Can you backup VMs on ESXI 7 (free license) using VBR community edition?

[cerberus]

We use VBR Enterprise in production where we have a 3-node cluster with vCenter, no issues for SAN mode backup using CBT.

I have a small remote size with a ESXI hypervisor and also have a dedicated Windows box with a bunch of disks for internal backup space, was thinking of installing Veeam on there (community edition) to backup the 2-3 VMs I have on ESXI.

This is a bare bone ESXI that you get with the free license, there is no vCenter Server at play - can VBR backup VMs on there?

Not sure of the limitations of the free editions in this case, I have always used it in production where everything is licensed full spec. For the purpose of this, I also don't want to use my production VBR to back any of this up, has to be a new instance.

[ronnmartin61]

No. ESXi free does not support the API's we require. See https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... ml?ver=110

[Mildur]

Instead of using VM Backups, you can use Veeam Agent to backup the VMs. The community edition can be used to manage this agents and their jobs.

Thanks
Fabian

[cerberus]

If I license the ESXI instance, can I back it up without having a vCenter Server? I am looking to get VM level backup (as opposed to agent based).

[Mildur]

Yes you can. You can add standalone ESXI hosts instead of a vCenter to Veeam B&R.

[cerberus]

Ah yes I do recall seeing that option, thanks Mildur.

[jorgedlcruz]

Hello Mirza,
As said, either Agent for the ESXi Free, which btw you can restore later on as VMware VMs with Instant VM Recovery, or perhaps you can purchase an essentials kit for that site - https://store-uk.vmware.com/vmware-vsph ... 17500.html

I think sometimes if you already own a full VMware key, you are not entitled to purchase the essentials separately, but that is a thing to discuss with the VMware Sales rep.

If you have enough Veeam licenses, give the Agent a try, and see how it does behave restoring as VM.

Good luck!

[SmokinJoe]

have you guys tried to enable CBT per VM and then backup with VEEAM Community? It is odd you can get CBT backups with Hyper-Vee and not Vmware ESX....

[Origin 2000]

I think sometimes if you already own a full VMware key, you are not entitled to purchase the essentials separately, but that is a thing to discuss with the VMware Sales rep.

This is not the true. You can buy as many Essentials Kits you want.

IIRC the one and only package a customer can only buy once is the Accelarator Kit (One purchase per Customer).

Regards,
Joerg

[Regnor]

@Origin 2000: I think this has changed so many times and there used to be that requirement. I also wasn't sure and had to look it up recently.

have you guys tried to enable CBT per VM and then backup with VEEAM Community? It is odd you can get CBT backups with Hyper-Vee and not Vmware ESX....

Do you speak about the free VMware Hypervisor(ESXi)? This one lacks of the necessary APIs and that's why you can't do any VMware backups. That's not about CBT, which is in general available for VMware backups.

[SmokinJoe]

Hi Rgnor,

So to backup correctly we would need to buy VMware essentials and the $500 version of VEEAM to protect 5 endpoints.

Thanks,
Joe

[jorgedlcruz]

Hello Joe,
You can protect up to 10 workloads with Veeam Backup and Replication Community Edition, as long as the vSphere is licensed. So yes, Essentials and above for vSphere, we do not need vCenter, ESXi is just fine.

Those 10 workloads can be VMs, or you can install the Veeam Agent for Linux/Windows/Mac or protect some NAS data, 500GB=1 license, etc.

Please let us know!

[Regnor]

@SmokinJoe: Well yes, if you want to backup those VM via VMware backup, then you just have to license the ESXi host.
If not, you could also backup the VMs from the guest side via the Veeam agent.

From the Veeam side either use the Community edition as Jorge wrote, or license it via the Essentials. If it's production, then I would always go with the later one.