VBR and HPE VM Replication Alternative

[mhensley@n2nix.com]

We are currently evaluating the HPE VME Hypervisor as a potential replacement for vSphere 8.x. During our assessment, we've found that one of the key features we rely on in Veeam Backup & Replication (VBR) 13.x, VM replication is not currently available for this hypervisor. This limitation appears to affect several alternative hypervisors as well.

I'm interested in hearing how other organizations are addressing this gap. While I recognize that HPE Zerto is a viable solution for replication and disaster recovery, its cost can be difficult to justify for small and medium-sized businesses.

In researching alternatives, I've come across recommendations to use Backup Copy Jobs as a substitute for traditional VM replication. Our environment consists of two physical hosts: one production host and one dedicated DR host, both located on the same LAN. Each server utilizes its own direct-attached storage, with no shared storage infrastructure.

For those running similar environments, have you found an effective workaround for the lack of native replication support? Specifically:

Are Backup Copy Jobs providing acceptable recovery objectives in a DR scenario?
What recovery times are you seeing compared to true VM replication?
Have you implemented any other Veeam-based or hypervisor-native solutions that have worked well?

Any insights, lessons learned, or best practices would be greatly appreciated.