Windows 2012 / NFS / Veeam / VNXe

[akc5247]

Hi forum members,

We have a EMC VNXe 3300 from where a NFS share has been given to a Windows 2012 host where our Veeam application runs from. Unfortunately, none of the options used for adding this to the repository has worked so far (vPower NFS, and even trying it as Linux/Unix).

Apart from checking for NFS service running on the host, what other options must be enabled / checked for from both the host as well as the application itself? Does anything have to be enabled/ disabled in vPower NFS? If so, please elaborate.

Any insight and possible resolution on this is appreciated.

Thanks!

[Butha]

Welcome to the forum!

Just need to clarify a few things:

1. Is the 2012 server a virtual server?
2. Is the nfs share " given " to the 2012 server added as storage space/volume in the 2012 OS? (In other words a drive added like d: drive ?)

If the server 2012 is a virtual server - and the NFS is added as usable storage space in the OS - for example an additional volume - then it's as easy as creating a folder on the volume where you want to store the backups, in the Veeam BR console adding the server 2012 as a windows server (Backup Infrastructure - Managed Servers - Microsoft Windows - right click - add server) and follow the wizard. It will as you for the location /drive letter/folder etc and eventually to enable vPowerNFS - this has nothing to do with the native NFS used on teh vnxe 3300 - it's more an enabler on the target repository for instant restores and some other functionality.

If the server 2012 is a physical server with NFS storage added to it - the same applies. (there are some pointers with regards to transport modes etc, but lets get step one going first)

So 3 steps:

1. Add the windows server in Veeam as a managed server
2. Add a repository - browse/use dropdown to select the server added in step 1.
3. Edit your backup job and specify to use the repository created in step 2.

Hope it helps!

Butha

[Vitaliy S.]

Hello,

In addition to what Butha has just said, can you please tell me if you're able to access these NFS shares from the Windows box where Veeam server is installed to? If this storage is visible as a local disk, then you can point your backup jobs to local disks of the backup server.

Thank you!

[akc5247]

@Butha and @Vitaly,

Thank you for your responses. We will be trying that out shortly.

To answer your questions:

Is the 2012 server a virtual server?

Yes, this is a VM

Is the nfs share " given " to the 2012 server added as storage space/volume in the 2012 OS? (In other words a drive added like d: drive ?)

No. (Not yet, at least.)

Currently we are unable to access it when we try adding the share \\10.x.x.x:/nfsshare under repository on vpower nfs or as just a share under the repository, so i guess there are some services that might need to be turned on on the host itself. Since that requires a reboot and cannot be done immediately, we are scheduling it in the next 1-2 weeks.

Since that is going to take few more weeks - for now, I will consider this thread as answered. If we encounter any issues in the steps you have mentioned, I will update this thread or reference this and open a new thread.

Thanks!

[Vitaliy S.]

akc5247, be aware that vPower NFS Server and Windows NFS service cannot co-exist on the same machine, since these services are using the same port. Do you have any other way to expose your target storage to the Veeam backup server? Via iSCSI or CIFS share?

[Butha]

Hi akc5247,

Vitaliy asked the same question I tried to - I'm not sure I understand exactly what you are trying to do - seems you are trying to add the NFS from the EMC directly as a repository from the windows server using Veeam?

What suggested was different (and the way we do it at the moment with NFS and vmware) - and definitely does not require any reboots or downtime.

I'm not sure what size of storage we are talking but i'll use examples:

Add the NFS storage to vmware as a datastore like any other storage. (Lets say you have 4TB of storage available on the EMC) - This can be done different ways, but you would probably use the EMC interface to do it.

Then add a virtual disk to the 2012 VM - lets say the full 4TB or whatever you require)

In the 2012 OS format the new virtual disk like any other storage - and create folders etc like my previous post.

The only way you can add nfs " directly" from within Veeam is by using a linux host - exposing the NFS exports to it etc etc - there are many articles on how to do this - but I'm not sure that is what you are after.

Hope it helps! If does seem some confusion exists - if not the apologies - but please ask if I can assist you further.