Shared VVOL replication

[ctg49]

I have a question, possibly request depending on the answer to the question

Does VEEAM support replication of shared VVOLs? We're starting to ramp up a DR/BC project, and we have VEEAM for backups so naturally we're eyeing it for our DR/BC purposes as well. I know VEEAM supports VVOL replication, and I know there are issues surrounding pRDMs (we currently use a few for MS clusters, shifting to VVOLs), but can VEEAM handle shared VVOLs? It still utilizes a shared SCSI adapter, which I guess is my biggest concern with it, but I was hoping because it was a VVOL it would be processed differently.

If it isn't supported, is this something that could end up on the roadmap? I know pRDMs/Microsoft clusters have a history of being the whipping boy of backup/virtualization/DR solutions for a long while, and it'd be really nice to have a turnkey solution as simple/effective as VEEAM physical failover cluster backups as we have now (which work fantastically, btw). I think Zerto is the only player right now that can (or at least claims) handle no-kidding site recovery/DR with pRDM/clustering involved.

Thanks!

[Gostev]

Unfortunately, VMware does not support snapshots on virtual disks engaged with SCSI bus sharing. And Veeam Backup & Replication cannot back up something that cannot be snapshot. However, you can certainly use Veeam Agent for Windows to protect such VMs. Thanks!

[ctg49]

Wait, VEEAM can do replication of systems via Agents?

I'm familiar with B&R's agent backup capabilities with shared disks, I'm speaking specifically about Replication.

[Gostev]

Ah, sorry I missed that part... no - backup only.

[ctg49]

Understood, is this something that could even reasonably done? I know VVOLs are a little more flexible in terms of interaction, was hoping there was some way to fake 'snapshot' or at least draw block changes through the VASA provider to a remote device with host VMs in an identical configuration to prod.

[Gostev]

That's the limitation VMware has to remove first and foremost... as the only legitimate way to access data stored in VVOLs today is by using VMware VDDK to read the VM snapshot.