Veeam Cloud Connect for Azure

[aetius80]

Hello,
We're a small business (less than 50 employees) and we currently use Veeam 6.5 to backup 6 VMs to local NAS and QNAP drives which are taken offsite every week and rotated, this is a pain to manage. I'm thinking of upgrading to Veeam version 8 and using Cloud Connect to backup to Azure. What I would like to know if the following:

- The cost of VMware essentials for 2 VMware hosts - I'm not sure if the product is licensed by socket or per core
- Are there any major disadvantages to using Veeam Cloud Connect backup for backing up VMs rather than using a local NAS or QNAP
- Can I still do single item restore? I.e. I would like to restore individual files or an item in a SQL DB, rather than an entire VM

Thanks in advance

[veremin]

I don't think you need to buy Cloud Connect license, because it's aimed mostly at SPs willing to provide their backup storage as service. Meanwhile, you appear to be looking for secondary destination for your backup day, hosted preferably in cloud.

In your case, the best idea might be use service provider lookup in order to find a provider answering your requirements best, and point backup or backup copy jobs to the given cloud repository.

Thanks.

[Dima P.]

P.S. If you are referring to Veeam Backup Essentials, the pricing can be found over here: Pricing and Packaging, its purchased in 2-socket bundles

[aetius80]

Hi Eremin,

My preference was to get rid of our local NAS drives (QNAP and Seagate) and to just a cloud based solution instead. Are you saying I should stick with some local storage?

My preference is to use Azure, but are you saying I could use a free cloud solution instead, whereas if I wanted to use Azure, I'd need to pay extra?

Thanks

[veremin]

You were speaking about buying Cloud Connect license that is not required in your case.

What I recommend for you is to find one of SPs participating in our Cloud Connect program - one that meets your expectations best in terms of provided services and prices.

Azure is still a way to go. Though, it might be a bit complex in comparison with the approach I've described. You will need either to rent VM inside Azure and assign repository role to it afterwards, or to connect azure storage to required production machine, using some 3-party tool.

Thanks.

[dellock6]

And to add another suggestion, I would not get rid of the local copy for different reasons:
- still fast backups and restores are only possible using local storage
- snapshots stay open for shorter times using a local backup, on a remote backup the snapshots of VMs will need to stay open for longer time, and maybe create issues on commit
- backup jobs are not designed to be executed over wan, they do not resist to network interruptions like those that can happen sometimes over the Internet

With backup copy jobs, first of all you use a local backup as a source and not the production storage, so there's no VM snapshot involved for a long time. But most importantly, backup copy jobs can survive network interruptions and they can leverage WAN acceleration to optimize bandwidth consumption.

Finally, what if your internet connection is down and you need to do a critical restore? Or if you forgot to renew the credit card and a given service provider disables your account on the remote location? For a series of reasons is better to have at least two copies of each VM, one local and one remote is an ideal design.

[Luca82]

Hi everyone. I was trying to figure out some doubts about the integration between veeam cloud connect and providers.
first question: as I know, if (suppose that) an end user has vmware+veeam and sends backup copy job to a provider with cloud connect, the end user is able to power on, on premise, the vms using vpower + instant recovery. Is it correct?
second: suppose that the end user wants to use Azure and the cloud connect vm in the microsoft market place. Is it necessary to consider a third parts provider between the end user and azure, or azure takes the place of the provider?

[Shestakov]

Hi Luca,
1) Unfortunately, instant recovery is not supported for cloud connect.
2) As described above, you can use Azure VM as a secondary backup repository, but it will work not as Cloud Connect.
Please check the topic for more information and ask additional questions of you have any. Thanks!

[Vitaliy S.]

Unfortunately, instant recovery is not supported for cloud connect.

However, what you can do here as a service provider is to import backups from cloud repository to the regular backup repository and then do FLR or Instant VM recovery given that you know the encryption key for backups or all backups are not encrypted.

suppose that the end user wants to use Azure and the cloud connect vm in the microsoft market place. Is it necessary to consider a third parts provider between the end user and azure, or azure takes the place of the provider?

End user will not be able to roll out the Cloud Connect Azure VM, cause Cloud Connect license is available for VCPs only, so the end user needs to consider a third party provider between him and Azure.

[Luca82]

Thank you... but...let me understand... what are the benefits provided from the preconfigured virtual machine "veeam cloud connect" which is available on microsoft azure market place?
Another important question (I have to explain to my customers about that).... what are (if there are) the benefits provided from veeam vs azure site recovery (asr). Is there somewhere a comparative table or an explanation document?
Thank you again

[Gostev]

1. Just simpler and quicker installation. But again, unless you are Veeam service provider, this is irrelevant to you anyway. If you are looking to leverage Azure directly, your best bet is to install regular Veeam repository in an Azure VM.

2. There is no comparison as these are completely different technologies. Cloud Connect (or your own repository in Azure) provides off-site backup repository for ALL workloads, so what gets stored there are regular backups, and you can perform granular recoveries from those backups. Whereas ASR provides replication target for most critical workloads, and the only recovery option is "failover and run your VM in Azure". I see these technologies as complimentary.

[Luca82]

Ok thank you. So, my client has vmware+veeam+azure subscription and I wanted to show him the best design for disaster recovery.
Please tell me if I am in the correct way:
- veeam stores backups in his first on-premise repository
- I can deploy a windows machine on azure as secondary target repository (and optionally as proxy/wan acceleration)
- veeam makes an encrypted backup copy job on the secondary target machine on azure (321 rule)
- if the client wants to restore a virtual machine (or application data) from azure, he can access to his backup files and read/restore only a single vm o data (???)
- veeam cannot address the replica on azure due to the impossibility to see/access to the physical layer....therefore the best way is to use azure asr in order to have also a replicated environment

Is it correct?

[Shestakov]

- veeam stores backups in his first on-premise repository
Correct

- I can deploy a windows machine on azure as secondary target repository (and optionally as proxy/wan acceleration)
Correct

- veeam makes an encrypted backup copy job on the secondary target machine on azure (321 rule)
Correct. The backup files will be encrypted, but the network will not be secure.

- if the client wants to restore a virtual machine (or application data) from azure, he can access to his backup files and read/restore only a single vm or data (???)
Correct

- veeam cannot address the replica on azure due to the impossibility to see/access to the physical layer....therefore the best way is to use azure asr in order to have also a replicated environment
Correct

[veremin]

Just my 2 cents:

- No need to assign a proxy role to Azure machine, as it is not going to be involved in VM backup processing. Actually, if you do that, backup server might choose it as applicable proxy during backup job cycle and traffic will start moving between on-prem and Azure VM and vice versa

- As to restore, MS charges additional price for download traffic, so, keep that in mind

Thanks.

[Luca82]

Thank you very much to everyone

[sibinsam]

We are implementing a solution for a customer to copy backups from local storage to Azure storage.
Customer already has Azure subscription. Could someone advise if customer's existing Azure subscription can be used?
I saw a whitepaper which says Azure VM should be provided by a Veeam Cloud Service Provider. However in this scenario customer already has Azure subscription.

Thanks

[foggy]

The customer can deploy a Windows or Linux machine in Azure and assign it a backup repository role to copy backups to.

[sibinsam]

So during deployment customer should create a new windows server and not the veeam cloud connect pre configured machine in azure marketplace. Is this correct?

[foggy]

Correct.

[veremin]

While thinking about Azure, don't forget to keep in mind its download traffic prices. Those will come to light, should you need to download the backups stored in cloud. Thanks.

[Daithi]

Hi,

We currently use Veeam Backup Essentials and evaluating cloud connect/backup copy to an Azure VM and storage.

What version of cloud connect should we be using? How is it licenced?

[foggy]

Please review the thread above and decide on what specific scenario are you referring to. If you are looking for a way to store secondary backups in the cloud, then you do not need a Cloud Connect license but either find a service provider that will host your cloud backup repository or set up a VM inside Azure and use it as a repository for your backup copy jobs.

[Daithi]

Hi thanks for that.

I have an Azure VM setup. I thought I needed a Cloud Connect licence to setup a Veeam Cloud Gateway? Or can I setup a repository on the Azure VM without using a Cloud Gateway?

[foggy]

You can just add this VM to a backup console either via IP or DNS name and assign repository role to it.

[challengelogic]

Probably a dumb question from me.... but can you restore a VM from Cloud Connect to Azure (as the target) ... or does it restore only backwards to On-Prem?

[veremin]

It depends on whom you're referring to. Tenant is unable to restore VM to MS Azure from backups stored in cloud repository, while SP can do that without any issues (the second "restoration" backup console will be needed, though). Thanks.

[challengelogic]

Thanks, I tested a "Restore to Azure" from VBR 9.5 to an MSDN Azure.... worked ok. However I read in the release notes that Azure CSP subscriptions are NOT supported - why is this?

[veremin]

This is a current limitation that only Full Azure admin can restore to such subscription. Thanks.