Gateway Servers
A gateway server is an auxiliary backup infrastructure component that “bridges” the backup server and backup repository. It can also "bridge" a source backup repository and a target backup repository in case of backup copy jobs. The gateway server is required if you deploy the following types of backup repositories in the backup infrastructure:
- Shared folder backup repositories
- Dell Data Domain deduplicating storage appliance
- HPE StoreOnce deduplicating storage appliance
- Object storage repository
Such backup repositories cannot host Veeam Data Movers — Veeam components that establish a connection between a backup proxy and backup repository (in case of backup jobs) or between backup repositories (in case of backup copy jobs). To overcome this limitation, Veeam Backup & Replication uses gateway servers.
In the backup infrastructure, a gateway server hosts the target Veeam Data Mover. Veeam Backup & Replication establishes a connection between the source Veeam Data Mover and target Veeam Data Mover, and transports data from/to backup repositories through gateway servers.
For more information on using gateway servers in backup copy jobs, see Backup Copy Architecture.
The role of a gateway server can be assigned to a Microsoft Windows or Linux machine added to the backup infrastructure:
- The role of a Dell Data Domain, HPE StoreOnce or SMB gateway server must be assigned to a Microsoft Windows machine.
- The role of an NFS or object storage repository gateway server can be assigned to a Microsoft Windows or Linux machine.
To configure a gateway server, you must first add a machine that you plan to use as a gateway server to the backup infrastructure using the New Windows Server or New Linux Server wizard. For more information, see Adding Microsoft Windows Servers or Adding Linux Servers.
After that, you must go through the New Backup Repository wizard and define gateway server settings. For more information, see Adding Backup Repositories. You can select a gateway server explicitly or instruct Veeam Backup & Replication to select it automatically.
If you plan to select gateway servers explicitly, these servers must be located as close to the backup repository as possible. However, if you use a deduplicating storage appliance with source-side data deduplication, it is reasonable to assign the roles of gateway servers to machines that are located closer to the backup proxy. This will help you reduce the amount of traffic traveling over the network. For more information, see Dell Data Domain and HPE StoreOnce.
Veeam Backup & Replication uses multiple gateway servers to process workloads in a job if the Use per-machine backup files option is enabled for the repository to which the job is targeted at. Veeam Backup & Replication selects one gateway server for each workload. If the number of workloads is greater than the number of gateway servers, Veeam Backup & Replication uses one gateway server for multiple workloads.
Veeam Backup & Replication uses one gateway server for the whole job if the Use per-machine backup files option is disabled. However, if multiple jobs are targeted at one backup repository, Veeam Backup & Replication selects different gateway servers for the jobs, if possible.
You can select gateway servers explicitly or automatically. For more information on which backup infrastructure components Veeam Backup & Replication uses as gateway servers during automatic selection, see the Automatic Selection section. If you select only one gateway server explicitly, Veeam Backup & Replication will use the selected gateway server and perform all operations on it.
If you instruct Veeam Backup & Replication to select gateway servers automatically, Veeam Backup & Replication uses the backup infrastructure components described in the following table. Note that principles described in the Gateway Selection section also apply.
Type of job | Component used as gateway server | Component used as gateway server for synthetic operations |
|---|---|---|
Backup job / File share backup job | Backup proxy that was assigned first to process workload data / file share for a backup job.* | Synthetic operations are performed on the mount server associated with the backup repository. If the mount server is not accessible, Veeam Backup & Replication fails over to the backup server. |
Backup copy job / File share backup copy job |
| Synthetic operations are performed on the mount server associated with the backup repository. If the mount server is not accessible, Veeam Backup & Replication fails over to the backup server. These rules are applied to the direct data path and processing over WAN accelerators. File share backup copy job does not support WAN accelerators. |
Tape job | If there is a direct connection between a backup repository and tape device, the role of a gateway server is assigned to the tape server. Otherwise, the role of a gateway server is assigned to the backup server. | Synthetic operations are performed on the mount server associated with the backup repository. If the mount server is not accessible, Veeam Backup & Replication fails over to the backup server. |
Veeam Agent backup job | Mount server associated with the backup repository. If the mount server is not accessible, Veeam Backup & Replication fails over to the backup server. | Synthetic operations are performed on the mount server associated with the backup repository. If the mount server is not accessible, Veeam Backup & Replication fails over to the backup server. |
Backup job created by Veeam Plug-in for Oracle RMAN/SAP HANA/SAP on Oracle | Backup server. | — |
Restore operations | Backup proxy used for a restore operation*. | — |
Replication from backup | Target backup proxy assigned for a replication operation*. | — |
Repository rescan | Mount server associated with the backup repository. | — |
* For repositories for which Linux gateway servers cannot be used — Dell Data Domain, HPE StoreOnce and SMB. If the backup proxy is a Linux machine, the role of the gateway server is assigned to the mount server associated with the backup repository. If the mount server is not accessible, Veeam Backup & Replication fails over to the backup server.
Requirements for Gateway Servers
A machine that performs the role of a gateway server must meet the following requirements:
- The gateway server can run on a Microsoft Windows or Linux machine. The machine must meet the system requirements. For more information, see System Requirements.
- The role of a Dell Data Domain, HPE StoreOnce or SMB gateway server must be assigned to a Microsoft Windows machine.
- The role of an NFS or object storage repository gateway server can be assigned to a Microsoft Windows or Linux machine.
- You must add the machine to the Veeam Backup & Replication console as a managed server.
- The machine must have access to the backup repository — shared folder, Dell Data Domain or HPE StoreOnce.
Limitations for Gateway Servers
The following limitations apply to a machine that performs the role of a gateway server:
- For deduplicating storage appliances working over Fibre Channel, you must explicitly select a gateway server that will communicate with the appliance. As a gateway server, you must use a Microsoft Windows machine that is added to the backup infrastructure and has access to the appliance over Fibre Channel.
- For HPE StoreOnce deduplicating storage appliances, you must assign the role of a gateway server to a 64-bit machine.
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