Hi Filippo
I have two primary sites and each of them should act as a DR for the other. Can you please compare the pro and cons of having a B&R server instance on each site ?
Pro:
Having a backup server on each site allows you to do more granular permissions regarding backup server management via the Veeam backup console. If you don't want to let teams from site a accessing backups on site b via the backup console, this is one option to control it.
Con:
- More maintenance effort when it comes to updating your backup infrastructure.
- More hardening effort, because you need to harden two backup infrastructure against malicious attacks
- More monitoring effort, because you need to monitor two different environments
Can I add to site A infrastructure the B&R server on site B and use its transport component to connect to site B repository ? To put in other words I would like to use transport component of another independent Veeam installation.
Yes, it's possible but not recommended. If you start sharing repository hardware between multiple backup server, you will need to be aware of some limitation:
- hardware resource consumption: One backup server does not know about the other one. Both will try to use every available CPU or Memory for themselves.
- Veeam Backup & Replication update level: If you update one backup server, you must immediately update the second backup server. Transport Service on the repository server must always have the same version as the backup server or jobs will fail.
- Hardened repository: A harden repository server cannot be shared between multiple backup server
- Tape server: A tape server cannot be shared between multiple backup server
To keep things more simple, I recommend to have a single backup server to manage both sites. If you need to configure granular restore permission, use the enterprise manager for your helpdesk teams and allow only access to specific VMs. You may keep a replacement backup server in a second location. If the first backup server fails, import the configuration backup and keep continuing with your backup and replication jobs managed from the second site.
Question about license.
I'm moving from socket license for both server to a single licence for 50 VMs. Can I use this license in the 2 B&R server scenario ? Do I have to split into 2 parts ? On Veeam license site I only found the merge option, not the split one.
What about the Veeam B&R instance on the DR site ? If I use that instance only for disaster recovery is it covered by the same license for the main site or do I need another one ?
Using multiple backup server with the same license is fully supported. But you need to deploy our Enterprise Manager, install your VUL license and add all backup server. The enterprise manager will manage your license consumption between all backup server.
A DR/replacement server doesn't require a license for recovery sessions. As long there is no active backup or replica job, a license is not required. But you may add it to the same enterprise manager, to be prepared in case the DR server will be your new production server after a configuration restore.
Best,
Fabian