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Restrictions on Veeam Agent Backup for a Linux VM residing on a socket-licensed host?


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Hi ,

Are there any known limitations to backing up a Linux VM with the Linux agent residing on an esxi host with a socket license?

Thanks!

 

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Best answer by regnor 19 July 2022, 12:58

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Are you performing an agent backup or VM backup?

you mentioned linux VM on esxi host

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We want to perform an agent backup because of postrgres backup. The linux vm resides on an esxi host wich is licensed with a socket-license. Currently we do no vm backup for this vm.

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If you're using socket licenses and the ESXi host is already covered by such a license, then the agent doesn't need to be separately licensed (in fact it's mandatory to use a Socket license if you backup VMs with agents in that case).

I don't know any limitations and for some cases it's even recommended to go with agents; for example with mySQL or PostgreSQL. I would just do a restore test afterwards and check if the VM and it's disk come up without any problems. This is the main issue I often see, that after a restore both the OS and bootloader need to be touched because of new disk IDs.

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We have a statement that it is not possible to install an agent on a VM running on a socket licensed host. For this reason I wanted to ask for any known cases that confirm this.

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No that's not a problem as long as the host is licensed. It's just not possible to license a VM agent with a regular license in that case.

     Sockets will be used to protect VMs on VMware and Hyper-V hosts     Instances will cover Agents, Plug-Ins, AHV VMs, NAS excluding VMware and Hyper-V VMs.

https://www.veeam.com/licensing-policy.html?ad=faq

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For VMs there is no restriction for the agents with socket based licenses. At least I am not aware of… I have several Enterprise plugins and agents in use on a socket licensed ESXi Cluster, no problem.

It is another thing if you want to use an agent on a hardware server, then an instance is used. The socket based licenses have 6 free instances included. So, you can use 6 server agents - or 18 workstation agents.

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Hold up…..so are we saying that all VM’s on a licensed socket is covered for agents?  If so, I learned something today.  I knew about the “up to” 6 free agent licenses with perpetual licensing, but wasn’t aware of all VM’s on a licensed socket being covered for agents.

@JMeixner @regnor 

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It is another thing if you want to use an agent on a hardware server, then an instance is used. The socket based licenses have 6 free instances included. So, you can use 6 server agents - or 18 workstation agents.

 

I believe that’s assuming that’s if you have 6 sockets licensed.  If you only have 4 sockets licensed, then it’s up to 4 free instances, correct?

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It is another thing if you want to use an agent on a hardware server, then an instance is used. The socket based licenses have 6 free instances included. So, you can use 6 server agents - or 18 workstation agents.

 

I believe that’s assuming that’s if you have 6 sockets licensed.  If you only have 4 sockets licensed, then it’s up to 4 free instances, correct?

No, I have in one cluster 10 Sockets licensed and in another 26 Sockets, every time 6 instances only. Seems to be a standard value.
In most environments I have VUL or VCSP hosting licenses, so I have no problem with this because they are completely instance based.

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No, I have in one cluster 10 Sockets licensed and in another 26 Sockets, every time 6 instances only. Sems to be a standard value.
In most environments I have VUL or VCSP hosting licenses, so I have no problem with this because they are completely instance based.

@JMeixner

1 free instance per socket, maximum 6 instances per license.

 


If you only have 4 sockets licensed, then it’s up to 4 free instances, correct?

 

@dloseke correct :)

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No, I have in one cluster 10 Sockets licensed and in another 26 Sockets, every time 6 instances only. Sems to be a standard value.
In most environments I have VUL or VCSP hosting licenses, so I have no problem with this because they are completely instance based.

@JMeixner

1 free instance per socket, maximum 6 instances per license.


If you only have 4 sockets licensed, then it’s up to 4 free instances, correct?

 

@dloseke correct :)

Aha, ok, 6 is maximum. Too small for my clusters, I have the maximum with each cluster 😂😂😂

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Aha, ok, 6 is maximum. Too small for my clusters, I have the maximum with each cluster 😂😂😂

Most of my customers are in the SMB space, so many only have 2-3 hosts in a cluster and use VMware Essentials kits and Veeam Backup Essentials in most cases, so there is a 6 socket max there.  Most are licensed perpetual but we’re converting some, obviously selling VUL’s new, etc.  We do have two clients on VCSP but rental licensing is more of a one-off for us….used for those few select folks that don’t want to buy or only needed a couple VM’s protected (VBE packs reduced to 5 workloads has reduced that need even more), or for us to use in a pinch when we need a solution right away and the client hasn’t purchased yet.

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Hold up…..so are we saying that all VM’s on a licensed socket is covered for agents?  If so, I learned something today.  I knew about the “up to” 6 free agent licenses with perpetual licensing, but wasn’t aware of all VM’s on a licensed socket being covered for agents.

@JMeixner @regnor 

This behavior changed with v10 or v11 I think. Before that you would have had to license an agent if it's used in a virtual machine. The disadvantage on the other hand is, that you would have to license a whole ESXi host with socket licensing even if there's only a single VM which you want to backup via agent.

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Hold up…..so are we saying that all VM’s on a licensed socket is covered for agents?  If so, I learned something today.  I knew about the “up to” 6 free agent licenses with perpetual licensing, but wasn’t aware of all VM’s on a licensed socket being covered for agents.

@JMeixner @regnor 

This behavior changed with v10 or v11 I think. Before that you would have had to license an agent if it's used in a virtual machine. The disadvantage on the other hand is, that you would have to license a whole ESXi host with socket licensing even if there's only a single VM which you want to backup via agent.

Okay, fair enough.  I came into Veeam 5 years ago with 9.5 U4 but didn’t spend a ton of time with it and got a lot more involved during the release of v10.

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