Credentials and agents (VM backup, Linux, VBR 13)

Hi ​@Jeronimo ,

What hypervisor are your VMs running on? Usually you don´t need credentials for VM-backups as long as you are not using application aware backups. 

Normal snapshot-based backups don´t need credentials or an agent in the vm. Credentials are only needed for indexing within the vm or application aware backups. 

Hi ​@Jeronimo - Welcome to the Community!

Yeah...agree with Chalid here...not sure why you’re needing credentials for every VM in VBR, unless you’re adding them as Proxies, etc for hotadd or to be used somehow as Repos? Can you share more what you’re attempting to do/configure? 

Best.

Sorry, forgot to mention that context: it’s about indexing. (hypervisor is vsphere)

It doesn't technically need the creds for indexing but you still have to specify them.

Anyway, to get rid of the creds totally the idea was to simply deploy the agent so it can easily talk to the OS whenever it wants and be done with it.

Turns out it is not that “simple” apparently...

Ah, ok. Hmm...not sure if Product Managers have an alternative solution (if someone doesn’t chime in here who’s had a similar experience)? You can ping them over on the Forums ​@Jeronimo . Although, they may inquire if you’re reached out to Support first and ask for a case ID.

Well, what does work is using “Install Management Agent” from the GUI, which also installs transport service, not only installer/deployment service. Then you can use “use management agent credentials”.

But I’d need a way to install that globally, not have to click through each single VM. 

So the deployment package does not seem to be it. Maybe there is another package that does this.

But then the question arises who is responible to keep this up-to-date?

The more general question why credentials are needed at all was already mentioned here:

https://forums.veeam.com/veeam-backup-replication-f2/feature-request-vm-guest-os-file-indexing-without-guest-os-credentials-t102984.html

The Deployment kit only applies to installing the veeam components and for the initial connection to the target guestOS -- further in-guest operations will require guestOS credentials able to perform the desired action (e.g., AAIP)

There is existing thread on the RND forums with similar request for credential-less AAIP, you can add your voice there for the request, but for now you still need to provide GuestOS credentials for some AAIP operations.

​@ddomask Well, even when deployment package is installed, when I use “Install Management Agent” from the GUI, I still have to provide credentials 😄

All good points. Highly recommend you add your name to the list as David suggests. Maybe Veeam can make some “magic” happen in an upcoming release? 🤔😊

Ok, so I guess there is no solution…

Maybe I should open a case to confirm.

But a more general question then: is Veeam a product more targeted at SMBs with a few servers here and there or how do larger organizations handle the mentioned things?

I believe if you use the VIA ISO (Veeam Infrastructure Appliance) you can use certificate-based authentication and not credentials.  I have used creds when I build my own servers, etc. as well as the deployment kit for Windows servers.

That is probably the best way forward.  We are a large Canadian MSP and use Veeam at all our DCs but we use creds where needed with security in place for those creds.

Oh no...I would stating Veeam is more of a product geared towards the Enterprise. Maybe in its early years, it probably was deemed to be a product more for SMBs. But as it’s matured in the last 5-7yrs, it’s most certainly an Enterprise product.