Blogs and Podcasts

I have decided to share this link to my article on how to “Install Splunk and Veeam App on Windows Server to monitor VBR”. This guide is comprehensive and it outlines the detailed steps to create a VM on Hyper-V, install the Windows Server OS, steps to specify syslog parameters on the Veeam Backup & Replication (VBR) server, install Splunk and the Veeam App.Because this article is lengthy, Here is the link: https://techdirectarchive.com/2024/05/06/install-splunk-and-veeam-app-on-windows-server-to-monitor-vbr/It thoroughly describes every step and addresses potential issues you may encounter while setting up Splunk Enterprise in your environment. Here are some advanced guides by my peers on this topic as well.   You would also learn how to get and apply your DEV NFR License for Splunk. 

The Knowledge Base article for using Backup for Microsoft 365 v8 has been updated for creating a backup to Wasabi. The new/updated article is available here - https://docs.wasabi.com/docs/create-a-backup-to-wasabi-on-veeam-backup-for-microsoft-365-v8

When I try to upgrade Veeam, or when I try to apply a new license, I get a prompt about my server being managed by a Veeam Enterprise Manager server like the prompt below. But I don't have one? How can I fix this? This is a question that comes up from time-to-time here in the Community Hub as well as the Veeam Subreddit. Generally, the subject, me in today's example, has a VBR server in place, and previously had a Veeam Enterprise Manager server as well, but VEM server since been removed and VBR doesn't know it because there's still an entry referencing VEM in the VBR configuration database. Enterprise Manager is a great tool if you have multiple VBR servers to manage, or need any of it's various features such as the reporting or capability to recover lost encryption passwords, but in my case, I don't need it and the server was actually removed several years ago and I had been putting off opening a case and cleaning this up for at least a couple years, so let's get down to it. A quick

As a Domain Administrator, it's likely you've never performed a KRBTGT password reset. Especially since the account appears disabled when viewed in Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC). However, the KRBTGT account is not disabled. This is misleading due to the special nature of the KRBTGT account. This is because it operates under special security permissions and restrictions that prevent its normal use. Such as interactive logon or enabling or disabling the account actions. The disabled icon or status is simply an indication that it cannot be used for normal operations This critical account is automatically created when a Domain Controller (DC) is provisioned and is used by the Key Distribution Center (KDC) to issue and sign Kerberos tickets, which are essential for Kerberos authentication.In this article “Perform Key Distribution Center Service [krbtgt] Password reset”. We will cover best practices for resetting the KRBTGT account password and explain why regularly resetting i

Veeam Plug-in restore a SQL Server database to an alternate server Frequently, the DBA must restore a database backed up from one server to a different server. To restore a SQL Server database backed up with the Veeam plug-in, there are a couple of key steps to follow. This example uses simple configuration. There are 2 SQL Server hosts with several databases on each. Backup has been performed on both SQL1 and its related server, SQL2. The goal is to restore a single database backed up on SQL2 to the server SQL1. Pre-requisite configuration The correct repository must be in place for restore to occur. The two servers being used may have been storing data to different repositories. The first step is to verify the appropriate repository where the backup data exists to the server where the restore is to occur. Change the configuration if necessary. Restore This operation must occur on the destination server. To restore a backup from server SQL2 to the SQL1 server, begin the restore by sel

 What is Scan Backup?Scan Backup is a feature introduced in Veeam Backup & Replication v12.1 that focuses on early threat detection by scanning restore points for potential malware or other cyber threats. This functionality enhances data security by allowing administrators to identify clean restore points after a malware attack.How Does It Work?The Scan Backup process utilizes a rule-based detection approach like antivirus software. Here's how it operates:Restore Point Scanning: You can initiate a Scan Backup session to examine restore points for signs of malware or other threats. Detecting Clean Restore Points: Post-Attack Recovery: If a malware attack is suspected, the scan can identify the last clean restore point, helping you revert to a safe state. Unknown Attack Dates: If the exact date of the malware attack is unclear, the scan can help find the most recent unaffected backup. Sensitive Data Search: The scan can also be used to search for specific information within backups

This is a follow on from the NoSQL - MongoDB blog I posted a few weeks back now - The premise of the above was how to automate the standing up of a 3 node MongoDB replicaset within my vSphere environment to show off the new MongoDB functionality in Veeam Data Platform 12.3. This got me interested in looking back at some previous database functionality we have had in the Veeam Data Platform for a while but also how I could automate the deployment to make this a fast, repeatable process as well as the ability to share with the community. The process for the deployments will be using terraform to stand up the Windows or Linux boxes for the databases we cover and then using Ansible playbooks to install the database software and get things to our desired state. PostgreSQL A lot has been happening with PostgreSQL and Veeam over the last few releases, the configuration database can now be stored in a PostgreSQL instance and also we have some integrations that give us some cool ways to help wh

Veeam includes many great options for protecting databases. Here, I will outline the configuration for using Veeam plug-in for Oracle through the managed interface to create a database backup. We will use the Veeam Backup and Replication console to create a backup job that will manage your Oracle database as any DBA would prefer.Create a protection groupThe managed backup feature utilizes protection groups to identify the servers to be protected and create a deployment job which will manage the deployment of the Veeam Oracle Plug-in. Select the ‘Inventory’ tab on the left, then right click the ‘Physical Infrastructure’ option in the inventory list in the upper left area of the VBR console and ‘Add protection group’. The ‘New Protection Group’ dialog will open. New Protection GroupProvide a name for the group, click next and you will select the option ‘individual computers’ within the ‘Type’ section, hit next and then ‘Add’.This will open the dialog where you can select the Oracle serve

First, we download and install Veeam Agent for Windows on the Windows server where we will install the Agent. After the relevant installation is completed, we create the Job in the following steps. Step 1 - First of all, we enter a name for the Job.Step 2 - In this step, we can take a file backup at the Image level with Entire Computer, or a volume on the server with Volume level backup, or at the File level backup level.Step 3 - Since I chose file backup, I chose an empty file since it was a test.Step 4 - Since we will be backing up to Azure Blob Storage, we select Object storage and continue.Step 5 - Here you can find the Account and Shared key information on the Access Key on the Storage Account you created in the Azure Portal, as shown in the image below. Step 6 - In this step, you need to select the Container you created in the blob storage you created on Azure and create a Folder inside it. If you activate Immutuble on Blob storage, you can also activate it on Veeam.Step 7 - Afte

Comparison in one image 🔎 🤓 Speaking of Virtualization Terms, It's very important to understand the backup strategy that we will be using, then is worth identifying Kasten's key differentiators relative to other offerings, such as Red Hat OpenShift Advanced Data Protection (OADP) that comes built into the various bundles. Generally speaking, OADP may be suitable for smaller environments that don't require advanced data protection features (e.g., application awareness), ransomware protection, or a user interface. 

Hi all,I recently published another blog posted based on my recent attendance at Edge Field Day 3. In this one I looked at VMware’s Edge Cloud Orchestrator, what they are doing and a potential use case that many of us who care about managed services and small business may be interested in. The post can be found at https://www.koolaid.info/vmware-edge-cloud-orchestrator-vmware-for-the-very-small-masses/ if you are interested.

I recently had to cover off a very unique use case, making capacity tier data available for restore after being disconnected. After doing I thought I’d share so here’s a little post I wrote:https://www.koolaid.info/maintaining-recoverability-in-veeam-capacity-tier-migrations/

 10. There is a scenario builder9. Tape is now included8. Select from Data Center, SaaS, Public Cloud and Monitoring7. Immutability is included6. Capacity Tier calculations5. Direct to Object storage option4. The UI is fantastic3. Average write rate when doing CDP calculation can be factored in2. This is an official Veeam Calculator1. The restore simulator is back!Anyone who works in the backup space knows the importance of a good backup calculator. Not only will it save you time it could also save money. To take it a step further a Veeam sizing calculator can also help you understand how to size the Veeam environment, that’s way I am excited when I got the news from @Chas letting everyone know that the new Veeam hosted calculators are available.Before I provide an overview of some of the enhancements, I would like to extend a huge thank you to the Veeam team that worked on creating these tools Adam Congdon, David Tosoff and Olivier Rossi as well as Marty Williams provide input around

Hi all, just wanted to get this out there in case you hadn’t seen it, my friend, fellow Vanguard and all around good dude Brad Jervis will be presenting with @Rin and @safiya this Thursday at 10 AM EST on archiving M365 data with Veeam Backup for Microsoft365. If you are concerned about compliance and cost management you should definitely tune in!https://www.linkedin.com/events/7243244346731290624

If you wish to explore the capabilities of Veeam Backup and Replication v11A, then you probably upgrade to this version. Kindly visit the following URL for more of these capabilities/features.Here is a link to the complete guide highlighting on all the needed steps.You may be notified if there is an update of the Veeam Backup and Replication. Upon clicking on this notification, you will be redirected to the following KB (download) link. Note: I will be upgrading from Veeam v11 Build 11.0.0.839 →  11.0.1.1261.I will be downloading the new 11A ISO as shown below. If you are not prompted that an update is available, you can download the latest version of the Veeam Backup and Replication ISO from the following  Veeam Backup & Replication Download page. You will be required to login in order to access the download. Before proceeding to upgrade, ensure all existing jobs are successfully completed. If there are any filed jobs, ensure to re-run them.- Also, ensure there isn't any restore s

Every once in a while, someone asks me to protect an Azure workload that does have the most direct approach available for it in a Veeam product. Today I’ll focus on Azure Key Vault, but I’ll see if I can broaden the scope a bit over time with future posts. Why backup Azure Key VaultAzure Key Vault is used as a source to manage anything from encryption scopes on Azure Storage to allowing customer managed keys for services, storing public/private key pairs, custom secrets, and certificates. Losing Azure Key Vault contents could pose a serious problem, but exporting data out for backup purposes could also create quite some risk – thankfully backup jobs allow data encryption. Soft deleteAzure Key Vault comes with soft delete, allowing recovery of deleted vaults and deleted objects (keys, secrets and certificates). Once an object is deleted the default recovery period is 90 days, unless the object is purged entirely. This should be your first line of defense. BackupAzure Key Vault comes wit

With the recent announcement that Hyper-V is strategic to Microsoft, as the main focus of Server 2025 you can imagine I've spent more time on the topic than usual lately. I normally don’t post on here, but I figured I'd share. To get the basic stuff out of the way, yes you can Instantly Recovery ‘any’ workload to Hyper-V, and it can be automated with PowerShell - it will probably make it easier at scale. And for those new to Hyper-V with Veeam, on-host backup processing is the way to go. Did you know we recently updated the user guide to explain how Veeam selects VM generation upon arrival?Veeam supports Azure Stack HCI too, and it has been on a much faster release cadence, so a lot of the features may have been seen before - but I think the key take away is that, there is significant forward motion for Hyper-V, and a continued path to purchasing perpetual licenses for it.I wish that central management of Hyper-V was addressed a bit differently. For Hyper-V you can still choose between

Hi all,In the first part of our deep-dive evaluation of OOTBI we go deeper into Object Storage and the technology.What is it, what are the benefits, pitfalls,…We also look what’s inside the OOTBI’s box, dismantle it, analyse the components and show you step by step how to configure this optimized device for Veeam under 15 minutes.Read it all here (prepare for a long-read….) Let me know if you like it. We’ll prepare a second article where we look at performance and maintenance.

I was honored to be selected as a delegate last week to Edge Field Day 3 in Santa Clara, CA. While there I presented an Ignite Talk on utilizing Object Storage in your Disaster Recovery strategy. This is the shorter version of this talk that I’ve been giving this year but the only one that’s made its way to YouTube so I thought I’d share. Are you leverage Object today?  

The sequel of part 2 😉And it seems that a part 4 is also needed 🙄 Backup copy job : VBR creates the first time of course a full backup file on the currently attached disk When you swap the disk and if it is empty, it will create a full backup on itIf there is a backup chain on it for this job, it will create a new incremental in the current chain. The latest incremental is the start point of the new incrementalThe retention policy will be applied, so all backup-files that are outdated will be removed from the backup chainBecause I always use a backup copy job in combination with rotated drives as a offline/airgapped solution I always recommend the customer to swap the disks on a weekly basis. Therefore I mostly configure the job with 7 to 10 restore points meaning 1 full and 6 to 9 incrementals.I don’t care about the total wanted restore points, I see the number of restore points per disk. I tell you later why.Normally the disks chosen are having a capacity of +/- 2 times a full back

As a backup professional, I often present alongside partners, addressing key concerns in data protection. One of the most frequent questions I encounter is: How can we determine if there’s an issue with a backup or if it’s infected? This is where I highlight a standout feature of Veeam—Secure Restore—demonstrating its critical role in maintaining data integrity.What is Veeam Secure Restore?Veeam Secure Restore allows organizations to scan restore points using antivirus software and YARA rules before restoring them to the production environment. This proactive approach ensures that data is not only recoverable but also safe from potential threats.Supported OperationsSecure Restore is available for a range of operations, including:Instant Recovery Instant Disk Recovery Virtual Disks Restore Entire VM Restore Restores to Microsoft Azure Restores to Amazon EC2 Restores to Google Compute Engine Disk ExportImportant ConsiderationsPlatform Limitation: Secure Restore is only available for Micr

For ease of administration, I will use Portainer a lightweight Docker Container management solution to administer my Docker environment instead of using the Container Manager on Synology.To proceed with this task, we have to first install the Container Manager on Synology. Launch the Package Center on your Synology NAS, and search for Container Manager. You will have to install it as shown below.Note: When Installed, you can also open it and navigate to the Image tab, select the Prometheus image and click Launch. You will also have to do the same for Grafana. But as I said above, we will be using Portainer as it simplifies Docker management. Next, we will have to create a folder for Portainer. Under the Docker Folder, we will create a directory that will be used to store the configuration and data for Persistent Storage. Here are some guides on how to manage User Permission on Synology with Active Directory [Part 1], and how to configure Synology DS923+ NAS for File Sharing [Part 2].In

I am often tasked with creating storage heavy systems in terms of throughput and I/O.Some of the proprietary video systems create lots of IO and the users require a lot of space.  We all know M.2 NVMe drives are perfect for the task, but what happens when you need larger volumes? Software raid or using Storage Spaces is easy, but the performance penalties are not small. Hardware raid performs much better, but what about when you want to take it to the next level?  I purchased a GRAID SupremeRAID SR-1001 and a LQD4500 (Honey Badger) to do some testing. The SR-1001 is a GPU accelerated raid card, and the LQD4500 is 8 M.2 drives on a PCIe card. You can see after installing the LQD4500, device manager shows it has added 8 Samsung disks to the 3 I already had in the system.    For the first test, I created a 28TB volume using storage spaces with default settings and ran a default test in CrystalDiskMark. Having an idea of the performance you should be expecting can really help you tune thin

 Data Quality C.A.R.E. is a framework that emphasizes essential aspects of data quality, particularly in the context of Machine learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL).Before we describe the framework, it is important to remember essential concepts.Machine Learning is a subset of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that enables systems to learn from data and improve their performance over time without being explicitly programmed.It is generally effective with smaller datasets and can perform well with a few hundred or thousand samples. It is commonly used for structured data tasks like fraud detection, customer segmentation, and predictive analytics.Deep Learning is a specialized subset of Machine Learning that uses neural networks with many layers (deep neural networks) to model complex patterns in data.It requires large volumes of data to train effectively, often needing millions of samples to avoid overfitting and to capture complex patterns. Deep Learning excels in unstructured data tasks su

Rickatron tells us the story of how to run IT communities: Rickatron’s work of Art  https://objectfirst.com/blog/out-of-the-box-interview-rick-vanover-part-2/