Replication – what is the last step?

[antivir]

Veeam Backup 4.0.
For example I have two servers: main and reserve. The main is dead. The reserver has replicas of VMs.
I do:
1. Go to Replicas, make Failover To a Paticular Version. VM is started with Veeam Shapshot.
2. How to detach VMs replicas from Veeam Backup? Is deleting Veeam Snapshot the last step?
What is the proper way to set in operation VM replicas (make them as main VMs, and new reserve server with new replicas will be later)?

If I go to vSphere client and make Power on VM replica(without Faillover in Veeam) – what is that VM? First full backup?

My interpretation of replica:
1. First replication – making full backup of VM – first restore point
2. Second Replication – making shapshot – second restore point
3. Third Replication – making shapshot – third restore point
4. I do Failover replica on third point: Veeam Backup get full backup, get third snapshot, delete that shapshot, power on VM, make temporary shapshot.
Is it right?

Thank You for your answers.

[Vitaliy S.]

Hello Andrew,

Let me answer your last question first, if you power on replicated VM using just vSphere client, the VM will be powered on to the most recent state (your last job run). If possible, avoid powering on a replica manually in case its original has failed, otherwise, the subsequent replication sessions of your replication job might be corrupted. However, you can use this scenario (powering on manually) in case your Veeam server also goes down with the primary site.

Your understanding of replica is almost correct, when you do the first run of the job, we create the snapshot of the source VM, replicate all VM files, and then consolidate the created snapshot to the original VM, the other runs do the same, but we transmit only changes. So when you perform failover operation, you choose what restore point to boot from, then we start the VM from the state you've chosen, create the snapshot of the VM to protect a replicated VM from user's changes, in case you'd need to perform undo failover operation, however if you want to use that VM as source, you may perform remove from replicas operation then you may delete Veeam's snapshot and start using that VM as a source.

Thank you.

[Gostev]

Here is the existing thread with the similar question:
Permanent Failover

Also helpful as for how replication works technically (towards the end of the article):
Veeam Synthetic Backup Explained

[antivir]

I have Windows-test replica with 1 restore point.

First variant. I do:
1. VM is powered off.
2. Remove From replica. I get VM as source.
3. I want to remove that VM. I do it in vSphere client -> Delete from disk. But there are VeeamBackup-Windows-test directory and replica.vbk inside. Is it bug?
Do i need perform failover for 1 restore point?

Second variant. I do:
1. Perform failover
2. Remove from replica.
3. Delete Veeam Snapshot.
4. Power off VM.
5. Delete from disk (in vSphere client). There are two files lost: replica.vbk and running.rbk.

I installed new build 4.0.0.80_u

First variant - there are replica.vbk and windows-test.vmdk
Second Variant - there are replica.vbk and running.rbk

[Gostev]

If you do not want Veeam-specific files left, you should run Delete from Disk command from Veeam Backup console, not from vSphere Client.

[antivir]

Delete from Disk command from Veeam Backup console is not deleting Veeam-specific files, this is deleting whole VM replica!!!!

I need VM as source. And i need delete it later (some days).

Can Veeam Backup delete everything about himself in replica and make proper VM for vSphere Client?

[Gostev]

This task is discussed in the thread I have referenced above "Permanent Failover". Additional files need to be removed manually, Veeam Backup cannot do this automatically at this time.

[antivir]

There are no solution. I need delete some files by hands at datastore.
P.S. Ok, Thank you.