Proxy Server - Gateway in Local (LAN) Backups?

[SamVan]

Good morning All,
I have been researching the proxy server setup and usage to gain closer familiarity to the feature in order to ultimately increase my backup speeds.
Please verify or correct the following statements:
I. the proxy server can be only used with a backup target, i.e., when a backup repository is created the backup gateway (the proxy) will be selected. Is that the only way to incorporate a proxy server into one's backup environment?Any other ways a proxy server can be used? (just checking)
2. Only when a remote backup target is used, a proxy server can help backup speeds (for both RPO and RTO and in simpler terms for faster transfer rates when backing up and restoring at the file and folder lever (FLR)). Or can a proxy server still be used to increase backup and restore speeds when the backup source and the target both reside on the same local subnet?

By the way the YouTube clip made by Heather Nothstein is very helpful. I was looking for some on-line resources that would close examine the proxy server and it's use cases.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PJL8wa ... Ebk6G-pjeu

In general I am looking to improve my backup speeds specifically the transfer rate during an FLR scenario. I do understand all subsystems, i.e., disk performance, CPU and network on both source and target need to be examined but generally I would like to also find ways to improve my backups by alleviating any potential bottlenecks at the Application layer.

Thanks for any and all inputs that can be provided here.

SP

[foggy]

Seems you're confusing proxy server role with a gateway role. Proxy server is the component that actually performs data retrieval and processing, the default proxy server is installed as a part of Veeam B&R installation, however you can add other proxies, if required. Each proxy server runs Veeam data mover. Backup repository server can also run data mover process (and that is optimal setup), however some types of backup repositories cannot run it (CIFS repository, for example) and require gateway server to be located close to them (to avoid remote synthetic activity and uncompressed traffic over slow links). Gateway server is configured in the repository wizard.

[SamVan]

Thank you for your explanation.
So if that's the case:
1. How do you let Veeam know that a backup job needs to be using a proxy server other than the default (local server ("this server"))? Is there a way to make the remote (non-local but still same subnet) proxy the default proxy to be used for all jobs?

2. The reason why you want to have another proxy is to delegate all the "heavy lifting" and all resource-intensive processes (moving data for example) to the another server (other than the local Veeam server) so the Veeam server's CPU and RAM resources can be focused on running the jobs, correct? And that's how you can improve your backup speeds (given the other proxy server is a robust sever with high amount of RAM and a modern multi-core CPU), correct?

The reason why I mention non-local rather using remote is to make sure that I am still talking about the local (LAN) backup jobs (not selecting a remote target).

Thanks again.

SP

[foggy]

1. How do you let Veeam know that a backup job needs to be using a proxy server other than the default (local server ("this server"))?

You can add proxies and then Veeam B&R will automatically spread the load between all available proxy servers.

Is there a way to make the remote (non-local but still same subnet) proxy the default proxy to be used for all jobs?

You can explicitly specify the backup proxy to be used by the job, however it is recommended that source proxy server is located close to the production storage, for optimal data retrieval.

2. The reason why you want to have another proxy is to delegate all the "heavy lifting" and all resource-intensive processes (moving data for example) to the another server (other than the local Veeam server) so the Veeam server's CPU and RAM resources can be focused on running the jobs, correct?

Correct.

And that's how you can improve your backup speeds (given the other proxy server is a robust sever with high amount of RAM and a modern multi-core CPU), correct?

Correct.

[SamVan]

Thank you very much for taking the time to clarify these items for me.
I appreciate it.

SP