Need input and tips on new Backup Server Setup

[rubeng]

Hi,

We have a VMware based cluster that uses Fibre Channel SAN as Storage. We have around 14 hosts and 7 SAN in our Datacenter.

Recently our Backup Server crashed, and we had to set up a temporary server that uses FC SAN connection and some backup proxies to help with the load.

Our previous setup was a physical server with a Fibre Channel NIC that had access to the FC switch and then used Direct SAN Access, the backup repository was also a FC SAN. Before this crash we experienced good speed on all backups, but restore took a long time, too long time in my opinion. So we are now thinking about maybe changing our setup, maybe going for 10Gbit NICs in all hosts, and try to use mostly Virtual Appliance proxies over 10Gig network. This would also simplify the process if a backup server crashes etc, right now there are a bit more config to do if a server with FC based repository goes down. And we are getting almost the same backup speeds using a bunch of virtual appliance proxies (Hot Add), as we do with Direct SAN Access with FC.

We have 51 Backup Jobs, and 51 Backup Copy Jobs that moves the backup jobs to another building.

By using a virtual appliance with hot add, it still transfers the data its processing over Network, which would be 1Gbit since we have no 10Gbit network yet? Is there any way we can configure this to primarily use Virtual Appliance Proxies, and make it so that it transfers data over 10Gbit?

Oh, and the new backup server will be a virtual machine running Veeam on a dedicated vSphere Host, and there will be a new SAS SAN connected with Pass through.


I would love to hear some inputs on my thoughts on this, and also input on how you would implement this new server.


I apologize if this thread is a mess, and doesnt make sense. It makes sense in my head, but not necessarily when I type it


Thanks!

[PTide]

By using a virtual appliance with hot add, it still transfers the data its processing over Network, which would be 1Gbit since we have no 10Gbit network yet? Is there any way we can configure this to primarily use Virtual Appliance Proxies, and make it so that it transfers data over 10Gbit?

In order to be able to transfer data over 10Gbit proxy-appliance VMs should have 10Gb vNIC attached. If the ESXis hosting the appliances do not have 10 Gbit interfaces then there is no way how you could make proxies to to transfer backup data on a 10Gbit.

Oh, and the new backup server will be a virtual machine running Veeam on a dedicated vSphere Host, and there will be a new SAS SAN connected with Pass through.

Do you want to configure a pass-through SAS SAN to VBR VM?

Thanks

[rubeng]

In order to be able to transfer data over 10Gbit proxy-appliance VMs should have 10Gb vNIC attached. If the ESXis hosting the appliances do not have 10 Gbit interfaces then there is no way how you could make proxies to to transfer backup data on a 10Gbit.

Yes of course, all the hosts will have 10Gbit interfaces installed. And our newest hosts have that by default.

Do you want to configure a pass-through SAS SAN to VBR VM?

Thanks

Yes, we have a large SAS SAN that we will use as our new Backup Repository, so the idea was then to just pass-through the SAS controller to the new VBR VM.


Thanks for answering

[PTide]

the idea was then to just pass-through the SAS controller to the new VBR VM.

You can passthrough device, however some limitations may apply, please check this KB.

Please also check "Preferred networks" feature.

Thank you

[NightBird]

Why pass-through and not just present a pRDM to the Veeam Vm ?

[PTide]

Why pass-through and not just present a pRDM to the Veeam Vm ?

VMDirectPath I/O pass-through bypasses the virtualization layer, thus I believe that pRDM approach might work somewhat slower than DirectPath.

Thanks

[rubeng]

Thanks for getting back to me. I've read some more on the documentation and it seems like we should stick to Direct SAN Access using FC, and go for some 1Gbit proxies if necessary.

We will still use a SAS SAN for Repository.

[PTide]

go for some 1Gbit proxies if necessary.

Do you mean 10 Gbit? Otherwise you may experience bottlenecks on proxies' connections.

Thanks

[rubeng]

Yes, meant 10Gbit.