Remote replication target licensing

[xray6969]

Hi!
I am trying to get remote DR site setup with Veeam replication. I have main production cluster with 3 hosts. I will be running backup/replication jobs on those 3 hosts and will need veeam licence on 6 sockets for those hosts. I am planning to use ESXi with free licence for DR purposes. Do I need licence for Veeam for DR host to do this? Will I be able to do initial replication using NAS device without licence? Do you need Veeam licence to do restores only in general?

[OnurD]

Hello

first of all you have to use licensed ESXi.. Veeam doesn't support free ESXi.. and you need to license for just only your production servers. Veeam doesn't need license for DR.

[Gostev]

That's right, Veeam B&R does not require licenses for target hosts. As for VMware licensing, I suppose you could setup your DR site with the same licenses as you are using for your production site, assuming you will only use DR site to run VMs when your production site is actually down. But, if you need to run some VMs on both sides all the time, or for scenarios like partial failover (non-hardware disaster usually requires failover only specific affected VMs), then of course you would have to buy VMware licenses for both of your sites. Thanks.

[xray6969]

No that is DR site only - if main sites goes up in flames. Or SAN in main site goes in flames... Another question about replication. If I want to do initial replication using NAS I need to deploy Veeam B&R VM on DR site - right? So, technically I will need to run VM on DR site? In that case I have to licence ESXi? Or Veeam in DR site only needs to be running for initial replication and then it can be shutdown? I understand that I do not need Veeam licence for DR site, so I just put Evaluation in DR site for initial replication? Will I be able to test multiple recovery points or just restores with expired evaluation version of Veeam?

[Gostev]

If you plan to deploy Veeam in a VM in DR site, then you will need VMware license there because this VM will need to be running continously.

From Veeam licenses perspective, it does not matter where you install Veeam Backup server, and how many Veeam Backup servers you install. We license by source ESX sockets only, not by number of Veeam server installations. So you just use your Veeam license to deploy as many Veeam Backup servers as you want. Typically you only need one server, unless you have more data to protect than a single server can handle, or have some other consideration (such as geographical, administrative, security).

[xray6969]

So, what is the minimum version for this DR replication target ESXi server? vSphere Standard? Or I need vSphere Advanced as it includes hot-add? I will not be backing-up VMs in DR site.

[Gostev]

Please, review the sticky FAQ topic for detailed system requirements information. Thanks.