Veeam Replication Design query

[VEBC]

Hi,

I am a little unsure as to what I can or cannot do in this scenario... (Without adding cost)

We have Veeam running backing up primarily vSphere using SAN Transport.

We have a main site (SAN and VMware hosts here) which hosts the physical Veeam backup server (Tape and DAS attached), and a virtual backup proxy on VMware, at the remote site (SAN and VMware hosts here also) we have a physical backup proxy (tape drive and DAS attached) and a virtual backup proxy.

On the main site I am backing up to a local DAS store - From here there is a backup copy job which transports to the remote site DAS. During the day at the main site we run the backups onto tape.

I am looking to add replication/failover capabilities to this setup.

From my research I have a few options...

Use the existing backup server on the main site:

With this option I can utilize the replica from backup functionality at the remote site?
And because its all on one box schedules can be managed to avoid overlap...?
In the event of losing the main site - how do I actually recover the VM's at the remote site - can I just power them on using VMware, or do I need to some kind of Veeam restore first then do it through Veeam etc.?

Create a second server at the remote site specifically to do replication:

With this option I could simply create a new Veeam VM? (I am guessing as the physical proxy I have already is tied to the existing Veeam infrastructure I could not add the Veeam server components to this?)
What happens with licensing in regards to the second server - As I am still working on the primary servers that are currently licensed can I just re-use the same license file?
I cannot use the Veeam replica from backup in this case because this second server would have no awareness of the main backup jobs?
I would need to manually manage the replication jobs such that they do not interfere with primary backup
With this setup because it is independent to the main site I can failover using Veeam by accessing this server console?

Thanks

[PTide]

Hi,

With this option I can utilize the replica from backup functionality at the remote site?

Yes, you can.

And because its all on one box schedules can be managed to avoid overlap...?

Right. You can even use "After this job" scheduling option.

In the event of losing the main site - how do I actually recover the VM's at the remote site - can I just power them on using VMware, or do I need to some kind of Veeam restore first then do it through Veeam etc.?

Replicas can be started as is, you don't need to have VBR server for that.

With this option I could simply create a new Veeam VM? (I am guessing as the physical proxy I have already is tied to the existing Veeam infrastructure I could not add the Veeam server components to this?)

Right. Controlling the same components by two different VBR servers is not supported.

What happens with licensing in regards to the second server - As I am still working on the primary servers that are currently licensed can I just re-use the same license file?

You cannot reuse the same license.

I cannot use the Veeam replica from backup in this case because this second server would have no awareness of the main backup jobs?

Technically you could make it work, but that would require you to manage the same repo by two different VBRs, which is not supported.

Thanks!

[VEBC]

Hi,

I like it when people are to the point!

It seems like using the original backup server has no downsides - However I am guessing in the event of a complete primary site failover, I will not have the ability to use Failover Plans without this server...

How would this be handled?

Regarding just starting up the VM's using vSphere, how do we then failback? Is it just a case of deleting the VM's at the primary and re-establishing the replication in reverse?

In terms of specifying the destination, is it recommended to specify the ESXi hosts directly (Without going through vCenter - I have seen this mentioned a few times)...

Regarding the virtual machines - because I am now thinking about using the main backup server, I can utilize the From backup files (Source) option. Can I select the Backup Copy repositories which are physically at the secondary site and use these as the source (Thus keeping all the replication traffic localized to the secondary site?)

If so I cannot seem to schedule to match this as I do not see the Backup Copy jobs as an optional target for the "After this job" setting?

[VEBC]

In terms of the power it on in VMware comment... its this that puts me off:

"Avoid powering on a replica manually — this may disrupt further replication operations or cause loss of important data."

https://helpcenter.veeam.com/archive/ba ... lover.html

[PTide]

Avoid powering on a replica manually — this may disrupt further replication operations or cause loss of important data.

Provided that the primary site is lost, 'further replication' is unlikely to occur (at least until you setup a new VBR server). That is, in case of manual start of the replica, you will have to consolidate replica snapshots on the secondary site.

Thanks!