Licensing Question

[myesko]

We have Veeam 8 with 10 CPU licenses. We have two VMware Environments. One for Servers and one VDI. Each has there own Vcenter server
Each one has 5 Hosts and each host has 2 CPUs.

We currently are only using Veeam to backup the Server side. So we are good on licensing.

However we want to start backing up the Master Images on the VDI side. There currently aren't two many, just 5. But I would like to setup a schedule to have them backed up once a month.

So some questions
1. I already have both Vcenter servers in the Backup Infrastructure in Veeam. Im assuming since im only backing up VM's on 5 Hosts that im not violating my license by having the other Vcenter server in there which has 5 more hosts?
2. Currently we have an HA cluster setup with the VDI env. So my master Images (VM's) could be on any of 5 Hosts. I do not want to purchase 10 more CPU licenses just to back up 5 VM's. So im trying to figure a way to do this. Granted I can use Veeam Free and just back them up manually, which we might do once a month. But I would rather automate this with scheduling. Can I just add one more License in Veeam for one more host? I can keep the Master Vms on one host and it will most likely never move to another host unless I have a failure.? Or am I stuck and would have to buy licensing for 5 hosts since it has the potential to move to another host?
3. Also I don't see anything in Veeam that assigns the license to a particular host, So if I just add one more license is there a way to assign the license to a particular host, Or do I have to take the Vcenter server out of the Infrastructure and just add the single host in there?
4. Would I be violating the license if I did the following? Took out the VDI Vcenter server in the Veeam Infrastructure. Purchase one more license to allow for one more host. Then add only the host that has the master images on there. Then schedule those master images for backup. In the event of that host failing, Can I just remove that host from Veeam and add the host that the Master Vm's moved to. Or would that be cheating and violate the license.

I know it sounds like im being cheap and trying to be sneaky, but we currently don't have the budget for adding another 5 hosts to Veeam. But I do want to do this right and not violate the license agreement

Thanks, hopefully this all made sense
Mike

[foggy]

Hello Mike, see answers below.

1. I already have both Vcenter servers in the Backup Infrastructure in Veeam. Im assuming since im only backing up VM's on 5 Hosts that im not violating my license by having the other Vcenter server in there which has 5 more hosts?

Your assumption is correct. Only hosts that you actually backup/replicate VMs from are counted. You can add other hosts/vCenter servers, this does not violate your license.

2. Currently we have an HA cluster setup with the VDI env. So my master Images (VM's) could be on any of 5 Hosts. I do not want to purchase 10 more CPU licenses just to back up 5 VM's. So im trying to figure a way to do this. Granted I can use Veeam Free and just back them up manually, which we might do once a month. But I would rather automate this with scheduling. Can I just add one more License in Veeam for one more host? I can keep the Master Vms on one host and it will most likely never move to another host unless I have a failure.? Or am I stuck and would have to buy licensing for 5 hosts since it has the potential to move to another host?

While your VMs reside on the licensed host, you're good to go with just one additional license for this host.

3. Also I don't see anything in Veeam that assigns the license to a particular host, So if I just add one more license is there a way to assign the license to a particular host, Or do I have to take the Vcenter server out of the Infrastructure and just add the single host in there?

License is assigned automatically once you start backing up VMs on the host.

4. Would I be violating the license if I did the following? Took out the VDI Vcenter server in the Veeam Infrastructure. Purchase one more license to allow for one more host. Then add only the host that has the master images on there. Then schedule those master images for backup. In the event of that host failing, Can I just remove that host from Veeam and add the host that the Master Vm's moved to. Or would that be cheating and violate the license.

When your VMs move to another host, you can revoke the license from it so it could be assigned to the new host and continue backing them up. No need to bother with adding/removing hosts/vCenter servers.

[HendersonD]

Is there any other way of handling this that I am missing?
We are in exactly the same situation as the author of this post described
3 ESXi hosts for server virtualization, 2 sockets each for a total of 6 sockets. We definitely need Veeam licensing for these 6 sockets

5 ESXi hosts for VMWare View, 400 non-persistent desktops we never backup and 4 master images I want to backup
I could pin the 4 master images to one of the 5 ESXi hosts and then just add one more 2 socket Veeam license to back these up
This would work but has two downsides
- Not sure I can put the host in maintenance mode if there is a VMWare affinity rule that pins the 4 master images to just one host
- Still a good bit of money to pay for a 2 socket license to backup just 4 master image VMs

Does Veeam backup VMs that are attached to a host or can it backup VMs that it can see on a datastore attached to a host? I could easily house the 4 master images on a datastore that can be seen by my 3 ESXi hosts that are used for server virtualization so you can see where I am going with this

[skrause]

Veeam looks at the host that the VM is registered to in VMware.

[foggy]

Right, hosts are licensed, so I do not see any other way besides placing the images on one of the already licensed hosts (if applicable).

[Vitaliy S.]

Why not to use Veeam Backup FREE and schedule backup jobs via PowerShell?

[ertuu85]

I'm sure this is a stupid question...I revoked a license and want to add a different host, I dont see any option on the license menu to add a host...how do i do so?

[DGrinev]

Hi,

License is assigned automatically once you start backing up VMs on the host.

Thanks!

[DaveWatkins]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong (and I'm not sure how a VDI setup would handle this but, if you had the master images on your server cluster, you could use B&R to replicate them to the VDI cluster. That wouldn't require an extra licenses as replication only needs licenses for the source right?

If the VDI environment could then use the replica's as masters would be something left to answer but assuming my understanding of the licensing is right it could work

[Vitaliy S.]

Hi Dave,

Yes, in case of replication you won't need extra license keys. You always need to license source hosts only.

Thanks!