Help with distributed design

[benb3342]

Hi all,

We have a single Windows domain running on VMware (6.5 update 1), that is geographically spread out, 1 central site running most of the domain's servers and remote sites with their own Domain Controllers etc (in case the network connection is lost). Each site has a 2 server cluster.

There is a single installation of vCenter at the central site, with Veeam 9.5 update 2 installed on stand-alone servers at each site backing up through the one instance of vCenter to that server's local storage.

All is working really well, and we're really pleased with Veeam.

We were just wondering if it would be better to back up using through the hosts rather than using vCenter, so that if the network connections are lost backup and restoration jobs can still be carried out at remote sites. However, what would happen if the VM moved from one host to another in the cluster? Are there any better ways to set this up?

Thanks for any help or advice,

Ben

[foggy]

Hi Ben, if connection to vCenter is lost, you will still be able to restore backup via direct connection to host, you'd just need to add the host to Veeam B&R directly for that. Your concern regarding moving VMs between hosts without connection to vCenter is valid - only in case of adding vCenter to Veeam B&R and pointing jobs to VMs via vCenter, the jobs will be vMotion-aware and you wouldn't need to perform a full VM backup each time after it is migrated (due to VM ID change).

[benb3342]

Ace, thanks for that. I'll add the hosts in and do some testing...

Thanks again,

Ben