Extents

The scale-out backup repository can comprise one or more extents. The extent is a standard backup repository configured in the backup infrastructure. You can add any simple backup repository, except the cloud repository, as an extent to the scale-out backup repository.

The backup repository added to the scale-out backup repository ceases to exist as a simple backup repository. You cannot target jobs to this backup repository. Instead, you have to target jobs at the configured scale-out backup repository.

On every extent, Veeam Backup & Replication creates the definition.erm file. This file contains a description of the scale-out backup repository and information about its extents.

Extents inherit most configuration settings from the underlying backup repositories. The following settings are inherited:

• Number of tasks that can be performed simultaneously
• Read and write data rate limit
• Data decompression settings
• Block alignment settings

The following settings are not inherited:

• Rotated drive settings. Rotated drive settings are ignored and cannot be configured at the level of the scale-out backup repository.
• Per-VM backup file settings. Per-VM settings can be configured at the level of the scale-out backup repository.

Limitations, specific for certain types of backup repositories, apply to extents. For example, if you add EMC Data Domain as an extent to the scale-out backup repository, you will not be able to create a backup chain longer than 60 points on this scale-out backup repository.

Extents of the scale-out backup repository should be located in the same site. Technically, you can add extents that reside in different sites to the scale-out backup repository. However, in this case Veeam Backup & Replication will have to access VM backup files on storage devices in different locations, and the backup performance will degrade.