Configuring Backup Proxy for Storage Snapshots

For some operations with storage snapshots, Veeam Backup & Replication requires a backup proxy. The backup proxy is used for two purposes:

• Rescan of VMFS-NFS on storage volumes
• Backup from Storage Snapshots

When Veeam Backup & Replication performs rescan and backup operations, it needs to read the content on storage volumes and snapshots. To do this, Veeam Backup & Replication uses a backup proxy as a helper. Storage volumes and snapshots are mounted as new volumes to the backup proxy. As a result, Veeam Backup & Replication can access mounted volumes and snapshots over the backup proxy and read the backup data from them.

To enable storage rescan and backup from storage snapshots, you must configure a backup proxy in the backup infrastructure. The backup proxy must meet the requirements listed below.

General Requirements

• [For VMware integration] You must assign to a Microsoft Windows or a Linux machine the role of a backup proxy. This can be a dedicated machine or backup server performing the role of the default backup proxy.
• [For Veeam Agent integration] You must assign the role of a backup proxy to a machine running Microsoft Windows Server OS version. This can be a dedicated machine or backup server performing the role of the default backup proxy, if it is running Microsoft Windows Server OS version.
• [For NAS integration] You must assign to a Microsoft Windows machine the role of a backup proxy, type Agent. This can be a dedicated machine or backup server performing the role of the default backup proxy.
• For backup from storage snapshots, the transport mode for VMware backup proxy must be set to Automatic selection or Direct storage access.
• [For VMware and Veeam Agent integration] [For HPE 3PAR] If storage LUNs reside in a virtual domain, the backup proxy to which LUNs are exported must reside in the same virtual domain. If LUNs reside outside a virtual domain, the backup proxy must also reside outside any available virtual domain.
• [For Linux backup proxy] To check compatibility with a storage system, see the system requirements provided by the storage system vendor.

iSCSI Protocol

• [For Microsoft Windows] The backup proxy must have a Microsoft iSCSI Software initiator enabled.
• [For Linux] The backup proxy must have an Open-iSCSI Software initiator enabled.
• iSCSI traffic between the backup proxy and storage system must be allowed.

CIFS Protocol

• NFS traffic between the backup proxy and storage system must be allowed.
• Backup proxy is not supported on Linux.

Fibre Channel Protocol

• The backup proxy must have a Fibre channel adapter installed and must have access to the storage system over Fibre Channel fabric.
• To let Veeam Backup & Replication present snapshots of LUNs to the backup proxy, you must register the backup proxy with a WWN ID on the storage system.
• Fibre Channel devices must be properly installed and shown in Device Manager on the backup proxy. The WWN ID of the backup proxy must be properly zoned on the Fibre Channel switch.

NFS Protocol

• NFS traffic between the backup proxy and storage system must be allowed.
• Backup proxy is not supported on Linux.