Veeam Integration with IBM Storwize

[alexandrev]

Hello,

First, happy new year to all of you !

I just updated my VEEAM infrastructure with 9.5 U3, but can you please explain me how I must proceed to use Storwize snapshot backup ?

Thank you in advance

[foggy]

Hi Alexandre, please review this user guide section. Thanks.

[crackocain]

Hi

Which SVC Storwize firmware version is the full compability? 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 8.1?

And HyperSwap (Storage Cluster) architecture is supported?

This link job setting can not appear Storwize Integration. Please take a look my screenshot
https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... tml?ver=95

[foggy]

Which SVC Storwize firmware version is the full compability? 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 8.1?

IBM Spectrum Virtualize OS 7.6 and later.

And HyperSwap (Storage Cluster) architecture is supported?

Yes.

[crackocain]

Sorry my bad.

Backup from Secondary Storage Arrays Note:
Failover to Backup from Storage Snapshots on the primary storage array is not supported for HPE 3PAR Peer Persistence and IBM Spectrum Virtualize with HyperSwap function.

[crackocain]

Hi. I tested feature but i want to ask this screen.
test volume is HyperSwap volume, 100 gb and 1 VM inside it.
I'm start the backup job, flashcopy operation started and never complete. Always %0

In veeam i'm seeing storage snapshots and able to restore but this flashcopy operation never stop.

Can you explain why?

SVC Version: 7.8.1.2

[crackocain]

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgece ... iry45.html

If NOCOPY is specified, background copy is disabled. You can specify NOCOPY for short-lived FlashCopy mappings that are only used for backups, for example. Because the source data set is not expected to significantly change during the lifetime of the FlashCopy mapping, it is more efficient in terms of managed disk (MDisk) I/Os to not perform a background copy.

Veeam creates nocopy snapshots?

[jvandevelde]

I am stealing this thread in the hope that one of the Veeam users who is viewing this thread will know the answer to the following Veeam Integration with IBM Storwize question?

Have you succeeded in linking an IBM v3700 SAN to Veeam while using a SAS only connection?

I know that Veeam only appears to support FC and iSCSI but my SAN only has SAS to all the VMware Servers and the physical Veeam backup server.
Secondly, I know that firmware 7.6 or more recent is needed but my IBM SAN is still om 7.5 since my unit does not have enough RAM to upgrade.

I would like to know the response to the above question before splurging additional money on the memory upgrade.

Note : this is Veeam support ticket 02464837 but I am not getting a 'it has been tested and it works response' but rather a 'post it in the forums so it will be picked up' response.

[crackocain]

Hi Veeam Engineers

I need nocopy snapshot registry settings. Remotecopy operation slowly filling up the storage pool.

[crackocain]

Only 1 day same snapshot restore point grow 124 GB...

[foggy]

Veeam creates nocopy snapshots?

Yes, Veeam B&R uses nocopy option, basically, to write only changes to the snapshot. You can try another option called "Cleaning mode", but I recommend contacting support for a closer look.

Have you succeeded in linking an IBM v3700 SAN to Veeam while using a SAS only connection?

I do not expect storage integration to work over SAS, since ports are different. But you could search the forums and try direct SAN instead.

[crackocain]

Hi Foggy

I want to open support case but this situation occur production volumes. So i want to minimum write changes. I don't want to full the storage pool space.
Because we want RPO 2 days, RTO 4 hours. Actually 12 restore points... about 120 TB HyperSwap cluster. If i'm back up all volumes maybe storage pool is full. I want to prepare at first.



If I'm wrong please correct me.

Veeam takes the nocopy snapshot in SVC and changes writes both volumes. Production and snapshot volumes.
Changing data write is not essential Veeam snapshot but IBM Snapshot mechanism forced to do.
If we suspect fulling disk then Veeam creates nocopy with cleaning mode snapshots?
And SVC write changes and cleaning automatically.

Storage free pool space around %10. What is the storage free space best practise?

[foggy]

Veeam B&R doesn't use cleaning mode by default. You can try to compare whether the snapshots created by Veeam B&R and those created through the storage UI swell equally fast.

Storage free pool space around %10. What is the storage free space best practise?

This is a kind of question that should be addressed to vendor.

[crackocain]

Hi Alexander

Case #02562067 was created. Could tech support take a closer look?

Thank you

[crackocain]

Hi

In HyperSwap (Storage Cluster, PR Site and BC Site) configurations Veeam created snapshots only in one site. (Pr Site)

Customers wants to keep snapshots both storage systems for best availability. How can we do that?

Created snapshots volume type is "classic thin volume". Can we trigger create "HyperSwap thin volume"?

[foggy]

Hi Mehmet, by default, Veeam B&R works with primary storage volumes and you can switch it to using secondary storage volumes as a data source for backup with the help of the registry value. However, there's currently no ability to trigger snapshots on both sides.

[crackocain]

Thank you Alexander...

[Andreas Neufert]

One workaround, you can use a second B&R server for this. One that perform this on primary side and one with the reg key to create them on second side.

Both Snapshots will be visible on both B&R Server.
Veeam support iSCSI processing for FC volumes, so the second server could be a VM with access to the iSCSI network.

[crackocain]

Hi Andreas

Yeah i think good workaround. But i don't want to open ISCSI for FC volumes.
I think best solution configure another Fibre HBA passthrough for second Veeam server. Is that work right?

[Andreas Neufert]

not officially supported but it works. We use it in our labs as well. If you want to do Backup from Storage Snapshots, use the physical server.
FC path through need some special FC Zoning.