Central management for Stand Alone Veeam Agent

In this post, we will explore on how to central manage standalone veeam agent deployment.

With Veeam 9.5, you can perform central management on veeam agent data protection. Without uninstall veeam agent to manage workload protection, you can manage it from Veeam console. To do so, please follow the steps below:

[ Scenario ]

• Manual deploy veeam agent on workload
• Previously backup target point to Veeam Repository [optional]

[ Objective]

• Perform central management using Veeam console
• Agent become "manage agent"

[ Configuration ]

On Veeam console, those standalone agent will listed under "Unmanaged" 

Select the workload, right click to select Move to > New Protection Group

Create a new protection group

Provide credential to connect to workload Next follow the wizard to complete the protection group

After discovery, the agent will register to Veeam Backup Server.
Note: No deployment of veeam agent. Do note that previous backup job will be removed.

Previous backup data in repository  will reside under " Backup - Disk (Imported).

Now veeam agent is centrally managed. To start protection, create a backup job.
You can remove oldest backup data (under Backup- Disk imported) after successful create a backup. New backup set, will have new backup chain & will not combine with oldest backup data.

Hope this help to central manage veeam agent without uninstall the agent.

OpenVPN Client for Macbook

In this post, we are going to talk on openvpn client for Macbook. Previously, we have talked on setting up point to site vpn using Veeam PN. Click here for more details.

For mac users, you can download the openvpn client from here.

You can get configuration files from Veeam PN. Create a new client fromVeeamPN

Import the ovpn to the openvpn client.

Finally, click CONNECT to access your secure environment.

Result:

Enjoy!

Backup VM Replica Using Veeam

In this post, we are going to look on possible to backup VM replica using Veeam at DR Site.

Scenario is
a) replicated VM to DR Site using Veeam
b) backup VM Replica at DR Site.

[ Solution ]

Create a backup job & select Replica VM as source

Backup completed with warning "Changed block tracking cannot be enabled. One or more snapshot present".

Backup is successful with a warning message.

How about backup replica VM with application aware enabled?

 Backup will still continue successful but with same warning message. However guest application aware won't be performed. This is because replica vm is power off.
On backup job history, you can see message " Skipping guest processing . VM is powered off"

How about powered on replica ?

Backup is successful with warning message. - "CBT cannot be enabled". On backup job history, application aware processing is kick in when replica vm is powered on.
.
That's concluded our test to backup vm replica using veeam.

Good Luck on your test!

Assign Static IP to Veeam PN ver2

By default, Veeam PN ver2 will use dhcp. In case you want to change to use static ip address, you can do so by using netplan command.

Use the following command:

sudo nano /etc/netplan/01-netcfg.yaml

Change the settings from nano editor

To save : Press CTRL + O
To exit : Press CTRL + X

To test the settings, use the following command:

sudo netplan try

Make sure no error message appear.

If encounter an error message, use debug

sudo netplan -debug generate

Once no error, apply the changes

sudo netplan apply

Restart the server if require for changes to take plan.

Point to Site VPN Scenario Using Veeam PN v2

In this post, we are going to look point to site vpn scenario using Veeam PN ver2 [released May 2019]. My scenario consists of two sites
a) Primary Site
b) Remote Site - with only a server which require backup data to store at primary site. This site do not have firewall to configure site to site vpn. In order for us to transfer backup data back to primary site, we will use Veeam PN.

Veeam® PN (Powered Network) is a FREE, easy-to-use, lightweight software defined networking (SDN) tool designed to simplify and orchestrate VPN networking and configuration tasks, eliminating manual networking connectivity and complicated VPN installation procedures.

Administrators can create, configure and connect site-to-site or point-to-site VPN tunnels through an intuitive UI within a few clicks.

[Environment]
1. Primary site

• Veeam Backup Server & Repository roles
• Veeam PN deployed on Vmware platform. Download from here. Import the ovf.
• Use browser to access Veeam PN. Make sure, you've dhcp in your environment. To check your ip, login to veeamPN from vmware console.
• Default authentication:
• root
• VeeamPN

2. Remote Site
A windows Server installed with Open VPN Client

[Configuration Veeam PN]

The first step is configure network hub. The network hub is the core component in the VPN infrastructure that provides VPN connections and services to remote sites and users. All traffic in the VPN is routed through the network hub.

Veeam PN uses a self-signed SSL certificate to ensure secure data communication in the VPN. Specify the certificate key length.

Self signed certificate has been created

Enter the network hub public ip and enable type of VPN configuration. We enabled Site to site vpn and point to site VPN. Take note on the UDP port 1194 and 6179. This port require to open from firewall.

In this lab, we are using dynamic DNS to map to our public ip address

Once complete the initial configuration.
Let start by add a new client.

Since we are testing point to site VPN and only have one remote computer. Let select Standalone computer.

After done on add a client, download openvpn client & import the configuration file

[Primary Site Firewall]

On firewall, enable port forwarding to open port UDP 1194 and 6179

[On Remote Site- Computer]

Configuration imported, you can connect using OpenVPN

[Check result]

From VeeamPN UI, client is connected

Client able to ping primary site Veeam Repository Server.
Configure backup and point backup data to Veeam Repository Server @ Primary Site

Below is the result of successful backup

VeeamPN able to view data transmitted using VPN tunnel.

That's concluded our simple test without require to setup complex VPN tunnel for two different sites.

Different Scenario for Veeam VM Replication

In this post, we are going to look on different scenario that you can use on Veeam VM Replication either on Vmware or Hyper-V Platform

Veeam included with backup & replication features. On vm replication, by default it provide async replication from Site 1 to Site 2. This is typical supported deployment & need to use same hypervisor platform.

Hyper-V -> Hyper-V
Vmware -> Vmware

Default Scenario

1. Production VM from Site 1 replicate to Site 2.
2. Site 2 VM is a replica VM in offline state

Result: No error reported by Veeam. Able to perform failover and failback

Scenario 1 : One Source to many

1. Production VM from Site 1 replicate to Site 2
2. Production VM from Site 1 replicate to Site 3

Result: No error reported by Veeam. VM able to replicate to target side.

Note:- Make sure both vm replication scheduling is not running at the same time. You need to configure different time & does not conflict each other.

Scenario 2: One source to one target & replicate back to source

1. Production VM from Site 1 replicate to Site 2 (Vm_Replica)
2. VM_Replica from Site 2 replicate back to Site 1 (VM_replica_replica)
3. Configure different scheduling & does not conflict with existing schedule.

This approach is because customer do not want to overwrite existing production VM. VM_Replica from Site 2 is replicate back to Site 1 as VM_Replica_Replica. Customer want fast replicate to Site 1 rather than wait for failback synchronization.

Result:
1. Able to replicate from Site 1 to Site 2
2. Site 2 replicate back to Site 1. Will encountered an error "Changed block tracking is not enabled. one or more snapshot present." Warning message but replication is successful. Tested with data changes.

Not recommend scenario & must practice in caution especially failover/failback.

Scenario 3: One Source to Target, One Target to another Target

1. Production VM from Site 1 replicate to Site 2 (Vm_Replica)
2. VM_Replica from Site 2 replicate to Site 3 (VM_replica_replica)
3. Configure different scheduling & does not conflict with existing schedule.

Normally customer want to have another replica copy to different site but does not want to impact on production Site.

Result:
1. Able to replicate from Site 1 to Site 2
2. Site 2 able to replicate to Site 3. Will encountered an error "Changed block tracking is not enabled. one or more snapshot present." Warning message but replication is successful. Tested with data changes.

Not recommend scenario & must practice in caution especially failover/failback.

Above are few test scenario that i've performed, no guarantee it will work since CBT cannot be enabled for Scenario 2 and 3.

Good luck on your testing!

VMCE Unofficial Study Guide

Anyone study for VMCE (Veeam Certified Engineer)?

If yes, you may interest on getting on unofficial study guide ebook for free.

This book covered:

• Chapter 1: What is the VMCE?
• Chapter 2: What are the benefits of the VMCE
• Chapter 3: What is the VMCE course?
• Chapter 4: What is the VMCE exam?
• Chapter 5: What don’t you need to study?
• Chapter 6: What should you study?
• Chapter 7: Module Guide
• Study Guide - Module 1: Overview
• Study Guide - Module 2: Deployment
• Study Guide - Module 3: Initial Configuration
• Study Guide - Module 4: Protect
• Study Guide - Module 5: Entire VM Recovery
• Study Guide - Module 6: Objects Recovery
• Study Guide - Module 7: Verification
• Study Guide - Module 8: Introduction to Agents
• Study Guide - Module 9: Advanced Data Protection
• Study Guide - Module 10: Veeam ONE Features and Functionality
• Study Guide - Module 11: Product Editions
• Study Guide - Module 12: Troubleshooting
• Chapter 7: What else?
• Chapter 8: Certification Maintenance
• Chapter 9: What’s next
• Chapter 10: Concept Checks and Practice Tests Solutions

Enjoy!