VMware Integration

To build the data protection and disaster recovery strategy, you can use the capabilities of native snapshots created on production storage systems that host VM disks.

  • Backup from Storage Snapshots. You can use storage snapshots to create backups and replicas of VMware vSphere VMs hosted on storage systems. Backup from Storage Snapshots speeds up backup and replication operations and reduces the impact of VMware vSphere snapshot removal on the production environment.
  • Snapshot orchestration. You can configure jobs to periodically create storage snapshots on primary or secondary storage arrays.
  • Backup from Storage Snapshots with snapshot retention. You can configure backup jobs to create backup files in the backup repository and, additionally, storage snapshots on the primary or secondary storage arrays.
  • Snapshot archiving and data retrieval. You can configure storage systems to archive (offload) storage snapshots to a 3rd party storage solution supported by a storage vendor (for example, Amazon S3 storage or NFS target). You can also restore data from archived snapshots if required.
  • Data recovery from storage snapshots. You can restore VM data directly from storage snapshots. Restore from Storage Snapshots automates the process of VM data recovery and reduces recovery time in 10 times or more.
  • Creating and deleting snapshots manually. You can create and delete storage snapshots in the Veeam Backup & Replication console.
  • On-Demand sandbox for storage snapshots. You can start VMs whose disks are hosted on storage systems in the On-Demand Sandbox. On-Demand Sandbox can be used for testing, training, troubleshooting and so on.

To start working with storage systems, you must properly configure the backup infrastructure. For more information, see Infrastructure Overview. After that, you can use storage snapshots for data protection and disaster recovery operations.

The following table shows supported storage systems and operations they support.

Storage Systems and Supported Features

Storage systems support on-demand sandbox and creation and deletion of storage snapshots using the Veeam Backup & Replication console. Note that Cisco HyperFlex HX-Series storage system does not support manual creation and deletion of storage snapshots.

Operation/
Storage Type

Backup from Storage Snapshots

Snapshot Orchestration / Backup from Storage Snapshots with Snapshot Retention

Snapshot Archiving and Data Retrieval

Data Recovery from Storage Snapshots

Primary Storage Arrays

Secondary Storage Arrays

Primary Storage Arrays

Secondary Storage Arrays

Built-in Storage Systems

Cisco HyperFlex HX-Series

Dell VNX(e),
Dell VNX2,
Dell Unity (XT)

Fujitsu ETERNUS HX/AX,
Lenovo DM Series,
IBM N series,
NetApp FAS/AFF/ASA,
NetApp FlexArray (V-Series),
NetApp ONTAP Edge/Select/Cloud VSA

SnapMirror
SnapVault

SnapMirror1
SnapVault2

HPE 3PAR StoreServ,
HPE Primera,
HPE Alletra 9000,
HPE Alletra MP

Remote Copy Peer Persistence3
Remote Copy Periodic
(Asynchronous)

Remote Copy Peer Persistence1, 3
Remote Copy Periodic
(Asynchronous)2

HPE Nimble Storage AF-Series,
HPE Nimble Storage HF-Series,
HPE Nimble Storage CS-Series,
HPE Alletra 5000,
HPE Alletra 6000

Snapshot Replication
Synchronous Replication
(including Peer Persistence)

Snapshot Replication2
Synchronous Replication
(including Peer Persistence)1

HPE StoreVirtual (formerly LeftHand/P4000 Series),
HPE StoreVirtual VSA

IBM FlashSystem (formerly Spectrum Virtualize, includes IBM StorWize and IBM SVC),
Lenovo Storage V Series

HyperSwap
Metro Mirror
Global Mirror4

HyperSwap1
Metro Mirror1
Global Mirror2,4

Universal Storage API Integrated Systems

DataCore SANsymphony

Dell PowerMax

Dell PowerStore

Native Asynchronous Replication

Native Asynchronous Replication2

Dell SC Series (formerly Compellent)

Fujitsu ETERNUS AF and DX Series

Hitachi VSP

HPE XP

INFINIDAT Infinibox F-Series

NEC Storage M Series

NEC Storage V Series

NetApp SolidFire/HCI

Pure Storage FlashArray

Asynchronous Replication
ActiveCluster Replication

Asynchronous Replication2
ActiveCluster Replication1

Offload2

Tintri IntelliFlash (formerly Western Digital IntelliFlash, Tegile)

1 Snapshot orchestration requires at least Enterprise license. Backup from Storage Snapshots with snapshot retention always requires Enterprise Plus license.

2 Enterprise Plus license is required.

3 For Remote Copy Peer Persistence, snapshots are created on the target volume only.

4 Global Mirror with Change Volumes is not supported.

Secondary Storage Array Replication Features and Veeam Backup & Replication Terms

The following table shows storage systems, replication features and terms for these features in Veeam Backup & Replication.

Storage system \ Feature term

Snapshot transfer

Synchronous replication

Fujitsu ETERNUS HX/AX,
Lenovo DM Series
IBM N series,
NetApp FAS/AFF/ASA,
NetApp FlexArray (V-Series),
NetApp ONTAP Edge/Select/Cloud VSA

SnapMirror
SnapVault

HPE 3PAR StoreServ,
HPE Primera,
HPE Alletra 9000,
HPE Alletra MP

Remote Copy Periodic
(Asynchronous)

Remote Copy Peer Persistence
(Snapshots are created on the target volume only)

HPE Nimble Storage AF-Series,
HPE Nimble Storage HF-Series,
HPE Nimble Storage CS-Series,
HPE Alletra 6000,
HPE Alletra 5000

Snapshot Replication

Synchronous Replication
(including Peer Persistence)

IBM FlashSystem
(formerly Spectrum Virtualize,
includes IBM StorWize and IBM SVC),
Lenovo Storage V Series

Global Mirror
(Global Mirror with Change Volumes is not supported)

HyperSwap
Metro Mirror

Dell PowerStore

Native Asynchronous Replication

Pure Storage FlashArray

Asynchronous Replication

ActiveCluster Replication

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