Adding an additional Volume to the Veeam Hardened Repository

​@nzjcowan -

Are you not able to add a 2nd Volume of disks? In my environment, I don’t use the VHR ISO...I’ve created manual VHRs in m environment. I haven’t played with the VHR ISO since it’s initial release, and I believe adding iSCSI or FC storage wasn’t (yet) supported; not sure if that’s still the case. But, if you have extra storage locally (or direct-attached), you should be able to add it. Are you not able to?

I believe you need to go in to single user mode to do this as I have seen posts others have.  You will need to expand the current disk volume and not create a second one.  I don't think the VBR ISO works like that and takes the largest volume for backups.

Hi ​@nzjcowan 

As you can see on the official forum page at the moment is possible add more disks only if you have big knowledges on Linux OS. ​@HannesK said in future will be possible to add directly from interface. 

That’s my latest level of knowledge on that as well.

Your message on the forum was moved and I put a reply there but you need to know Linux well and single user mode.

I was unable to get FC working with the VHR ISO.  I required a manual install.  I assisted and submitted some logs at the time, and It may be an option in the future. It could see all the disks, so being able to select OS and Data disks would solve the issue.  The problem is the disks show up differently depending on different adapters etc. 

Yeah I thoroughly tested FC and never got it it working other than manual configuration.  So gave up until they support it and told my company if we use physical servers they need internal storage.

FC and iSCSI are not supported but I think is possible to use external shelf attached in DAS. Correct? 

Yes as long as it shows as “local” disk then it will work fine.

“FC and iSCSI are not supported but I think is possible to use external shelf attached in DAS. Correct? “ ← correct….I believe this is accurate. Local (internal) disks, and direct-attached...which, to the OS is like local.

What a launch failure of the Veeam Hardened Repository ‘Feature’ -This is a pretty basic, standard, need to expand datastores and volumes. Why can’t you make it simple to expand VHR’s? We should be able to expand the VHR in the GUI with a slider, exactly how we managed XFS volumes before. Instead, you ditch support for Fedora Linux already had these problems solved. This is a half-baked solution that needs to be addressed for production use IMHO.

I wouldn’t call this a failure in any way tbh.

Veeam’s approach - which is a new approach with the pre-hardened design - is different than we use to have it in the past. The main focus is now security and hardened and with that Veeam takes a huge responsibility.

This will always be a balance between usability and “freedom of users and admins” (if you want to call it that way) and security. Veeam uses DISA / STIG as guideline and the more options you have the less you can completely fulfill the guidelines.

Please keep in mind that this are still - imo - the early versions of that new ISO concept so there will absolutely be improvements and new features in the future. Many customers and partners already use that ISOs in prod and the feedback we get is very positive.

Veeam hints that the ideal situation for the V13 appliance, the ISO etc. currently (!) is “greenfield”, so a well-designed infrastructure with appropriate hardware sizings that don’t require resizing (adding storage etc.) in the near future. I’m pretty confident that features like expanding storage or supporting more storage vendors (again - the more open that gets the trickier it will be to maintain security standards) will be seen soon.