Blogs and Podcasts

For those who joined my online and VeeamON sessions on migrating from VMware to Hyper-V or Proxmox, I promised I would share my cleanup scripts. It took longer than planned to prepare them, but they are now ready.Online session HERE unfortunately there is no video of the VeeamON session that was migrating to Proxmox.When you use Veeam to migrate a Windows virtual machine, the work is not done when the job finishes. Your migrated VM is now running on a new platform, but it still contains old drivers and devices from VMware.These leftovers can cause instability, performance issues, or future driver conflicts. This post explains how to use my PowerShell scripts to safely clean the VM after your migration, making it ready for the new platform.Get the Scripts on GitHub All the tools discussed here are available in my public GitHub repository. You can clone or download them to get started.My GitHub: My GitHub Repository Before You Begin: A Safety Checklist Before running any scripts, take th

Introduction In the first two parts of this series, we explored the why and how of using Group Managed Service Accounts (gMSAs) with Veeam Backup & Replication (VBR). If you missed them, check out:Part 1 – Why Use gMSAs with VBR Part 2 – How to Configure gMSAs with VBRThis third and final installment dives into security implications, introduces Dedicated Managed Service Accounts (dMSAs), explains the threat of Kerberoasting, and previews what's new with gMSA in Windows Server 2025.  1. Security Considerations: gMSAs in the Real World a) Overprivileged AccountsAvoid assigning excessive permissions like Domain Admin to gMSAs.Best Practices:Apply least privilege Use role-specific gMSAs (e.g. Exchange, SQL, File-Servers, but NOT DCs! - see below) Audit regularlyb) Password Retrieval AbuseOnly authorized systems can retrieve gMSA passwords. Compromised systems pose a risk.Mitigation:Harden GIP and other retrieval systems no other services on the GIP restrict network access (e.g. switch

I am currently working on my first larger V13 deployment outside of my lab. There are a few stumbling blocks here, because the procedure is slightly different from V12 and the Help Center is unfortunately not yet complete at this point in time (Veeam is working hard to change this quickly and have it complete soon).One of these stumbling blocks was connecting the Veeam VBR V13 server to the Veeam ONE V13 server, which I would like to describe to you in this post. First off, my problem was a user/login issue.Firewall PoliciesIf the servers are located in separate networks, the appropriate firewall policies must always be configured.https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/one/userguide/ports.html?ver=13Access to host managementAccess to host management via port “10443” on the VBR server must be available, and the login details for “veeamso” and “veeamadmin” or an other Host Admin and Security Officer must be provided.Creating usersWhen creating users, I made a crucial mistake that cost me a lo

🚀 Exciting news for Service Providers!Veeam Service Provider Console (VSPC) v9 just dropped, and it comes packed with some really cool new features. Over the past few days, I’ve been digging into one in particular—REST API proxying—and wanted to share what I’ve discovered, plus a small demo script that shows just how powerful this feature can be. So, what’s REST API proxying?Simply put, VSPC can now use a single API token to authenticate itself and then proxy requests to all your remotely managed Veeam products. That means you can manage everything from one central console without juggling multiple keys or credentials. A note on securityBecause a single API key can reach all your servers, it’s super important to keep it safe. Treat it like gold. 😄 When you create an API key, you can also enable “read-only access.” This applies not only to calls against VSPC itself but also to all proxied requests to your Veeam servers. If you’re just pulling information (like in my demo), enabling re

Hi all,i am facing problems running veeam software appliance vm on esxi .when i run vm mounting iso file ,its says uefi mode needed to run but uefi mode is already enabled,esxi version is 8.0 u3,please help!sohaib

If you’ve ever had to deal with the pain that comes after deploying the Veeam Virtual Appliance (VSA) v13 with the following error message as discussed in the KB4648. Then I have got you covered.As you can see, below is the error message (Authentication failed). You will get when you use the “veeamso” or the “veeamadmin” account to login In this guide, I have detailed the steps to Fix Authentication failed: Invalid credential after installing VSA. The fix requires downloading a small Linux Live ISO such as the Ubuntu Live Server or Debian Live from this link. You could also use the ISO with the generic image with (Unabhängig davon, welche ISO verwendet wurde).download,, upload and attach as CD/DVD. To fix this, boot from a Linux live ISO and mount the Veeam appliance disk to access and edit the /etc/sssd/sssd.conf file. To proceed, hit the Enter button on your keyboard.Feel free to have the right settings that works for your environment entered. You can see the image below for similar

Virtualization technology has become an integral part of modern IT infrastructures. It provides incredible flexibility, scalability, and cost-efficiency to businesses of all sizes.Since several hypervisor platforms have gained significant traction in recent years, including Proxmox VE, XCP-ng, and Nutanix AHV etc. As business needs continue to evolve, the choice of virtualization platform must remain equally adaptive. Thereby, aligning performance, scalability, and management capabilities with changing organizational and technological demandsMigrating from one hypervisor to another is a complex process that requires careful planning and evaluation. Organizations must consider factors such as application dependencies, migration timelines, workload criticality, and the potential business impact of application downtime. PrerequisiteIf you fail to install the VirtIO drivers as recommended, you may also encounter issues such as missing or unstable network connectivity etc as shown below. Be

Greetings friends! I have seen this question popping up since VSA was released. How do we monitor VSA, or any other hardened appliance? There is a clear announcement about support for things like this, bear this in mind before you continue. Grafana Dashboard for Veeam Software Appliance (Unofficial + unsupported)When you finish this article, if you follow all the steps, you should have something similar to this. It might be different according to your environment, number of days you select, etc.Dashboard – SummaryUptime and Latest Data Collection – Two main widgets that will show us if everything is alright. Appliance Information Table – Another great set of information, including Hostname, version, RAM, etc. SWAP is dynamic, if you have anything more than 0% colors will change. CPU Usage – Always good to keep a good track of the CPU usage, the query is granular and shows the effort and pressure per Core RAM Usage – Bit simple, just showing the % of RAM used. Query can be modified to s

Hello everyone, I am sharing the migration of the Enterprise Manager database from Microsoft SQL to PostgreSQL.https://www.veeam.com/kb4409Part 1: Back up the Current Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager Database    Open an Administrative Command Prompt cmdcd  "C:\Program Files\Veeam\Backup and Replication\Enterprise Manager"Using the Enterprise Manager Database Migration Utility, create a Backup of the current Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager database.https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backup/em/em_db_migration.html?ver=120Veeam.EM.DB.Migration.exe /file:"C:\Temp\BEMConf.emco" /backupemdatabase /encryptionpassword:1l0v3KB5 /encryptionhint:bestpasseverPart 2: Restore the Enterprise Manager Database Backup to PostgreSQL    Using the Enterprise Manager Database Migration Utility, restore the backup created in Step 3 to the destination PostgreSQL server.Veeam.EM.DB.Migration.exe /file:"C:\Temp\BEMConf.emco" /restoreemdatabase /encryptionpassword:1l0v3KB5 /servername:localhost /initialcatalog:Vee

​I’ve been using Veeam with IBM storage snapshots for quite a while now, and it’s been excellent. The integration works smoothly and gives you a lot of flexibility in how you want to configure things. One option is to let Veeam handle the snapshot orchestration and leave snapshots behind for a set amount of time. The other is to use IBM’s Safeguarded Copy feature, which gives you immutable snapshots controlled directly by the SAN. Because this is policy based and includes SAN Replication Policies, I opted for this option to have my production data in a second site, with Safeguarded copies there as well.Each snapshot can be browsed in Veeam, where you can see the virtual machines inside, and even use them for SureBackup jobs or lab environments that mirror production. Having snapshots that are only a few minutes behind production means your test or DEV environments are never out of sync. The ability to snapshot a PB of data ever hour is also quite impressive as a 1 hour backup window is

Hi there:After months of thinking, I took the step to switch my lab to Proxmox,I’ve been a Vmware «guy» for many years, but I knew the time came to give it a try, after many companies switching to it.I decided to re-use the hardware I had from previous projects, to see the capabilities and «how tiny» the setup could be.Here we go:The hardware Im using is the following3 x Zima Board – 8GB RAM, Intel Celeron 4 Core 3 x SSD 240GB (OS) 3 x SSD 480GB (Storage) 1 x Managed 1Gbps 8p Switch (HPE Office Connect) Ethernet cablesThis hardware was laying around in my lab from previous projects,and now looks super cool!The electrical consumption is very low.Im monitoring it, but for now, 10W each node….. xDFew more pictures here:Cheers.https://lfconsulting.org/building-a-lab-with-proxmox-part-1-hw

My Journey in Enterprise Data Protection and Veeam AdvocacyWith over two decades of experience in the technology sector, spanning mid-sized organizations to large enterprises, I’ve cultivated a deep expertise in IT infrastructure—particularly in data protection. While data protection has always been part of my toolkit, it was within the enterprise space that I truly honed it as a core focus. In 2019, our organization introduced Veeam as part of a strategic initiative to unify our data protection and Tier 3 storage teams. I was selected for a special project team to support this integration, marking a pivotal moment in our modernization efforts.Transitioning into the enterprise environment presented a steep learning curve, especially when managing protection at scale. I began in operations, where data protection was one of many responsibilities. In 2014, I formally joined the dedicated Data Protection Services (DPS) team. At the time, our approach relied heavily on storage replication a

To use Honeypot, a new feature available in Object First OOTBI v1.7. You will have to ensure that you have upgraded your OOTBI cluster to version 1.7.79.12311 according to the documentation. See the release Notes, and you will be redirected to the Request form. Object First Support is exceptional. Their responsiveness and efficiency in addressing issues are second to none. If you require immediate assistance or approval. Reaching out to their support team is highly recommended. According to Object First, customers running OOTBI versions earlier than 1.5.55.10660 should complete the update using the intermediate patch (ONLY for offline updates and if the customer hasn’t installed version 1.5.55.10660). That is, update Ootbi to version 1.5.54.10596, and then update Ootbi to version 1.7.79.12311 Early detection of Threats Targeting VBR with Object FirstObject First has introduced a significant enhancement in version 1.7: the Honeypot feature. This feature enables the deployment of a decoy

Another day and another tip that I came across in my homelab.  I had two older VHRs that I removed from my environment but when trying to delete them in the WebUI or Console it would give me an error about - No Route to HostSo I checked with our Veeam SE team and found the following workaround using PowerShell to remove the servers which ended with a warning but that was due to not being able to connect to them.Run PowerShell from the Console application Ensure you are using an account for the Credentials that does not have MFA enabled Connect to the Veeam Appliance by supplying credentials and connection string - $creds = Get-Credential Connect-VBRServer -Credential $creds -Server “server name” Get the server requiring deletion and issue the remove command $Server = Get-VBRServer -name "server name" Remove-VBRServer -server $Server This will prompt you to answer Y or A for this and then begin the removal process.  It will end in a warning and when you check the Console the

Happy monday everyone!Are you considering integrating the feature direct-to-Object Storage into your backup plan, which allows you to add Object Storage as a primary backup repository?Perhaps you'd like to test it locally on-premise first, on a Windows Server environment, without having to purchase, or testing purposes, paid cloud solutions? Or maybe you're specifically seeking a reliable On-Premise Object Storage solution that can also run on a Windows Server?Well, this guide is just for you.In this example I used:VMware ESXi 8.0 U2 Windows Server 2022 VM with 2 disks MinIO 2023-11-15Prepare your Object Storage Windows serverLet's set up and update a Windows Server 2022 VM. Keep it in a Workgroup. Then partition two disks: a smaller one for the OS and a larger one for data. In my example, I allocated 50GB to the OS and 500GB to the data.Visit https://min.io/download#/windows and download the executable.Place that in C:\ and create a PowerShell script with the following code:setx MINIO

When integrating a Synology NAS with Proxmox VE. NFS provides a convenient and flexible storage solution for virtual machines, ISO images, templates, and backups. Unlike local Proxmox storage or block-level storage solutions.Network File System (NFS) shares on a NAS are network-based and accessible to multiple nodes simultaneously, making them ideal for clustered environments or home labs. Kindly take a look at this blog post for more information “Add Synology NFS Storage to Proxmox VE for VMs and Backups”. One important characteristic of NFS on Synology is that it is not pre-allocated. The storage is thin-provisioned, meaning that VM disk files grow dynamically as data is written. This allows efficient use of disk space. But it also requires monitoring free space on the NAS to avoid unexpected storage exhaustion.NFS itself is a protocol that allows a client, such as Proxmox to access files over a network as if they were on a local disk. When using Synology NAS as NFS storage for Proxm

2D Erasure Coding: The Breakthrough Behind Quantum’s ActiveScale Cold Storage for Veeam Backup & Replication’s Archive Tier We are closing in on the 5th year birthday for Veeam Backup & Replication’s (VBR) Archive Tier.  During those 5 years we saw the Archive grow from initially using Amazon S3 Glacier and Microsoft Azure Archive Storage when VBR v11 was released in February of 2021 to being able to use on-premises S3 compatible object storage with data archiving capabilities. When this feature was made available with the launch of VBR v12.1 in December of 2023, one of our 1st Technology Alliance Partners (TAP) to provide a compatible storage solution was Quantum with its ActiveScale Cold Storage (ASCS).  Veeam TAP partners can enable the on-premises Archive Tier by implementing the  Smart Object Storage API (SOSAPI).  SOSAPI is the mechanism that Veeam created to enable deeper integration with our object storage partners like Quantum and their ActiveScale product. What Is the

We've been running the Framework in corporations throughout the year.In this post, I'll share with you the main results and how this initiative has encouraged teams to work together to achieve the highest possible compliance. In early January, we started using the Assessment provided by Veeam. In our client base and new logos. Today, at the end of October, we've already surpassed 50 clients, guided by scope of work, documentation, numerous meetings, and excellent commercial results. After the Framework round, we typically move on to a series of Scope of Work and Commercial MovementThis has been quickly moving customers, distributors, manufacturers, and partners, and it's being treated with priority, according to projects already underway within organizations. Yet another reminder that backup, often seen as a dull necessity, once again proves to be the unsung hero when it matters most. Reviewing the model without governance Remembering that governance was the last tower added to the Fra

When deploying virtual machines on OpenShift Virtualization, not all guest operating systems offer the same level of support.👉 This directly impacts your migration strategy, operational reliability, and support coverage.That’s why Red Hat classifies guest OSs into four categories 👇 🟢 Certified – fully tested and certified by Red Hat (full support). 🟡 Commercial Vendor Supported – Red Hat covers the hypervisor, the vendor covers the OS. 🟠 Community Supported – Red Hat covers the hypervisor only. ⚪ Known to work – works in the field, but no official support.  Certified Operating SystemsThese operating systems are fully certified and supported by Red Hat.If issues arise, Red Hat will provide support and coordinate with the OS vendor if needed.Guest OS Architecture Introduced MTV Status Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 64 bit (x86) 4.8 🟢 Green Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 64 bit (x86) 4.8 🟢 Green Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 64 bit (s390x) 4.18   Red Hat Ente

Ever wondered what Veeam looked like back in the day? Well why wonder when you can go and check it out for yourself! That the internet archive https://archive.org/ in the WayBackMachine search bar let’s go back in time and take a look at Veeam. WayBackMachineThe internet archive takes snapshots of websites and here we see what pops up for Veeam:CalendarWe all know that Veeam began its journey way back in 2006 so let’s take a peak:2006It looks like the Veeam website came online on August 21 August 21There were 5 snapshots taken that day:SnapshotsLet’s take a peak:Veeam!It looks like Veeam offered only a Veeam Monitor and Veeam Scanner, plus for free FastSCP for VMware ESX Server! I don’t see any forums yet, let’s choose another date, how about November 8th:  Look! I see the famous Veeam Forums have appeared:ForumsOk we have to look in there! You can only dig so deep in the archive and I won’t claim to know why and how much it actually it saves. ForumsNow I want to see what was happening

Demystifying Veeam Housekeeping: The Silent Guardian of Your BackupsHousekeeping is an automatic, background, and largely invisible maintenance process that manages the lifecycle of backup files in Veeam Backup & Replication.This process cleans the backup chain, deletes old restore points, merges files, verifies integrity, reclaims free space, and optimizes the storage system.“Housekeeping is a background mechanism used for the regular cleaning, merging, and verification of backup files.”Veeam typically uses forward incremental or reverse incremental backup strategies. Over time, these strategies can lead to the following issues: The backup chain becomes long and fragmented. Storage space is unnecessarily consumed. Restore performance degrades. Silent data corruption (e.g., bit rot) goes undetected. Blocks belonging to deleted VMs remain on disk. Housekeeping exists to solve these problems. Its goal is to ensure the backup system remains sustainable, reliable, and performan

While installing Veeam Backup & Replication v13.0.0.4967 from the ISO (Rocky Linux–based appliance), the installer stops mid-way with an “An unknown error has occurred” message from Anaconda.The traceback points to dnf/base.py related to remote package selection or repository fetching.This occurred during the “Downloading packages” stage. Who else has run into this error? Another error, you could run into is this “Appliance Installation Stuck on "Configuring addons" and the following KB addresses what to do correctly.

Hello community,I've seen many customers using Veeam Backup Replication to back up vCenter Server Appliance VMs via image level backup.According to this KB https://www.veeam.com/kb2328  "vCenter Server Appliance - Backup/Restore Recommendations" Veeam do not reccomends you to run image level backups againts VCSA. You should use:  So, I created this procedure to show how simple it is to back up a vCenter Server Appliance using VMware's own backup tool, which we call "vCenter Native File-Based Backup and Restore."Check out this link for details:https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/vsphere/vsphere/7-0/vcenter-server-installation-and-setup-7-0/file-based-backup-and-restore-of-a-vcenter-server-environment.html First of all, you must create a destination for the backup file, the destination could be accessed by several protocols, the protocols supported for backup are FTPS, HTTPS, SFTP, FTP, NFS, SMB and HTTP.I just created a folder called C:\Backup_VCSA on my VBR itself, and just

I decided today to publish blog #3 for the Object First (OOTBI) series I am doing.  You can find my blog at the following link as well as in this post.https://just-virtualization.tech/2024/09/06/object-first-ootbi-veeam-integration-backup-stats/ Object First (OOTBI) – Veeam Integration & Backup Stats Today, I am going to discuss the integration of Object First OOTBI into the Veeam Console and show you some backup statistics on the appliance’s performance. Again, I am part of the inaugural Object First Aces program, which has afforded me the opportunity to test both the physical hardware appliance and the virtual VSA for OOTBI.To begin, we must integrate the OOTBI appliance into the Veeam B&R Console by adding it as a Repository under the Backup Infrastructure tab. Once here, you will add a new repository by right-clicking or using the Add Repository button in the toolbar. This will start the wizard in which we will pick the Object Storage option and navigate to the S3 Compatibl