Veeam Backup & Replication Community Edition

[applefanboy]

I am currently using the free community edition of Veeam BR on 9.5U4. Can someone explian how the licensing structure worked? I read its unlimited VMs (or is that for veeamZip only?), but when i tried backing up a 2nd vm, it errors out with Unable to process workload: license has been exceeded. When i go to file/licenses, it shows 10/10 instances used. What is classified as an instance?

Also, is there any way to schedule a physical server backup to every hour instead of daily? Do i have to use task scheduler/scripts? Can you provide sample scripts/links?

On a vm, I have the ability to schedule it every hour.

Thanks

[Gostev]

You should be able to process up to 10 VMs, unless you're processing some other workloads too. Try revoking the licenses in that dialog?

Yes, you can schedule Server agent-based jobs to run every hour. With Community Edition (as well as Standard Edition), VMs consume 1 instance per VM, Server agents consume 3 instances per server, and Workstation agents consume 1 instance per workstation.

[applefanboy]

How do i get unlimited vms per this page? https://www.veeam.com/virtual-machine-b ... -free.html
"FREE: Unlimited number of ESXi and Hyper-V hosts or VMs, with no expiration date and zero investment required!"

Can you explain how to schedule server agent based jobs? Is this on the local physical server or do you mean via Veeam BR console? On the free version, I don't have the ability to add a physical server.

thanks

[veremin]

The referenced page is out-dated and will be replaced soon, as it talks about Veeam Backup Free Edition which no longer exists as of Update 4.

Now you have Community Edition (provided on free basis) with 10 Standard instances included. Using these 10 instances, you can protect both virtual and physical workloads. To protect the later you need to follow these recommendations.

Thanks!

[applefanboy]

So if i install 9.5 update 3a, i will have unlimited licenses for VM?

[veremin]

If you install Update 3a and use it in free edition, you can protect unlimited number of VMs only with VeeamZIP functionality (manual ad-hoc full backups).

Also, you will be unable to leverage backup repository, backup proxy, backup copy jobs, replication jobs, physical machine backup and so on. This requires Update 4 and the Community Edition.

Thanks!

[Neilo]

Just so i'm getting this right? The Old Veeam previous to Update 4 was unlimited ad-hoc backup via Zip only. The New Update 4 is completely unrestricted with a limit of 10 instances or (3 instances per agent). Basically 10 VM? or 3 win/linux os and 1vm with Scheduling and duplication works? T here is no Limits other than the 10 Instances? if this is true, this is fantastic for the home Lab user. WOW!

[Gostev]

That is correct.

Just like the What's New document explains, with the Community Edition you basically get Veeam Backup & Replication Standard Edition for 10 instances, which can be any of the below combinations (these are just some random examples, obviously there are hundreds of supported combinations as long as weights add up to 10 instances):

• 10 VMs
• 10 Workstations
• 5 VMs + 5 Workstations
• 5 VMs + 1 Server + 2 Workstations
• 1 VM + 3 Servers
• 3 Servers + 1 Workstation

and so on... with Standard Edition instances, VMs consume 1 instance per VM, Server agents consume 3 instances per server, and Workstation agents consume 1 instance per workstation.

Importantly, with the Community Edition you still keep all functionality of the former Free Edition, such as VeeamZIP for unlimited VMs, Quick Migration for unlimited VMs, unlimited File to Tape and File Copy, etc. In other words, there's no feature loss or drawbacks of moving from the Free Edition.

[Neilo]

yes i see it now.

• Veeam Backup Free Edition has been discontinued and replaced by Veeam Backup & Replication Community Edition.

• Added Veeam Backup & Replication Community Edition, which is effectively fully functional Veeam Backup & Replication Standard
Edition limited to 10 Instances. For the former Free Edition functionality, Community Edition inherits the same licensing behavior, for
example VeeamZIP backups or Quick Migration jobs will not be counted against the 10 Instances limit.

Will the pop up mentioning the grace period of 90 days go away after 90 day? a bit annoying. i also notice it takes 4 times as long to connect after initial opening of the program?

Anyhow, i'm happy with the new licensing scheme.

[applefanboy]

Are you saying i reverted back to 9.5U3 for no reason!? lol

[Neilo]

You sure did!

[Gostev]

Will the pop up mentioning the grace period of 90 days go away after 90 day? a bit annoying.

It sounds like you have a valid legacy license installed. You should download and install a replacement one from the Customer Portal.

[Neilo]

interesting, i don't recall ever installing a license for the previous free edition? But again its been some time since i installed it. I'll check it out.

Thanks

[Gostev]

Free edition does not require a license, however there was an agent promo at some point that you may have used? This message box should not show UNLESS you have a legacy license installed. Othewise, could be some bug with the Free edition upgrade to the Community edition. But yes, it will go away in any case.

[rasmusan]

Are you allowed to use the product for “production” as an end Customer? Or is it only for POC/testing purposes?

/Rasmus

[DGrinev]

Hi Rasmus,

You can use it as you wish, the only limitation is the amount of instances you get. Thanks!

[rasmusan]

Thanks... are you able to use it in conjunction with VAC, as as service provider?

[DGrinev]

No, with VAC you are only allowed to manage backup servers licensed with a paid license.

Please review detailed information about Licensing for Service Providers in the User Guide. Thanks!

[Didi7]

Hello,

I have two other questions to make it clear to me as well ...

1) We have several commercial licenses in use. Are we nevertheless allowed to use Veeam Backup & Replication 9.5 U4 Community Edition in as many other environments, as we like, if it fits for us and no more than 10 instances are protected with it, even if some VMs may have TBs of data in it?

2) Furthermore, I would like to know, if virtual VMware Backup Proxies or virtual Hyper-V Off-Host Backup Proxies, that are not protected with Community Edition and only serve as proxies, do count as instances as well?

Regards,
Didi7

[DGrinev]

Hey,

1) Yes, you can do that. Community edition has no limitations on the amount of protected data.

2) Veeam licenses protected workloads only. Backup servers or their components do not consume the license.

Thanks!

[Didi7]

Thanks as well, that makes it clear!

[applefanboy]

I just want to confirm before I upgrade back to U4. I still have the ability to use VeeamZIP for unlimited VMs on U4?

[Didi7]

Yes!

[Gostev]

Guys, please do read the What's New document - someone has even quoted the relevant part on the last page of this topic for everyone's convenience

[zyrex]

Still a little uncertain about the "instance" wording - what about Backup Copy jobs? Are they a part of the 10 instances?

[Gostev]

Backup Copy jobs do not consume licenses with Veeam.

Overall, subscription license consumption rules (and MSRP per workload) remain the same with the introduction of Instances. Just as before, we're still licensing per protected workload, where a workload is considered protected if it had at least one restore point created in the past 31 days.

With Instances, we're merely reducing "license sprawl" where every Veeam product had it's own license file (for example, separate license files for Windows and Linux agents), often with multiple workload-specific counters inside (for example, separate servers and workstation counters for agents). Whereas now, it's a single license file with a single counter, which is portable across all Veeam products managed by Veeam Backup & Replication - so all that license management complexity is removed.

For instance wording see:
https://www.veeam.com/eula-licensing-policy.html
https://www.veeam.com/faq.html

[zyrex]

Thanks, very helpful!

[m.novelli]

Hi guys, some info about the new "Community Edition"

From Update 4 release notes

"Added Veeam Backup & Replication Community Edition, which is effectively fully functional Veeam Backup & Replication Standard
Edition limited to 10 Instances. For the former Free Edition functionality, Community Edition inherits the same licensing behavior, for
example VeeamZIP backups or Quick Migration jobs will not be counted against the 10 Instances limit"

10 Instances means, for example, 10 VM on ESXi?

Seems too much good

Ciao, Marco

[veremin]

10 VMs/10 Workstations/3 Servers/etc. Check this answer on the previous page for more information regarding possible combinations. Thanks!

[m.novelli]

Very nice upgrade!

One info: the Backup Jobs can be easily scheduled on Community Edition as in Standard Edition or they need some Powershell / Scripting ?