...and why you still use the Windows Console!
We are now used to having the standard console already present on the VBR server or installing it on a bastion host. Change can be scary, but we want to face it and take a leap into the future.
If you're reading this article, probably you're thinking: "Oh, finally I can use Veeam with a web console and I can say goodbye to old Windows components!".
Well... not quite. If you remember, in my previous article I wrote about this too.
Let me tell you what we are doing: in last weeks we started a new implementation project for our client with Veeam v13 version.
After installation we start with all configurations and we notice about some features not showed. I thought "okay, where are the replication job configurations?".
Spoiler alert: we had to install the Windows Console after 20 minutes. And let me tell you why.
I'll have an honest conversation about what's missing, because if you're planning a production deployment and thinking "web only"... you're gonna have a bad time.
First of all, checking official documentation, we can see limitations in web console.
So, let's start listing some features missing from the web console.
Veeam server configuration backup
As you know configuration backup is basically a saving of Veeam configuration database. This is really important, because if your Veeam server fails and you don't have this, you'll have to rebuild every job manually from memory and documentation.
I've tried setting it up from the web console, but no luck. I can't restore it either. I've looked everywhere in the settings and there's no sign of it.
I actually forgot to set this up on a test system once because I was doing everything from the web and it just never occurred to me that it wasn't configured. I learned that lesson pretty quickly during a migration.
Replication Jobs
This one really annoyed me during the new configuration. I open the web console, ready to set up replication for migrate in another site, but... where's the button?
You can start replication jobs from the web. You can STOP them. You can watch them run like you're spectating a race you're not allowed to take part in. But actually creating one? Just to let you know, this is for Windows Console only.
Replication is half of Veeam's functionality (that's why it's called Backup & Replication). Apparently, they're working on including it in the web interface.
Scale-Out Backup Repositories
Another example concerns SOBRs as an important part of our ransomware protection strategy.
The web console shows that the SOBR exists. That's all there is to say about it. Want to make configuration changes, add a new SOBR or a new extent? I actually spent 15 minutes clicking around, thinking I was missing something obvious. Unfortunately, the functionality simply isn't there. It's like looking at your beautiful work of art through glass, but you can't touch it.
The result?
Back to the Windows console.
Backup Copy Jobs
You can create backup copy processes from the web console, which is more than I can say for replication. But it seems like a simplified version. For example, basic GFS policies. But advanced configurations such as WAN acceleration between sites, bandwidth throttling, or anything complex with data localisation settings... well, that's another story.
The options just aren't all there. It's great for simple scenarios, but when you need more advanced control, you have to use the Windows console to change settings that aren't even available in the web user interface.
Credentials
You can add credentials for basic access to Windows or vCenter via the web interface: username, password, description.
But what about SSH keys for Linux? Cloud service accounts and the whole OAuth issue? Certificate-based authentication? More complex types of credentials are either completely absent or so simplified as to be practically useless.
The Windows console has a credential manager with numerous options for different types of authentication. The web version seems to have been designed for the most common use cases and nothing else.
Proxy configuration
Backup proxies are the absolute stars of Veeam: they are the ones that read and process the data. The different data transport methods (Virtual Appliance, Network, Direct SAN) have very different performance levels.
The web console allows you to view your proxies. It may be advisable to disable one if you are performing maintenance. That is all you can do.
Adding new proxies, changing specific transport mode settings or the number of parallel processes is only possible via the Windows console.
So, what exactly is the point of the web console?
I know I've been a bit negative so far, but I think the web console has its uses. For everyday use, it's actually really good. I check the status of jobs, you can perform a quick reset, you can start jobs manually when necessary.
In short, it's great for operational work. So for this project, in addition to the default web console, I installed the Windows console on a jump server that only specific users can access.
Nothing on laptops or administrative workstations: it's just a virtual machine that you connect to via RDP for management and advanced configuration tasks. For everything else, the simplicity of accessing the web console from any browser is really convenient.
The reality
It's pretty clear that Veeam is moving towards web-based administration. The web console will continue to add new features with each new release. But this isn't ‘the final version,’ and if you're implementing Veeam in any kind of serious environment, you still need the Windows console.
Maybe in the next versions we'll get there. Use the web console for day-to-day ops and keep the Windows console for when you need to create or modify something complex.
It's not perfect, but it's what we have. The good news is that once you've configured everything (using the Windows console), the web interface is perfectly adequate for day-to-day operations.
If you've encountered other limitations that I've missed, please let me know. I'd love to hear about the issues you're experiencing.
