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I am trying to backup a physical server with a 81.7TB volume using B&R version 12.1.1.56 and Veeam VSS Hardware Provider version 6.1.0.349.  I have deployed the Veeam agent in managed mode and created a Backup Proxy of the physical server which installed the Veeam Backup VSS Integration and Veeam VSS Hardware Provider.  According to Veeam a volume greater than 64TB can be backed up using the Veeam VSS Hardware Provider.  I don’t know how to reconfigure the managed physical server and/or backup job of the server in the Veeam Backup and Replication Console to use the Veeam VSS Hardware Provider.  I do not have any option to Manage Volumes on my ribbon under this managed server as the Veeam instructions dictate.  I have run a Rescan on my managed server which successfully completes finding all disks and volumes but still no option to Manage Volumes on my ribbon.  How can I ensure my managed server and backup job are properly using the Veeam VSS Hardware Provider?  Everything else is working.  If I run a backup job with all but the 81.7TB volume selected it completes successfully.  As soon as I include the 81.7TB volume the backup job fails, but this should be doable with the the Veeam VSS Hardware Provider.

I assume that the server you are trying to back up with the Agent is using the “Server” edition of the license?  I am trying to find where this is within my homelab.


Yes correct.  The manually added physical server is using 1 “Server” license Instance.  It has the checkbox checked to Allow unlicensed agents to consume instances.  The Backup and Replication server is licensed with an Enterprise Plus license which can license up to 6 instances.  We are using 1 instance with this physical server.


I cannot seem to find anything related to this within the console even for the managed servers that I am backing up.  What is the error you are seeing when you select the large volume?  Are you able to post a screenshot with details blurred out?  Did you install the CBT driver for the server and agent?

What do the logs say - C:\ProgramData\Veeam\Backup\AgentJobName


If I understand the limitation described on the linked site correct, this is working only if you are using a storage system that supports storage snapshots. So I think this has to be a external storage system from a supported vendor and not internal storage inside of the server.

https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backup/agents/storage_snapshots_great.html?ver=120


Yes I have the CBT driver installed on the physical server running the agent.  I believe the proper location for the logs is C:\ProgramData\Veeam\Endpoint\AgentJobName\ which I’ll post a screenshot here.

As you can see it is related to the VSS shadow copy creation which I’ve traced to the large 81.7TB volume and the Microsoft VSS software provider 64TB limit.  So I’m trying to implement the Veeam VSS Hardware Provider for this volume to go above the 64TB limit.


Yes I have the CBT driver installed on the physical server running the agent.  I believe the proper location for the logs is C:\ProgramData\Veeam\Endpoint\AgentJobName\ which I’ll post a screenshot here.

As you can see it is related to the VSS shadow copy creation which I’ve traced to the large 81.7TB volume and the Microsoft VSS software provider 64TB limit.  So I’m trying to implement the Veeam VSS Hardware Provider for this volume to go above the 64TB limit.

Check the link that Joe posted above this post.  Storage Snapshots on Volumes Greater than 64 TB - Veeam Agent Management Guide


If I understand the limitation described on the linked site correct, this is working only if you are using a storage system that supports storage snapshots. So I think this has to be a external storage system from a supported vendor and not internal storage inside of the server.

https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backup/agents/storage_snapshots_great.html?ver=120

Which portion of the link describes this?  Our storage repository is internal storage on our Windows Veeam Backup Server.  Are you saying the Veeam VSS Hardware Provider cannot backup a greater than 64TB volume to an internal storage repository?


If I understand the limitation described on the linked site correct, this is working only if you are using a storage system that supports storage snapshots. So I think this has to be a external storage system from a supported vendor and not internal storage inside of the server.

https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backup/agents/storage_snapshots_great.html?ver=120

Which portion of the link describes this?  Our storage repository is internal storage on our Windows Veeam Backup Server.  Are you saying the Veeam VSS Hardware Provider cannot backup a greater than 64TB volume to an internal storage repository?

No it is stating that it cannot back up a volume larger than 64TB with the VSS Writer and needs to have Hardware storage integration to be able to back up a larger volume.


Can I configure hardware storage integration on an internal storage repository on our Windows backup server?


Can I configure hardware storage integration on an internal storage repository on our Windows backup server?

I believe that this particular case it is referring to external storage connected via FC, iSCSI for this to work.  The best suggestion I can make right now would be to split the drive to be under the 64TB limit if you can and have two drives versus one.


Can anyone else confirm the issue I described in my OP is caused by me using an internal storage repository on my Windows 2019 backup server rather than external storage connected via FC, iSCSI?  Just trying to get additional confirmation that the Veeam VSS Hardware Provider used for volumes larger than 64TB must have external hardware storage integration.


Please see the page with the limitations of storage snapshots that is linked on the site I have linked in my post.

https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backup/agents/storage_systems.html?ver=120#limits

 

Storage Snapshots are with external integration. They are not possible on internal storage.


Thank you all for this information.  It has been very helpful to me.  Unfortunately I do not have the option to split my 81.7TB volume into smaller volumes as it is configured for LogRhythm and the LogRhythm installation was VERY precise about its volume sizes.  I don’t have an external storage integration option either.  I think I may have to try a file level backup and only select certain files/directories from my 81.7TB volume that are critical for us to backup.  


Thank you all for this information.  It has been very helpful to me.  Unfortunately I do not have the option to split my 81.7TB volume into smaller volumes as it is configured for LogRhythm and the LogRhythm installation was VERY precise about its volume sizes.  I don’t have an external storage integration option either.  I think I may have to try a file level backup and only select certain files/directories from my 81.7TB volume that are critical for us to backup.  

That would be the best option now.  Good luck.


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