Target vCenter Server Appliance or Direct to Host

[resruss]

We've got a couple of customers using the vCenter Server Appliance
One of which is running VCSA 5.0, with the Oracle database
In the past, we've had issues trying to do even incremental updates of this, let alone updating to 5.5

This particular customer is running only 2 hosts on vSphere 5 Essentials licensing.

From what I understand, if we were to join the 2 hosts to a new vCenter Server, it would cause all backups to become full for the next pass.
This is because of the moRefId changing I believe.

This has left me with 3 questions:

1. Is there way within Veeam GUI to map the moRefID for each VM to the existing Veeam backups, to avoid having a full backup if moving to a new vCenter later?
2. If we were adding a bunch of new VMs down the track, can we the 2 hosts directly as managed servers and target them directly?
3. If so, what benefits would we lose by targeting them directly (I'm aware of folders, but unsure what options we'd have to vMotion or Migrate a VM back into production if running Instant VM Recovery)

Thanks.

[Vitaliy S.]

Hello,

1. Is there way within Veeam GUI to map the moRefID for each VM to the existing Veeam backups, to avoid having a full backup if moving to a new vCenter later?

No, you can map backup job to existing backup, but since the moref ID is changed, this VM will be treated as new one.

2. If we were adding a bunch of new VMs down the track, can we the 2 hosts directly as managed servers and target them directly?

I would avoid doing this, cause when you decide to migrate any VM from one host to another, you will have to run a full backup pass again. In order to avoid this, vCenter Server connection is recommended, cause morefID of the VMs will be preserved during migration.

3. If so, what benefits would we lose by targeting them directly (I'm aware of folders, but unsure what options we'd have to vMotion or Migrate a VM back into production if running Instant VM Recovery)

Any VM relocation will cause a full backup, that's the major drawback of using direct host connection.

Thank you!

[mensa]

Hello,

when I want to add a new server, the wizard recommends, to add a vCenter server instead of ESXi server.
But what is the reason for that? Is that recommendation only for multi ESXi environments or also for single ESXi?

In disaster case it would be much easier and faster to restore directly to a plain ESXi installation.
So what are the reasons, that connection to vCenter instead of ESXi is recommended? Are ther more features / better performance or anything else when Veeam B&R is connected to vCenter?

Can in case of a restore the Backups tooken from a vCenter connection be restored to an ESXi connection without any problems?

[DGrinev]

Hi,

You can migrate VMs between hosts without affecting the backup jobs, since their morefIDs will be preserved by vCenter.

Can in case of a restore the Backups tooken from a vCenter connection be restored to an ESXi connection without any problems?

Sure, you'll be able to restore backups directly to ESXi host.
Please review this thread for additional information. Thanks!

[mensa]

Thanks for help
But do you also have an answer on that question?
Are ther more features / better performance or anything else when Veeam B&R is connected to vCenter?

[DGrinev]

There are no performance boost or additional features, so the major feature you'll get is vMotion-aware for VMs. Thanks!