSI)
c) proxy servers located on network A (VLAN A)

No preferred network set.

So, what I was seeing is that - after electing backup proxies -, the job failed on disk 2, which should have been backed up by a proxy server (Error: Completion timeout occurred). Investigating further using netstat, I found a connection request originating from the LAN IP from the backup proxy server to the iSCSI destination IP address of the VM to be backed up (state SYN_SENT). As we do not route between LAN and iSCSI networks, this will of course result in a timeout.

Now what I did was to add all network ranges (/24) as preferred networks on each of the backup proxies and the Veeam backup server itself to avoid connections on the iSCSI LAN. BTW: It would have been easier to just exclude the iSCSI network. This would come in handy in future releases,...

Best regards,

Maik.

[Vitaliy S.]

Thanks for sharing your network configuration of the Veeam backup infrastructure. What networks VLANs do your hosts belong to? I assume it's VLAN A and iSCSI?

[loelly]

If you mean the ESXi hosts, they're in another dedicated VLAN. But as I'm just using Hot Add, that's not an issue... and I need to add to my post above, that I added all the backup proxy and backup server VLANs but not the iSCSI network as preferred ones. That worked. I guess part of the issue was that Veeam on the backup server instructed the back proxy to contact the virtual machine in question via the iSCSI network. Anyways, all good here for me.

[Vitaliy S.]

Oh I see, thanks for additional clarification.