3Par Remote copy snapshot as backup source query

[DeanGTS]

Hi,

Background;
We have two 3Par systems with some remote copy LUN's configured as a failover source if the primary site drops, there are regular snapshots on the remote copy & obviously read only snapshots at this point.

My issue is;
I'm currently struggling to explain to my dept head why Veeam doesn't allow us to use the 3Par RemoteCopy LUN snapshot as a source for our Veeam backups!
In my understanding it requires a new 3par snap on the live volume to allow truncation and application aware functions to provide a working restorable backup!

Can you just confirm as I'm hitting my head against a wall trying to explain that Veeam uses it's own storage snapshot,
not the pre-existing snaps on the vol & a RO snap would not be application aware capable even if it did work like that.

Please enlighten me otherwise.. or explain how we can use the remote copy storage snaps as a backup source

Thank you for your time

[DeanGTS]

If you need me to explain any details further as it's a bit of a rushed question please don't hold back, I need to have a solid answer so I can stop having this same conversation again & again with my manager

[foggy]

Hi Dean, if you have Peer Persistence license, you can configure Veeam B&R to perform application-aware backup from the secondary array with the help of Hp3PARPeerPersistentUseSecondary registry value (REG_DWORD).

[DeanGTS]

We do indeed have the Peer Persistence license, although this is not configured currently.. I'm going to look into that further and check why we haven't implementented this yet!

Thank you very much for your input, I may need to quiz you about the registry value in the near future

[soehl]

Hi Dean, if you have Peer Persistence license, you can configure Veeam B&R to perform application-aware backup from the secondary array with the help of Hp3PARPeerPersistentUseSecondary registry value (REG_DWORD).

Where do I find some more detailed information about this feature?!

Thanks!

[DeanGTS]

https://3pardude.com/2016/04/27/3par-peer-persistence/

Hope this helps..

[soehl]

Thanks, I am familiar with Peer Persistence. I need more detailed (technical) informations what happen after the Hp3PARPeerPersistentUseSecondary registry value is set.

[foggy]

By default, Veeam B&R uses primary volume to retrieve VM data during backup. With this value set to 1, it will use the secondary volume instead, similar to how it's done for NetApp.

[soehl]

Thank you. I give it a try, if it flawlessly works in our enviroment, we can prevent a lot of unneeded extra traffic between two of our data center sites.

[glamic26]

Hi Dean, if you have Peer Persistence license, you can configure Veeam B&R to perform application-aware backup from the secondary array with the help of Hp3PARPeerPersistentUseSecondary registry value (REG_DWORD).

Hi foggy, is there any documentation for this registry value and the exact effects that it has. I think this sounds like exactly what we want to use on our 3PARs to use a storage snapshot on the passive copy of a peer persistent volume rather than on the primary array. But to implement it I will need something documented that I can use for change control purposes and I can't find anything on the helpcenter and when I google the registry value the only thing that is returned is this forum thread. Thanks.

[foggy]

There's no more detailed documentation, the exact effect this registry value has on backups is described in my post above and referred user guide section.

[keatingo]

Is it possible to take 3PAR snapshot backups of a replicated volume rather than the active volume? If so, how would that be configured. Have been using snapshot backups for a while and they work great but backing up to a remote site is causing a huge spike in FC traffic going across a fairly constrained link.

Thanks.

[foggy]

Hi Orla, please review the thread above for the answer. Thanks.

[keatingo]

Will do, cheers!

[keatingo]

Hi Foggy,
I've read the above thread and the articles but I don't see how to actually configure this. Where do I set this registry key? I had logged a support call (Case # 02248194) before seeing your answer and they're telling me it can't be done?

[foggy]

The registry value should be created under the main Veeam B&R hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Veeam\Veeam Backup and Replication.

[keatingo]

Thanks,I'll try that