Veeam Backup

[mellerbeck]

I'm a completely noob so I'm looking for pointers. My environment is a couple of equalLogic SAN's running on vsphere 4.0

I would like to backup my VM's (duh)

What is the best method of backup? Should I create a VCB proxy and go that route?

Can you install Veeam in a VM?

I installed in a poked around, I have it created a backup but getting 9 MB/s looking to improve this of course.

[Gostev]

Hello, have you reviewed the stickied FAQ? This should answer most of your questions (if not directly then in topics referenced there).

For you, the best backup methods are either of these two:

1. Physical Veeam Backup server (with iSCSI HBA connected into SAN fabric) and vStorage API "SAN with failover" processing mode. To make sure direct SAN access works, use vStorage API "SAN only" processing mode for the testing time (switch to mode with failover once you SAN access works well).

2. Virtual Veeam Backup server and vStorage API "Virtual Appliance" processing mode.

You definitely should not go VCB route.

Thansk!

[mellerbeck]

Which is faster between the physical and the virtual?

[Gostev]

Largely the same, as both modes mentioned above provide direct storage access. CPU is what matters the most here... for best performance, you want to use 4 core physical computer, or 4 vCPU VM.

If you have ability to go with physical - go with physical. This way backup activities will not affect production host and other VMs running on it, and your will be able to run more VMs on your ESX hosts. In the end, physical backup server may end up being cheaper solution because extra ESX server hardware and VMware license costs.

But of course if your ESX hosts have plenty of unused capacity and/or you are not 24/7 shop, then you can go with virtual.