Tag: Availability

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VDrO v.4 – Run a DR plan

This is the last article about how to integrate the Continuous Data Protection (CDP)  technology (available from VBR v.11) and VDrO v.4 (former VAO).

In this part, we are going to see what happens when an orchestration plan is launched.

Yes, I wrote the word “see” because I created a short video showing the tasks that are automatically completed when a Disaster Recovery is occurring.

If you need more details about how to set up the environment, please read the previous articles.

Let me know if videos and youtube platform are a good way to expose technological valuable topics.

Thx for reading and watching and take care

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VDrO v.4 – Create a DR plan

C. Create an Orchestration Plan

The DR plan is a sum of more Orchestration plans. This article is going to explain how to create them.

Just a small and important note before continuing: it’s mandatory to have already completed the steps described in the last article.

Let’s start!

From the main menu of the VAO server select the Manage button.

Now click on New as shown in picture 1.

Picture 1

The easy wizard is going to ask to choose a scope.

In our example, we use Linux-CDP as shown in picture 2.

Picture 2

Now fill up the plan info with the Plan Name, the description, the contact name of the plan (picture 3),

Picture 3

Select the type of Plans. In this article choose the CDP replica (picture 4)

Picture 4

In the next step please check if the correct “VM Group” appears.
If it doesn’t, it’s necessary to go back to the setup phase (please read the previous article) and fix the issue.

In our example, it appears correctly (Ubuntu-CDP) as shown in the next two pictures (5 and 6).

Picture 5

Picture 6

The next step shows the VM Recovery options (picture 7).

It gives the operator control of the plan. For example, stopping the plan if something goes wrong.

Picture 7

In “New VM Template” menu the VAO user can add additional steps to the orchestration process; for example, starting the CDP replica job first and shut down the source VM after (Picture 8)

Picture 8

Tips I: I created a customized script to change the IP Address of the VM.

Tips II: it’s possible to set up the access credential directly from this page by clicking the button on the bottom of the page. It is available for Windows VM only.

The next step defines the RTO & RPO.

The most important thing to remember here is that the RPO has to be equal or major than the RPO set in the CDP replica job (picture 9).

https://lnx.gable.it/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/vao-cdp-45.jpgPicture 9

The last steps define when the plan report shall be automatically generated (picture 10) and if the readiness check has to run at the end of every single wizard (recommended option) (picture 11).

Picture 10

Picture 11

The result is shown in picture 12

Picture 12

The next article is going to be a video to see VDrO in action.

Take care and see you soon

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Veeam Disaster Recovery Orchestator v.4 – How to Upgrade

Also Veeam Availability Orchestrator, commonly called VAO, changed its name with this new release.

The new name is Veeam Disaster Recovery Orchestrator (VDrO).

The main news of this version is the support of the technology of continuous data protection (CDP) introduced in VBR v.11.

Which are the main benefits allowed by this new feature?

  • New readiness checks now including RPO and SLA.
  • Recovery Point Object close to real-time.
  • Detailed reports to track and audit the Disaster Recovery plan of your company.

The next article will explain how to implement a DR plan using CDP.

Before doing the upgrade procedure please:

  1.  Perform backup of all existing databases (VAO, VBR, ONE)
  2. Make sure there is enough space for the upgrade of the Microsoft SQL Server configuration database
  3. Make sure there are no orchestration plans being tested or executed
  4. Make sure there are no orchestration plans scheduled to run during the upgrade.
  5. Read carefully the user guide.

Before proceeding please check that the VAO current version on the server is 3.0 (picture 1).

Picture 1

After downloading the ISO file from the Veeam website and mounting it (picture 2)

Picture 2

just select the “Setup” voice; the wizard immediately begins the upgrade (picture 3).

Picture 3

Please check that the previous version of VAO has been discovered. If so the upgrade button is available (picture 4).

Picture 4

The setup checks if Visual C++ 2019 Redistributable package is already installed.  If not it will automatically be deployed. This procedure requires the server reboot (pictures 5 and 6).

Picture 5

Picture 6

After reboot is completed, relaunch the setup.  The wizard will show which components will be automatically upgraded (picture 7).

picture 7

Now the wizard will ask for a valid license (picture 8) and will install the missing components (Pictures 9 and 10).

Picture 8

picture 9

picture 10

The next steps are about the Veeam Databases.
The wizard will ask to connect to them and update the VBR one if necessary (pictures 11 and 12).

Picture 11

Picture 12

The main point of the upgrade procedure is the certification step.
As shown in picture 13, the wizard will ask the VAO administrator which certificate to use. It can be a self-signed and autogenerated or an own certificate created from an external authority.
My suggestion is to ask your security specialist to know which is the best choice for your company.

Picture 13

Picture 14

Clicking on the install button it will complete the upgrade wizard as shown in pictures 15 & 16.

Picture 15

Picture 16

After upgrading please check the versions of VAO (4.0.0.2088), VBR (11.0.0.837), ONE (11.0.0.1379) now installed.

Just a note before ending the article: has already said, VAO (Veeam Availability Orchestrator) has changed its name to VDrO  (Veeam Disaster Recovery Orchestrator).
The web pages of the product still show the old name. It will be updated in the next release.

That’s all for now guys. Take care

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VBR – Proxy linux server UUID

When a Linux VM is added to Veeam console as a Proxy Server,  you can fall out in the error shown in picture 1

Picture 1

The reason for this behavior is that the default VM config does not allow another software to see the UUID of the VM.

What is UUID?

It’s the unique identifier used to uniquely identify partitions in Linux operating systems.

Why is it important to use it?

A backup where the proxy is a Linux VM only works with virtual appliance transport mode. It uses the VMware hot add capability.

Easier: when a job starts, the proxy Linux mounts the disks of the VM that have to be processed and then send a copy of data to the Veeam Repository.

If the backup server knows which are the proxy disks it can process the others easily and without errors.

The result is that it’s mandatory to set it up correctly as shown in the user guide and in Veeam forum

Note 1: the Linux command to show UUID is blkid

To address the issue just switch off the VM and, from vCENTER Console, follow the procedure showed in the next 4 pictures highlighted in yellow.

Picture 2

Picture 3

Picture 4

Picture 5

That’s all folks