Windows WFSC with shared VMDK - backup possible?

[kaithost]

Hi,

I was wondering if using shared VMDK's for Windows Failover Cluster (File Services) can be backed up with Veeam B&R.
Perferrably by SAN direct backup or snapshot integration.

Using Veeam Agent should be fine and I guess even using NAS backup too ...

But can we grab a shared VMDK (https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/79616) with Veeam to get backed up?
In the end it's shared and only one VM will use it at a time, eh?

Best regards

[kaithost]

did some further research and shared VMDKs can't be snapshottet ... so I guess the answer is "no" ...
but with storage integration there can be snapshot free backups ... maybe this would be too much to ask in this case?

[jorgedlcruz]

Hello,
I am not that well informed on WFSC at the moment, will need more time to research and even test it on my lab. It seems like it is another iteration of shared VMDKs which is aimed to these Failover Clusters running of top of the virtualization.

I wrote not that long ago what Veeam can do in terms of Storage Integration for Agent for Windows, meaning what you are asking here, Storage Snapshot of a volume that it can be part of a Cluster, etc. The only thing with the guide, and with the technology itself, is that is relying on you to presenting the volume from the SAN to the guest using iSCSI, or FC. Not to the Hypervisor, and from the Hypervisor to the guest, so this will not work on your case either.

Coming back to tackle a backup of this scenario. Our Veeam Agents can be added using Failover Cluster mode, which will discover the members of the cluster, install the needed agents and perform backup, etc. Our product is cluster-aware and this is supported.

Bottom line: If I were you I would give the KB a read, and try it on a non-production failover cluster to see if it performs as you are expecting, in terms of VMware Snapshots, or Storage Snapshots itself, I do not think they will work with WFSC or any other VMware shared VMDK technology.

[kaithost]

Jorge,

thank you for your reply. Your article is indeed quite compelling - didn't think about this before. Nice job!

I think we'll move in the direction of Veeam Agent with or without storage integration.

Cheers
Kai