We are performing a test on Storage Snapshot by integrating with Veeam Backup and Replication (VBR) v9 and here is our summary of the configuration on our lab environment.
A storage snapshot is a set of reference markers, or pointers, to data stored on a disk drive, on a tape, or in a storage area network (SAN). A snapshot is something like a detailed table of contents, but it is treated by the computer as a complete data backup.
With storage snapshot you can get point in time image level view of data. Feel free to check out, How Backup and Storage Snapshot work together :- https://www.veeam.com/blog/how-snapshots-backups-work-together.html to understand the technology.
For those folk who would like to test storage snapshot in lab environment, you can download Virtual Storage Appliance (VSA) and load it up on Hyper-V or Vmware infrastructure.
Infrastructure:
- HP StoreVirtual VSA [FREE 1TB] - http://www8.hp.com/us/en/products/data-storage/free-vsa.html
- Veeam Backup and Replication v9 - https://www.veeam.com/availability
- ESX Server
- Vmware vCenter
Not only you can integrate with HP StoreVirtual VSA, here is the supported storage that you can integrate with :
For EMC:
- EMC VNX
- EMC VNX2
- EMC VNXe
For HPE:
- HPE 3PAR StoreServ
- HPE StoreVirtual
- HPE StoreVirtual VSA
For NetApp, all Data ONTAP based storage, including:
- NetApp FAS
- NetApp FlexArray (V-Series)
- NetApp Data ONTAP Edge
- IBM N-Series
[StoreVirtual VSA]
- Download either Hyper-V or Vmware Virtual Disk
- Configure minimum of 4GB of Memory on the VSA. We tried to change it to lower but it won't work well. So min 4GB is the safe zone.
- Create a volume and present a LUN to ESX Server. Put VM into this new LUN. We put a linux VM
- Create a schedule to Snapshot a Volume to continuously perform storage storage snapshot
[Veeam Backup and Replication v9]
- Use VBR Console
- Add Storage from Storage Infrastructure workspace
- Select HP StoreVirtual, enter VSA Management IP and credential
Once added, you able to view VSA storage, volume and create on-demand snapshot from Veeam VBR Console. Screenshot below displayed interface on VBR Console and HP StoreVirtual Centralized Management Console (CMC)
- Next, create a backup job to backup VM which located in VSA. Below is the page that you need to configure to use Storage Snapshot.
- Click Advanced | Integration | Make sure enable backup from storage snapshot.
[ Performing Restoration]
Once backup has completed, you can test performing a restoration. Navigate to Storage Snapshot and restore your items. We are restoring a Linux VM from Storage Snapshot.
Note on the estoration history. You will notice VSA is creating a storage a copy or clone of storage snapshot and present to ESX host in the virtual environment.
We can perform necessary restoration operation in the VBR Console. After restore is complete, VBR issue command to the storage system. The storage system deletes the snapshot copy from the ESX host and perform cleanup operation.
