Surebackup couple of basic questions

[tfloor]

Hello,

I'm playing with surebackup for the first times, and have powered up a surebackup job with a vm from the backup (2008r2,vmxnet3).
It's a vm that i also have in the production network, i've deployed a MS hotfix, because that would be the fix for getting a non-original ip, am i right?

Now i was reading a good article here:
http://www.veeam.com/blog/automate-reco ... ackup.html

and that tells me:
Therefore, while the production and test networks are completely separated, the Veeam Backup server still has the ability to communicate with verified VMs.

So what is was doing is trying to get on the $share of the virtual lab machine from the veeam backup server.
\\servername\c$
but then i was getting the content of the production version of this vm (also powered on).

- I think i misunderstand some basics..... right?
- Beside of that, i want to test a little bit with the surebackup powered on vm, but it's going very fast powered down, can i pause that?
- The VM i was tested need a domaincontroller/dns server and internet to work/test correctly. So i understand i need to add that vm's to the application group.
It is a sort of dependency. Do i need to choose "from VI" or "from backup" when adding those servers. I have the dependency servers in the production network but i was wondering if veeam will shutdown those server after testing .... or do i need to check the checkbox for that.
In short, can i create a mix of production network dependencies with "test vm from backup".?

Regards,
Tristan.

[Cokovic]

Hi Tristan,

as i've played around alot with SureBackup in the past i can provide you maybe with some usefull information.

So what is was doing is trying to get on the $share of the virtual lab machine from the veeam backup server.
\\servername\c$
but then i was getting the content of the production version of this vm (also powered on).

- I think i misunderstand some basics..... right?

In your VirtualLab setup you have defined an IP Adress for your isolated environment. So let's say your production Server has the IP 192.168.0.10 and the IP for your isolated environment is set to 10.255.0.xx. In the moment you start your SureBackup job the Veeam server where you created this job will get a route set to this isolated network. If the server in your lab has kept his ip from the production environment you will be able to reach the server with \\10.255.0.10\c$ from your Veeam server.

- Beside of that, i want to test a little bit with the surebackup powered on vm, but it's going very fast powered down, can i pause that?

Yes you can just check the box in your application group to keep the lab running.

- The VM i was tested need a domaincontroller/dns server and internet to work/test correctly. So i understand i need to add that vm's to the application group.

Thats correct. But i dont think that you will be able to get internet running within your lab. As far i've experienced it its a one way direction. You can access your lab from the production site but not the other way.

Do i need to choose "from VI" or "from backup" when adding those servers. I have the dependency servers in the production network but i was wondering if veeam will shutdown those server after testing .

No matter what you choose. Veeam will still rely on a backup and use it to start the VM within your lab. So your production server won't be shut down.

Hope this helps a little bit. If you got still any questions just post it here or write me a PM.

Greetz,
Haris

[tfloor]

Hi haris,

Great answers. I will re-check everything on Monday and will come back to you with the results.
I know I haven't defined a static ip subnet. I've chosen dhcp and my production vlan in one of those settings but I will check that all.

Regards and many thanks so far
Tristan.

[tfloor]

Hi haris,

Great answers. I will re-check everything on Monday and will come back to you with the results.
I know I haven't defined a static ip subnet. I've chosen dhcp and my production vlan in one of those settings but I will check that all.

Regards and many thanks so far
Tristan.

Internet?
http://www.veeam.com/kb_articles.html/K ... ation:3:1/

[Cokovic]

Oh cool. Didn't knew that as i've never needed internet within my lab. Thanks for that. Good to know.

But i see i've made a mistake.

Yes you can just check the box in your application group to keep the lab running.

It's not within the application group, it's within your job setup where you choose the application group. There is a checkbox for keeping the environment running.

I know I haven't defined a static ip subnet. I've chosen dhcp and my production vlan in one of those settings but I will check that all.

What i meant wasn't the static ip thing. If you setup your Virtual Lab to use "Basic (automatic configuration)" then Veeam sets this parameter for you. You can see it at the end of the setup in the overview under "Network options" as "Masquerade IP". In the advanced config mode you can set this masquerading ip to whatever you want. The last two digits of the masquerading ip range always correspond to the last two digits of your VM within the lab. So if your VM has the IP 192.168.0.10 and your masquerade ip range is 192.168.255.0 it would be 192.168.255.10 to reach your VM within the lab from the Veeam server that started the job.

[tfloor]

Thanks, You're information is very usefull.

I can keep the vm's from "Application group" running, but the vm's that i test within the surebackup job are tested and then immedialy goes off.
Can i keep that vm's powered on, until i want to keep cleaning for that vm's?
It goes so fast that i can't test the ip adresses within the time the vm's are up and goes down.

Or do i have to add all those vm's to an application group?

[Cokovic]

Yes. Just add them to the application group instead linking the backup job. That way you can keep them up and running. Thats how i made it so far.

[tfloor]

I've start a job, and i saw i was able to ping the surebackup vm's from my backup server.
What's the benefit of that? , i was trying to access the server with the ip adress \c$ but that was not working, so a ping onyl so far

Then 2 vm's were booting succesfully.
I was able to reach each other. and i saw i was also able to ping my production network.
So how isolated is that? is that normal.... 1 way
Surebackup > production = Possible
Production > Surebackup = not possible
Veeam server > surebackup = possible.

So if i want to test 1 server that need dns / domaincontroller and so far, i need to add all of these servers to 1 application group and then start the job i think.
Is dns on that moment also working?, it's isolated but still can use the original ip adresses otherwise much services will be broken.

[tfloor]

BTW, i've not patch all my servers at the moment with:

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/micros ... Id=1020078 (general information from VMWare)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2344941/en-us (Patch from Microsoft for Windows 2008 and Windows 7 without SP1)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2550978 (Patch from Microsoft for Windows 2008 and Windows 7 with SP1)

Until that time there is no usefull test possible, because the ip adresses are incorrect without those patches.
But the patch needs a reboot. do you know if a reboot is required for sure to work?

[tfloor]

Surebackup > production = Possible

= not possible. (my mistake)

[Cokovic]

So if i want to test 1 server that need dns / domaincontroller and so far, i need to add all of these servers to 1 application group and then start the job i think.
Is dns on that moment also working?, it's isolated but still can use the original ip adresses otherwise much services will be broken.

Thats correct. Worked for me so far (for my Exchange environment for example).

Until that time there is no usefull test possible, because the ip adresses are incorrect without those patches.
But the patch needs a reboot. do you know if a reboot is required for sure to work?

Yes you need to reboot the machine and take a new backup of it (incremental backup is ok. No need for a full run). Always worked for me.

[Cokovic]

I've start a job, and i saw i was able to ping the surebackup vm's from my backup server.
What's the benefit of that?...

Pinging your VM is just the first step for subsequent testings. You are on the right way so far (good to know isn't it? ) I used also RDP sessions to the VMs within the lab where i could do some manual testings. Besides that you can configure "Roles" in your Application Groups for automatic testings of services on your Vms within the lab (there are a few pre-defined Roles you can check like DNS, DC, Global Catalog and so on). But be aware that these scripts will extend the boot time of your VM.

...i was trying to access the server with the ip adress \c$ but that was not working, so a ping onyl so far

Hmm i just fired up my lab and i can access the administrative share without any problems. Do you have UAC enabled? If so then this could be helpfull:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947232/en-us

At the end of the article there is a workaround how you can enable access to the administrative share without disabling UAC. A reboot for this is required.

[tfloor]

It's going better and better.

Any idea, if i have for:
http://www.veeam.com/kb_articles.html/K ... ation:3:1/

Created a DWORD 32 bits or 64 bits.

I now have created it with a 64 bits DWORD after that restarted the veeam server and recreated the virtual lab.
Then when i started a new job, i was thinking i could reacht 8.8.8.8 on the surebackup vm's (internet).
But no luck at all.

I'm also wondering how this is working technically.

[Cokovic]

Never tried that before. Will test it later in my private lab. Cant do this at work.

Did you changed the proxy settings within your VM in the lab too to point at the proxy appliance and the corresponding port?

[tfloor]

Never tried that before. Will test it later in my private lab. Cant do this at work.

Did you changed the proxy settings within your VM in the lab too to point at the proxy appliance and the corresponding port?

I"ve nothing changed inside the vm's
I only created 1 DWORD on the veeam backup server.
The article is not very clear to me.

Can someone from veeam with the experience tell me a better instruction
And if you like to test in private lab. I appreciate that.

[Vitaliy S.]

Hi Tristan,

Take a look at this article, might be better: How to Setup Internet Access from Virtual Lab

In addition to this, I would add that you need to apply these registry keys on your backup server. Once you've applied them, please restart your Veeam backup console and start your virtual lab.

Hope this helps!

[tfloor]

Wohow!

Working!
Had to create a DWORD 32 bits
and fill in the proxy appliance ip adress into the isolated vm.
And go!

Thanks!

[tfloor]

Never tried that before. Will test it later in my private lab. Cant do this at work.

Did you changed the proxy settings within your VM in the lab too to point at the proxy appliance and the corresponding port?

Cokovic,
Thanks for all your usefull information.
Everything what I was trying to know is completely clear
It's working and I love this. I have now finally a place to do perfect testing with a real production copy environment.
Thanks.

[Cokovic]

Hey Tristan,

glad to hear that.

Greetz,
Haris