“Veeam XCP-ng” describes the process of backing up and protecting virtual machines (VMs) operating on an XCP-ng hypervisor using Veeam Backup & Replication. Read our latest blog to know about the entire process. At Bobcares, with our Server Management Service, we can handle your VMware issues.
Overview
An Introduction to “Veeam XCP-ng”
“Veeam XCP-ng” refers to using Veeam Backup & Replication to back up virtual machines running on the XCP-ng hypervisor. While Veeam doesn’t officially support XCP-ng (since it’s based on XenServer, which Veeam also doesn’t support), users often use workarounds to make backups possible. This is because both Veeam and XCP-ng are popular tools used in different environments.
Working of Veeam and XCP-ng
Users can back up their XCP-ng virtual machines (VMs) using a variety of methods as Veeam does not officially support XCP-ng. This includes:
1. Agent-Based Backups
A simple way to back up VMs on XCP-ng is by using Veeam Agent for Linux or Windows, depending on the VM’s operating system. These agents are installed inside each VM and back up data at the file and system level, not through the hypervisor. While this method doesn’t use virtualization-specific features like instant recovery or hypervisor-based snapshots, it’s a reliable way to protect individual VMs. The steps to set up includes:
i. Initially, set up Veeam Agent in the VM (Windows/Linux).
ii. Set up the Veeam Backup & Replication server to manage the agents.
iii. Schedule backups and choose between file-level or volume-level backups.
2. Storage-Based Backup (NFS, SMB, or iSCSI)
XCP-ng lets us manage virtual machine storage using NFS, SMB, or iSCSI. We can back up VMs by backing up the storage where they are located, especially if we’re using external storage systems. For example, we can use Veeam to back up the storage volumes that hold the VMs. Setup steps includes:
i. Mount the NFS, SMB, or iSCSI storage in Veeam Backup & Replication.
ii. Schedule backups to copy the data containing the VMs.
While this method backs up the virtual disk images (VHD or VHDX), it may not offer the same detailed features as direct integrations with the hypervisor.
3. XCP-ng Export and Backup
XCP-ng allows us to export virtual machines as XVA files or other formats. We can automate the export process and then use Veeam or another backup solution to back up these exported files. Although this method requires some scripting, it can be a good option for disaster recovery. Setup steps includes:
i. Use XCP-ng’s xe command or XCP-ng Center to export VMs.
ii. Schedule regular exports using cron jobs or scripts.
iii. Use Veeam to back up the exported VM files (XVA or raw disk files).
4. Veeam NAS Backup for VM Data
We can back up VM data stored on network-attached storage (NAS) using Veeam’s NAS backup solutions. This approach focuses on backing up data rather than the entire VM. The steps are as follows:
i. Configure Veeam to back up shared folders or NAS systems with critical VM data.
ii. Schedule and manage these backups in the Veeam console.
5. Third-Party Integration
Some users opt to integrate other backup systems or scripts with XCP-ng’s snapshotting features. This allows them to export or replicate snapshots and store them with Veeam or other tools. While this requires custom scripting or third-party tools, it provides flexibility for those comfortable with manual configurations.xcp-ng
Benefits
Using Veeam with XCP-ng offers many benefits, particularly due to Veeam’s flexible agent-based approach:
1. Veeam allows for full backups of files, volumes, and entire systems, with various recovery options for applications and databases.
2. Veeam works with many platforms, enabling backups of physical servers, virtual machines (including those using agents), and cloud environments. This is beneficial for users with XCP-ng and other platforms.
3. Veeam includes advanced deduplication, compression, and encryption, optimizing storage use and enhancing data security.
4. Veeam allows us to replicate backups to offsite locations, cloud storage, or external systems for disaster recovery.
5. Veeam offers tools to monitor backup operations, schedule jobs, and generate reports to ensure backups run smoothly.
Challenges
Using Veeam with XCP-ng comes with some challenges:
1. Veeam doesn’t natively support XCP-ng, meaning it can’t use advanced features like agentless backups or snapshots, which limits its backup capabilities compared to other hypervisors.
2. Workarounds like agent-based or storage-based backups require more manual management and are less automated than Veeam’s solutions for supported platforms.
3. Restoring a single VM from an image-level backup is more complicated without hypervisor integration. While file-level restores are possible, VM-level restores from snapshots are not.
4. Agent-based backups can slow down the system since they run within the guest OS, consuming more CPU, memory, and network resources during the backup process.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, even though Veeam does not support XCP-ng natively, users may still successfully backup virtual machines using a variety of workarounds, including exports, storage-based backups, and agent-based backups. Veeam is a useful solution for guaranteeing data protection and recovery in XCP-ng setups, despite certain drawbacks like less direct hypervisor integration and higher administrative overhead. Other advantages include cross-platform support and a wide range of backup options.
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