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Veeam Backup & Replication v5
It is not very often that we get to see our System Administrators ogle over hardware or software these days. However, Veeam Backup & Replication v5 has certainly caused some ogling.
Veeam 5 builds on the existing core technology in Veeam 4 which provides backup and replication solutions for Virtual Machines hosted in a VMware ESX environment both over a LAN and a WAN.
Veeam have really come to market with a product that challenges all traditional backup software. It is exciting to see such innovation that we will see benefit the team working at the other end of your network ensuring your data does not get lost (forever), or should the time arrive, require you to wait hours or days to get data returned to you when an unfortunate accident occurs.
Ok, but ‘what is so exciting?’ I hear you say..
1. VPower
Allows you to run a virtual machine (VM) directly from a compressed and deduplicated backup file (no need to extract the backup first)
2. Instant VM Recovery
Allows you to use Storage vMotion to migrate the VM run by vPower (which you may have opened to your users when trying to fix the original VM) to production storage with no interruption in service or impact to users. Alternatively, replicate or hot copy the VM using built-in capabilities in Veeam Backup & Replication.
3. U-AIR (Universal Application-Item Recovery)
This is object-level recovery. Again, vPower enables quick recovery of individual objects from any virtualised application, on any OS.
Note: SQL and Exchange AIR is currently beta release
4. SureBackup Recovery Verification
vPower automates the recovery verification process. Basically, creates the VM in an isolated environment and runs it directly from the backup file, starting the VM, boots the OS and confirms that everything is running normally.
5. On-Demand Sandbox
Use vPower to bring a backup copy of a VM online so you can troubleshoot, test patches or workarounds. You won’t damage the backup either, it remains read-only.
6. Instant File-Level Recovery from ANY file system
With vPower, quickly recover an entire VM or an individual file from the same image-level backup. Veeam instant file-level recovery enables you to restore individual files from your backups
7. Guest File System Indexing
Windows VMs can be optionally indexed for compliance with internal or external policies relating to documentation of backup contents. Further, this allows for guest file searching. Browse the guest file system of any Windows VM and any restore point to find the correct backup file and restore point containing the required version of the file you are seeking.
8. Engine Enhancements
- Customisable block size to optimise the processing engine based on the connection to the backup or replica destination
- Monthly schedules for both jobs and active full backups directly from Veeam without relying on Windows Task Scheduler
- Continuous job schedule facilitating near-CDP protection scenarios
- Unsupported disks are now automatically skipped
9. Backup Enhancements
- A new Incremental backup mode provides the choice of synthetic or active full backups and allows restores while the backup job is running
- Previous full backup chain transformation allows for optional transformation of previous full backup chains into rollback files going back from the current full backup, reducing disk space needed.
- VM-level retention means you are no longer required to perform an active full backup simply to remove data belonging to an obsolete VM
- You can now delete individual VMs from a full backup file.
- Enhanced backup properties to provide additional information on specific VMs
10. Replication Enhancements
- Thin disk support on replca allowing you to keep thin disks thin during replication
- On-the-fly disk transformation, an option allowing you to replicate a source VM with thick disks to a target VM with thin disks
- Replica properties dialog has been added to provided detailed information about the target VM
11. Application-aware image processing Enhancements
- Connection-free operation. This allows you to process VMs that are behind firewalls or located in a DMZ.
- Granular application-aware processing. Set processing settings for individual VMs or any virtual infrastructure container
- Better transaction log handling
- Option to disable transaction log pruning
- Transaction log pruning for Microsoft SQL server
That is a very impressive list of improvements and enhancements to the Veeam Backup & Replication software. Ok, it is nice (funny?) to see our System Administrators fall over themselves for something new and shiny. But, Veeam’s new version 5 of their Backup & Replication software has real benefits to your Virtual environment and more importantly your end users. You can confidently provide a solution that can “roll with the punches”, when data is lost, damaged or forgotten you can quickly and easily access your Veeam Backup & Replication console and recover that required data quickly, having confidence in the process as you know you had SureBack Recovery Verification turned on and working.
Veeam Backup & Replication v5 should be in use in all virtual environments. It has an impressive feature list, which only goes to minimise your inconvenience.