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Hi Community,

I'm trying to implement a Veeam backup strategy for unstructured data stored on a file share (SMB or NFS). The goal is to:

  • Back up the file share to a local repository, and

  • Offload or copy the same data to Azure Blob Storage for offsite/cloud retention.

I understand that Scale-Out Backup Repository (SOBR) is not supported for NAS backup jobs, so I’m looking for an alternative way to achieve dual-target backup for unstructured data.

Has anyone here set up such a workflow?
Would you recommend scripting the offload, using a post-job action, or integrating a third-party sync tool? Any best practices would be highly appreciated.

You can achieve this with secondary copy.  See here for best practice - https://bp.veeam.com/vbr/2_Design_Structures/D_Veeam_Components/D_backup_repositories/nasrepo.html

 

if you would like to backup cifs or nfs from, for example like ontap

you need to register it as NAS filer in VBR

https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backup/vsphere/adding_nas_filer.html?ver=120

after that you can backup cifs and nfs to sobr directly and then you can offload data inside of sobr to object storage/S3

 

Thank you for your assistance. For clarification and out of technical curiosity, is it possible to back up SMB and NFS file shares within a 3-tier SOBR architecture using Veeam, or via any supported method?

The intended tiering would be:

  • Performance Tier: Data Domain or ExaGrid

  • Capacity Tier: Azure Blob Storage (Cool Tier)

  • Archive Tier: Azure Blob Storage (Archive Tier)

Is this configuration supported by Veeam for file share backups, and are there any specific limitations or best practices to consider?

Thank you for your assistance. For clarification and out of technical curiosity, is it possible to back up SMB and NFS file shares within a 3-tier SOBR architecture using Veeam, or via any supported method?

The intended tiering would be:

  • Performance Tier: Data Domain or ExaGrid

  • Capacity Tier: Azure Blob Storage (Cool Tier)

  • Archive Tier: Azure Blob Storage (Archive Tier)

Is this configuration supported by Veeam for file share backups, and are there any specific limitations or best practices to consider?

You probably will not be able to use the SOBR like this if at all.  See these links for more information on NAS backups.  Check the last link as it has a chart of supported repositories.

https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backup/vsphere/unstructured_data_backup_in_sobr.html?ver=120

https://bp.veeam.com/vbr/2_Design_Structures/D_Veeam_Components/D_backup_repositories/nasrepo.html

https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backup/vsphere/unstructured_data_backup_infrastructure.html?ver=120

 

yes, is possible, see my screenshot, that repository is sobr not single repository

yes, is possible, see my screenshot, that repository is sobr not single repository

Thank you for the suggestion. To clarify:

Per official Veeam documentation, NAS backups (CIFS/NFS) are not supported as direct targets for SOBR, and object storage offload from SOBR only works with image-level (VM) backups, not file shares.

So our backup process is correctly configured:

  1. NAS is registered as a NAS Filer in VBR.

  2. We back up the file shares to a Data Domain repository (non‑SOBR).

  3. We then offload older file versions using a NAS Archive Repository pointed at Azure Blob (Cool tier).

That aligns with Veeam’s supported architecture !. Please let me know if there's a newer Veeam version or workaround supporting direct SOBR usage for NAS backups that I might have missed.

yes, is possible, see my screenshot, that repository is sobr not single repository

Thank you for the suggestion. To clarify:

Per official Veeam documentation, NAS backups (CIFS/NFS) are not supported as direct targets for SOBR, and object storage offload from SOBR only works with image-level (VM) backups, not file shares.

So our backup process is correctly configured:

  1. NAS is registered as a NAS Filer in VBR.

  2. We back up the file shares to a Data Domain repository (non‑SOBR).

  3. We then offload older file versions using a NAS Archive Repository pointed at Azure Blob (Cool tier).

That aligns with Veeam’s supported architecture !. Please let me know if there's a newer Veeam version or workaround supporting direct SOBR usage for NAS backups that I might have missed.

There is nothing you missed it is not supported currently as per the documentation noted.

for me is working, but i have used virtual Ontap as NAS filer and sobr is not datadomain, but linux hardened repositories (4 extents), maybe if i will have option to test DD, then will not working …

Since Console wizard is not blocking such configuration and no additional tricks like regkey, …., i think is not unsupported way ...

for me is working, but i have used virtual Ontap as NAS filer and sobr is not datadomain, but linux hardened repositories (4 extents), maybe if i will have option to test DD, then will not working …

Since Console wizard is not blocking such configuration and no additional tricks like regkey, …., i think is not unsupported way ...

 

As per the supported repositories list:

Unstructured Data Backups can go to a Scale-Out Backup Repository, the limitation is that these backups will not offload to a configured capacity tier.

In addition, Unstructured Data Backups cannot target a Scale-Out Backup Repository with a performance tier made up of object repository extents.

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