iSCSI to ESXi Repository - Possible?

[quintero]

Hi,

We have a virtual Veeam server sitting on one ESXi host that we want to connect to a repository on another, standalone ESXi host. My question is: how possible is it to map, via iSCSI, the datastore on the standalone ESXi host to Veeam? I believe it isn't possible to set the ESXi host as an iSCSI target so is it possible to install a Windows VM on the standalone ESXi host and then setup iSCSI within that VM that can then be linked to the Veeam server?

I can't see where we can enter the IQN for the iSCSI target when adding a backup repository within Veeam.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, many thanks

[DGrinev]

Hi Gareth and welcome to the community!

Do you want to share the local storage of standalone ESXi host in order to use it as Veeam repository or the datastore is external and have an iSCSI adapter? Thanks!

[quintero]

Thank you, Dmitry!

Ideally we will use the local storage of the ESXi host and connect to it directly using iSCSI although it seems that it may not be possible to set an ESXi host as an iSCSI target. Another alternative mentioned to me was to install a VM on the host, setup iSCSI on that VM and then point to that iSCSI target from the Veeam server. This would be ok for us as well but just wondering on how we can make the link between the two.

Many thanks

[DGrinev]

It isn't recommended option for storing backups on VMFS datastore, please review this existing topic which explains why.
You can fire up a VM based on Windows OS, mount datastore by iSCSI initiator and add this VM as Veeam Repository, but don't store backups on VMFS. Thanks!