SOBR - adding extent

[Kitkat]

Hi guys,

I want to add an new extent into a SOBR with 3 existing extents. Can I add while jobs are running or must I disable all the jobs that are writing to it?
I guess once added, Veeam will move things around and fill it up so that all extents are relatively evenly distributed (taking into account data locality)

My ultimate goal here is to eventually remove the 3 existing extents but rather than evacuating now or sealing them (I cant afford to take FULL backups again), by adding the new large extent, I can get some of the space filled and get a head start, lessening the data needing to be evacuated.. I'm I on the right path?

Thanks.

[HannesK]

Hello,
you can add an extend at any time. Veeam keeps everything where it is. There is no automatic movement / rebalance.

I don't know which file system and backup mode you use, but in all recommended configurations (meaning REFS / XFS file system on block storage), only new machines will end up on the new extent. Otherwise fastclone would break.

Best regards,
Hannes

[Kitkat]

Thank you Hannes - I added the new extent and realised this morning that nothing gets 'rebalanced or moved' (as I thought) so this weekend, I'll have to evacuate the jobs.
I prefer to use 'Seal extent', however, my understanding is that Veeam will take a new FULL, does it still use the old backup files to create the new active FULL or does it write the backup from production again? Some of the jobs took me weeks to complete as they were coming over poor WAN links (or in some cases we used a USB seeding method), I would hate for that to happen again.

[Kitkat]

#i think I may have answered my own question, those new FULLs will be synthetic so they wont consume more space... correct?

[HannesK]

sealing creates an "active full".

synthetic fulls on a different file system always consume space. block cloning only works within one file system

I would upgrade to V12 (after GA) and then evacuate. That preserves block cloning.

[Kitkat]

Got it, understand now Thanks