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Feature Request: Implement Backup Server Failover Capability Similar to CommVault

I am writing to request a new feature for Veeam Backup & Replication that would significantly enhance its robustness and reliability in disaster recovery scenarios.

Currently, we are using Veeam Backup & Replication for our backup and disaster recovery needs across multiple sites. While we are very satisfied with the overall performance and capabilities of Veeam, there is one crucial feature that we believe would greatly benefit your product.

Feature Request: Backup Server Failover

We would like to request the implementation of a backup server failover capability similar to what is available in CommVault. This feature would allow seamless failover of the backup server itself to a secondary site in the event of a primary site failure. Specifically, the feature should include:

  1. Automated Failover of Backup Server: Automatic detection and failover of the backup server to a pre-configured standby server in the DR site.
  2. Replication of Configuration and Metadata: Continuous replication of the backup server configuration and metadata to the standby server to ensure minimal disruption and data loss.
  3. Failover and Failback Process: A streamlined process for both failover to the DR site and failback to the primary site once it is operational again.
  4. Alerting and Reporting: Comprehensive alerting and reporting mechanisms to notify administrators of failover events and status.

Implementing this feature would provide us with an additional layer of protection, ensuring that our backup infrastructure remains available even in the event of a site-wide disaster. This capability is especially critical for organizations like ours that require high availability and resilience for their data protection solutions.

We believe that adding this feature would make Veeam Backup & Replication even more competitive and appealing to organizations looking for comprehensive and reliable disaster recovery solutions.

Thank you for considering our request. We look forward to your positive response and hope to see this feature in future releases of Veeam Backup & Replication. Please let us know if you need any further information or if we can assist in any way.


Regards,

Victor Chakraborty

Strategist - Hewlett Packard Enterprise

11 comments

coolsport00
Userlevel 7
Badge +19

Hi @Victor Chakraborty -

Why that is a valid request, and has advantages, I would suggest to you to have a 2nd VBR server in a DR site solely used for Replication and keep a “primary” VBR server at your CO/DC1 site for primary backup. This way there is no automated failover needed as your DR VBR server is already live replicating all your CO side workloads to a DR location. In the event of a mishap, you fail over your replica VMs with Failover Plans and you’re up & going relatively quickly. Just my suggestion.

Also, though it is certainly valid to post your feature request here on the Community Hub, I recommend you do so on the Forums where Veeam Product Managers more actively monitor these requests.

Best.

Shane Williford - Veeam VMCA/VMCE | Veeam Legend | VUG Leader | VCP-DCV | Twitter: @coolsport00
dloseke
Userlevel 7
Badge +6

This has been an ask a few times and as Shane noted, I’d recommend you suggest this in the R&D Forums.  That said, my recommendation is to run your Backup server at your failover site to orchestrate backup actions from there, and then make sure to have the appropriate proxy’s in places your your primary site to facilitate the traffic flow there.  This is how I’m setup currently, and has the advantage that when I someday implement Recovery Orchestrator, I’ll be halfway ready to go.  But I too would love to see failover capabilities within Veeam as well.

Derek M. Loseke, Senior Systems Engineer | Veeam Legend 2022-2023 | VMSP/VMTSP | VCP6-DCV | VSP/VTSP | CCNA | https://technotesanddadjokes.com | @dloseke
Victor Chakraborty
Userlevel 2

Thank you @dloseke and @coolsport00 for your advice and suggestions. I’m aware of the mentioned options and have designed an Infra using the same method, but my concern was more on winning deals involving Veeam. The comparison that customer raises is with feature’s availability and in their perspective that CommVault has an edge having that feature available (technically, we know that makes very little difference what you have already suggested) 

Victor
coolsport00
Userlevel 7
Badge +19

@Victor Chakraborty ...yep, completely understand. After posting your request over in the Forums & I’d be curious to see what the PMs say.

Shane Williford - Veeam VMCA/VMCE | Veeam Legend | VUG Leader | VCP-DCV | Twitter: @coolsport00
Victor Chakraborty
Userlevel 2

@coolsport00  I’ve also posted it in the R&D forum. Let’s see what is their response !

https://forums.veeam.com/post520517.html#p520517

Victor
coolsport00
Userlevel 7
Badge +19

Thanks for sharing the post thread.

Shane Williford - Veeam VMCA/VMCE | Veeam Legend | VUG Leader | VCP-DCV | Twitter: @coolsport00
coolsport00
Userlevel 7
Badge +19

@Victor Chakraborty - I see Anton commented in your post. Pretty much the highest level you can get PM-wise, just below the CEO. 😊

Interesting they’re finally looking at this possibility. Not something I’d implement personally, but I understand it from a SP perspective and gaining customers.

Shane Williford - Veeam VMCA/VMCE | Veeam Legend | VUG Leader | VCP-DCV | Twitter: @coolsport00
dloseke
Userlevel 7
Badge +6

Thank you @dloseke and @coolsport00 for your advice and suggestions. I’m aware of the mentioned options and have designed an Infra using the same method, but my concern was more on winning deals involving Veeam. The comparison that customer raises is with feature’s availability and in their perspective that CommVault has an edge having that feature available (technically, we know that makes very little difference what you have already suggested) 

 

Totally makes sense.  I’ve had the question raised by clients in the sales cycle as well, and for the most part that can be circumvented with good design, but it’s not the same as a regular HA failover.  But until that’s something that Veeam can offer, we just have to architect the solution to be as good as possible with what we have.  The main thing if you want to run VBR at the primary site, just make sure the Configuration Database is backed up to a known location that’s survivable to disaster, it’s encrypted and you have the encryption password.  But I checked out the R&D link and that’s great news that they’re looking at it.

Derek M. Loseke, Senior Systems Engineer | Veeam Legend 2022-2023 | VMSP/VMTSP | VCP6-DCV | VSP/VTSP | CCNA | https://technotesanddadjokes.com | @dloseke
marco_s
Userlevel 7
Badge +7

I personally have never configured a real HA for VBR, I have yet to come across any real cases where it was really needed.

Apart from that, you can always have a secondary VBR ready and use native database replication of the primary VBR , for example with log shipping in the case of MS SQL server or other methods for postgreSQL.

Marco Sorrentino - Italy | System Engineer | VMCE & Veeam Lover
Andanet
Userlevel 7
Badge +10

Hi @Victor Chakraborty  in addition to @dloseke and @marco_s words about Veeam I want to expose my point of view about Commvault. There is a complete difference on replica concepts. Veeam use only one server in DR site to copy the VM, Commvault use backup replica to restore the VM. This mean in DR site need to have another server, in passive mode, with DB replication and chunk file with worm copy. And another storage library with backup files. If you want to use it (if primary server is unavailable) you must start the services and start with restore. 

 

Antonio D'Andrea | VMCE 2021 | VMCA 2022 | VMTSP2024 | Veeam Legend 2023/2024 | VUG Italy Leader | VCP6-DCV | I want it written on my tombstone "Please start a restore to the last valid backup"
coolsport00
Userlevel 7
Badge +19

@Victor Chakraborty - so Victor, at VeeamON, Anton shared in the general session a VBR failover feature similar to your request coming in version 13 sometime next year; but it’ll only be for the Linux-based version of VBR as well. No details were given though. Just thought I’d share that with you that it appears they already had your feature suggestion in mind and looking to bring it out soon.

Shane Williford - Veeam VMCA/VMCE | Veeam Legend | VUG Leader | VCP-DCV | Twitter: @coolsport00

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