Proxy vs Repository Server Confusion

[bhwong]

I have read the FAQ and still quite confused over when to deploy Proxy vs Repository Servers. To summarized, am I right to conclude that Proxy is target at source to read and compress data while Repository is target at destination to write data?

If the above conclusion is correct, all I need is to have a proxy server at source and a repository server at destination for both Backup and Replication, whether the destination storage is local or remote, make no difference?

The FAQ state that you do not need a proxy at DR site, just repository. Unless your target in DR site is a CIFS share.

1. Does this mean that I can't target a CIFS share directly (NAS device etc) but have to go thru a Windows VM acting as a Proxy Server?

2. Why can't I use a Repository Server for CIFS share at the DR site?

btw, is it possible to do the reverse of backing up or replicating remote site VMs to local storage? Do I need to install a Veeam Server at remote site to do this? Can I setup a server at each site to act as both proxy and repositories server? Or do I need both servers at each site?

[foggy]

I have read the FAQ and still quite confused over when to deploy Proxy vs Repository Servers. To summarized, am I right to conclude that Proxy is target at source to read and compress data while Repository is target at destination to write data?

If the above conclusion is correct, all I need is to have a proxy server at source and a repository server at destination for both Backup and Replication, whether the destination storage is local or remote, make no difference?

The FAQ state that you do not need a proxy at DR site, just repository. Unless your target in DR site is a CIFS share.

1. Does this mean that I can't target a CIFS share directly (NAS device etc) but have to go thru a Windows VM acting as a Proxy Server?

2. Why can't I use a Repository Server for CIFS share at the DR site?

There is a good description of the whole product architecture and deployment scenarios given in the Veeam B&R user guide, outlining what components and when are required in this or that case both for backup and replication. I'm pretty sure it answers most of your questions. Please review it and if you still have any doubts, you can ask here.

btw, is it possible to do the reverse of backing up or replicating remote site VMs to local storage? Do I need to install a Veeam Server at remote site to do this? Can I setup a server at each site to act as both proxy and repositories server? Or do I need both servers at each site?

Yes, you can backup and replicate in both directions using the single Veeam B&R server (and its location doesn't really matter) and have both proxy and repository installed on the same server at each site (just be sure they are capable of the processing load you are going to assign on them).