Remote repository setup question

[btmaus]

Hi all,

Hoping to get some further understanding around Veeam as I am a new customer.

We have two datacenters in two different cities, both running vSphere 5.5.

In Site A, we have a virtual Veeam Backup Server and two virtual Veeam Proxies. We have a Dell DR6000 appliance in this site as our repository (located in a non-routable backup vlan). The Veeam Backup Server and Veeam Proxies each have a network card connected to our corporate environment, and a second 10gb network card connected to the backup vlan which contains the DR6000 appliance. Communication is working fine between everything.

In Site B, we have a similar setup to the above, i.e. two virtual Veeam Proxies and another local DR6000 in a backup vlan (non-routabled). The Veeam Proxies have a network card to the corporate environment, and a 2nd 10gb network card connected to this backup vlan so they can communicate with the local DR6000 at this site.

Now my questions are:

When I setup repository in Site A, where the Veeam Backup Server is also located, the Veeam Backup Server picked up the DR6000 CIFS share fine and the Gateway selection was left at Automatic. However, when I setup the repository at Site B, the Veeam Backup Server could not see the CIFS share on the DR6000 at Site B (understandable as the vlan is non-routable), but if I selected one the Proxies at site B as the "Gateway Server", then it picked up the CIFS share fine and I could finish the repository setup.

1. Is this expected behaviour considering my design?
2. When I kick off a backup job in Site B, the traffic always seems to travel through the Proxy that is set as the Gateway Server, is that normal?
3. When I start a backup job in Site A, the traffic seems to travel through one specific Proxy, even though Gateway selection is set to Automatic, is that expected?
4. Should I do anything different for the configuration of Site B, e.g. should I use a second Veeam Backup Server etc., or is the configuration I am using considered acceptable (best practice)?

Thanks

[PTide]

Hi,

1. Is this expected behaviour considering my design?

When you choose an "automatic gateway" option then your VBR picks up one on your proxies on site "A" as a gateway. The proxy server on site "B" has an access to you share, however, an "automatic choice" option prefers some other server as a gateway, which apparently does not see the B-share. The best approach is to choose the server that is the closest to your CIFS share.

2. When I kick off a backup job in Site B, the traffic always seems to travel through the Proxy that is set as the Gateway Server, is that normal?

Absolutely. That's the way it is supposed to work - gateway server is responsible for data processing as it is not possible to deploy Veeam Data Mover services on a CIFS share. Please see the link.

3. When I start a backup job in Site A, the traffic seems to travel through one specific Proxy, even though Gateway selection is set to Automatic, is that expected?

Yes. Such behaviour means that "specific proxy" has been chosen automatically as a gateway to process backup dataflow. May I ask you - what did you expect an "automatic gateway selection" option would do? =)

4. Should I do anything different for the configuration of Site B, e.g. should I use a second Veeam Backup Server etc., or is the configuration I am using considered acceptable (best practice)?

At first glance, your configuration seems to be solid. Do you have any concerns about that?

Thank you.

[Shestakov]

Hi Glenn,
My 2 cents for the best practices is to use backup copy jobs instead of offsite backups.
Thanks!

[btmaus]

At first glance, your configuration seems to be solid. Do you have any concerns about that?

Thanks for the replies and the articles, I will have a look at them.

Regarding the setup in Site B with the two Proxies ... with one Proxy selected as the Gateway ... would the second Proxy in that site still process backup jobs and move data through the manually selected gateway?

Just want to make sure I am not limiting the configuration in Site B by having to manually select the Gateway.

[PTide]

would the second Proxy in that site still process backup jobs and move data through the manually selected gateway?

Yes, it would, but as a source proxy, which can be specified in Backup Job options. The only limit is the amount of jobs going through one proxy. Please see this guide.

Thanks.