Nutanix Best Practices

Nutanix Best Practices Veeam Backup and Replicatin v8 n VMware Versin 1.1 May 2015 BP-2018 Veeam Backup and Replicatin v8 with VMware n Nutanix 2

Cpyright 2015 Nutanix, Inc. All rights reserved. This prduct is prtected by U.S. and internatinal cpyright and intellectual prperty laws. Nutanix is a trademark f Nutanix, Inc. in the United States and/r ther jurisdictins. All ther marks and names mentined herein may be trademarks f their respective cmpanies. 2

1! Executive Summary... 4! 2! Intrductin... 5! 2.1! Audience... 5! 2.2! Purpse... 5! 2.3! Synergistic Technlgies... 5! 3! Architecture... 6! 3.1! Cmpnent Overview... 6! 3.2! Veeam Cmpnent Sizing... 7! 3.3! Deplyment Mdels... 8! 3.3.1! Virtualized Veeam n Nutanix... 9! 3.3.2! Veeam Server... 9! 3.4! Veeam Restre Optins... 10! 4! Best Practice Checklist... 11! 5! Cnfiguratin Details... 12! 5.1! Veeam Cnfiguratin Optimizatin... 12! 5.2! Veeam Backup Prxy Cnfiguratin... 12! 5.3! Veeam Backup Methds... 13! 5.4! Veeam Jb Cnfiguratin... 14! 5.5! Nutanix Cnfiguratin... 15! 6! Cnclusin... 16! 7! References... 17! 8! Abut the Authrs... 18! 3

1 Executive Summary The Nutanix Virtual Cmputing Platfrm is a scalable virtualizatin platfrm fr desktp, server, and big data deplyments. This dcument prvides recmmendatins fr the ptimizatin and scaling f Veeam Backup & Replicatin v8, part f Veeam Availability Suite, with Nutanix and VMware vsphere. It shws the scalability f the Nutanix Virtual Cmputing Platfrm and prvides cnfiguratin infrmatin n the scale-ut capabilities f bth Veeam Backup & Replicatin and Nutanix. Custmers can easily back up large-scale Nutanix deplyments with the mst reliable transprt methd using Veeam netwrk backup mde and the Nutanix 10Gb NICs. Depending n their requirements and available hardware, netwrk mde lets custmers t chse between using either type f prxy server. Abut Nutanix The Nutanix Virtual Cmputing Platfrm cnsists f mdular blcks that include cmpute, strage, and netwrk. This design greatly reduces csts while increasing perfrmance and scalability, enabling fast, efficient, and reliable backups. The Nutanix Distributed File System (NDFS), the cre f Nutanix architecture, pls and tethers high-perfrmance, slid-state strage t virtual machines while delivering the large capacity that the high capacity tier prvides thrugh its adaptive data tiering capabilities. (Yu can learn mre at www.nutanix.cm r fllw us n Twitter @nutanix.) Abut Veeam! Veeam recgnizes the new challenges cmpanies acrss the glbe face in enabling the Always-On Business, a business that must perate 24/7/365. T address this, Veeam has pineered a new market f Availability fr the Mdern Data Center by helping rganizatins meet recvery time and pint bjectives (RTPO ) f less than 15 minutes fr all applicatins and data, thrugh a fundamentally new kind f slutin that delivers highspeed recvery, data lss avidance, verified prtectin, leveraged data and cmplete visibility. Veeam Availability Suite, which includes Veeam Backup & Replicatin, leverages virtualizatin, strage, and clud technlgies that enable the mdern data center t help rganizatins save time, mitigate risks, and dramatically reduce capital and peratinal csts. Funded in 2006, Veeam currently has 29,000 PrPartners and mre than 135,000 custmers wrldwide. Veeam s glbal headquarters are lcated in Baar, Switzerland, and the cmpany has ffices thrughut the wrld. T learn mre, visit http://www.veeam.cm. Prduct Versins The slutin and testing prvided in this dcument was cmpleted with Veeam Backup & Replicatin v8 Patch 1 n Windws Server 2012 R2, deplyed n VMware vsphere 5.5 n the Nutanix Virtual Cmputing Platfrm. 4

2 Intrductin 2.1 Audience This best practices dcument is part f the Nutanix Slutins Library and is intended fr use by individuals respnsible fr the architecture, design, management, and supprt f Veeam Backup & Replicatin n Nutanix systems. Cnsumers f this dcument shuld be familiar with cncepts pertaining t VMware vsphere, Veeam Backup & Replicatin v8, and Nutanix. 2.2 Purpse This dcument cvers the high level best practices fr Veeam Backup & Replicatin v8 and Nutanix using NFS datastres with VMware vsphere 5.x. This best practices guide is fcused n an ptimized disk-t-disk backup architecture. A best practices checklist is included in this dcument t help ensure yu implement all f the applicable best practices. 2.3 Synergistic Technlgies The web-scale Nutanix slutin and its data lcality technlgy are strngly cmplimented by the distributed and scale-ut architecture f Veeam Backup & Replicatin v8. The cmbined slutin leverages the strengths f bth prducts t prvide crash, OS, r even applicatin cnsistent netwrk-efficient backups, helping rganizatins achieve their recvery pint bjective (RPO) and recvery time bjective (RTO) requirements. The architecture is flexible enugh t enable the use f either 100% virtualized Veeam cmpnents r a cmbinatin f virtual and physical cmpnents, depending n custmer requirements and available hardware. 5

3 Architecture Perfrming backups in a VMware envirnment requires the interactin f several cmpnents, including the usage f VADP (VMware vstrage APIs fr Data Prtectin). The Nutanix slutin can leverage the Veeam scale-ut prxy architecture by using multiple virtual Veeam prxies r ne r mre physical prxies. Physical prxies wuld fflad the CPU wrklad frm the Nutanix cluster. All f the cmpnents invlved in the backup prcess are described in the fllwing sectins. 3.1 Cmpnent Overview Tables 1 and 2 highlight the different cmpnents and virtualizatin/guest OS related technlgies fr the jint slutin. Table 1: Backup Cmpnents Backup Cmpnent Nutanix Cntrller VM Veeam Backup Server Veeam Backup Prxy Veeam Repsitry Descriptin The CVM is what runs the Nutanix Distributed File Server and serves all f the I/O peratins fr the hypervisr and all VMs running n that hst. The CVM pls and exprts strage t the hypervisr as a NFS datastre. As the brain f the slutin, Veeam Backup Server is respnsible fr jb management and scheduling, indexing tasks, and general rchestratin f the backup and replicatin envirnment. The Backup Server can be virtualized t leverage the full capabilities f the vsphere and Nutanix systems. A backup prxy is a lightweight Veeam architecture cmpnent that sits between the data surce and target and is used t prcess jbs and deliver backup traffic. In particular, backup prxy tasks include retrieving VM data frm the prductin strage, cmpressing, deduplicating, and sending it t the backup repsitry. The use f mre than ne virtualized backup prxy lets yu easily scale yur backup infrastructure up based n the size f yur Nutanix system. Fr large envirnments, multiple physical prxy servers may be required. These systems prvide the memry, string backup archives fr future restres and imprtant metadata used during backup and replicatin. A repsitry may be a Windws r Linux server, r a third-party NAS device. Repsitries can be either virtual r physical, depending n requirements and available hardware. If the repsitry is virtual, then it shuld nt be stred in the same Nutanix cluster as prductin data t prvide fault dmain islatin. 6

Table 2: Backup Technlgies Technlgy VMware VADP VMware CBT Micrsft VSS Descriptin VMware vstrage APIs fr Data Prtectin (VADP) was intrduced with vsphere 4.0 and is available in all licensed editins. It is the next-generatin backup framewrk that enables agent-free backups in an efficient manner. Veeam Backup & Replicatin v8 uses the VADP framewrk fr high perfrmance backups. Changed Blck Tracking (CBT) is a cmpnent f VADP that enables efficient incremental virtual machine backups. It enables Veeam Backup & Replicatin t nly backup changed data blcks, thus greatly increasing backup perfrmance and reducing netwrk bandwidth. Read peratins are perfrmed lcally, eliminating the lad n the netwrk and ther Nutanix ndes. Micrsft VSS is the built-in Micrsft framewrk fr applicatincnsistent backups. Built int Windws, VSS enables the creatin f a cnsistent snapsht f applicatin data, such as Micrsft Exchange, SQL, Active Directry, r the NTFS file system. Veeam can leverage VSS t ensure applicatin-cnsistent backups fr VSS-aware applicatins. 3.2 Veeam Cmpnent Sizing Sizing the Veeam Backup & Replicatin servers is dependent n the number f cncurrent jbs, ttal number f VMs, and the estimated size f the repsitry. The sizing guidelines in Table 3 are the minimums recmmended by Veeam. The virtual Veeam Prxy servers shuld nt need additinal resurces as the scale-ut mdel based n the ttal number f VMs is recmmended. A general rule f thumb fr a physical prxy is 1 cre per 50 VMs. But this number is greatly dependent n the size f VMs and number f cncurrent backups. Prper testing fr yur envirnment is critical t ensure backup windws and RPO values can be met. The Veeam Backup & Repsitry server may need t be upsized fr yur envirnment. (Refer t the Veeam Backup & Replicatin v8 dcumentatin fr additinal details n sizing.) Table 3: Veeam Sizing Recmmendatins Cmpnent Veeam Backup Prxy Sizing Recmmendatin Sizing shuld be tested in the custmer envirnment t verify the backup windw and RPO values can be met. Virtual: 1 vcpu fr every 50 VMs (recmmended minimum 2 vcpus) 4GB RAM, 300MB disk space fr installed cmpnents, and VMXNET3 NIC. N CPU/memry reservatins are required. Physical: 1 CPU cre fr every 250 VMs. 2GB f RAM fr each cncurrent VMDK backup. 7

Veeam Backup Server Veeam Repsitry 4GB f RAM plus 500MB f RAM fr each cncurrent jb. Disk space: 2GB fr prduct, plus 10GB per 100 VMs fr guest file system catalg, and at least 10GB fr VM recvery cache flder. N CPU/memry reservatins are required. Additinal sizing cnsideratins shuld be applied if the backend SQL server is deplyed n this server. (See the Veeam dcumentatin fr additinal guidance.) The Veeam Repsitry can be c-lcated with the backup server rle fr small deplyments, r n a dedicated server (physical r virtual Windws/Linux server, NAS device, r dedicated backup appliance), and requires sufficient free space t stre all backup jb data. If a virtual machine is used, it is recmmended t use the VMware PVSCSI cntrller fr the disk(s) which will be string backup data. The use f vsphere 5.5 enables disks larger than 2TB t be used, which may be advantageus fr a repsitry server. If virtualized n Nutanix, the repsitry shuld reside in a secndary Nutanix cluster. 3.3 Deplyment Mdels As shwn in Figure 1, Veeam supprts the repsitry server using a variety f targets, including a secndary Nutanix cluster, existing physical servers, NAS, r dedicated backup appliances. The fllwing tw sectins prvide guidance fr tw f the scenaris: 1) 100% virtualized slutin n Nutanix; and 2) Using a physical backup/prxy server. A hybrid scenari is als viable where there is a physical Veeam repsitry server (when tape vaulting is required, fr example), but virtualized prxy and management VMs are used. This can be a gd apprach if physical hardware is limited, as perfrmance can be easily determined. The defined backup windw may be a big factr in determining hw much, if any, f the Veeam infrastructure t virtualize. Prductin*Servers Nutanix(Secndary(Cluster Existing(Physical(Servers/NAS Nutanix(Prductin(Cluster Dedicated(Backup(Appliance Figure 1 Veeam Backup & Replicatin Repsitry Optins In all cases, Veeam and Nutanix recmmend using the netwrk backup mde and nt virtual appliance mde. This enables large-scale envirnments t perfrm reliable backups. Netwrk mde wrks by cnnecting t the ESXi management VMKernel prt and transferring backup data t the prxy. Fr the best perfrmance, this shuld be dne using the Nutanix dual 10Gb NIC interfaces. If the ESXi management interfaces are using the 1Gb NICs, then the backup speed will be limited t 30-40MB/s per ESXi hst, which is far frm 8

ideal. The netwrk perfrmance is nt dependent n the VMware switch type, but rather the NIC speed that management traffic is using. 3.3.1 Virtualized Veeam n Nutanix Figure 2 shws a 100% virtualized slutin fr Veeam Backup & Replicatin n Nutanix. One r mre Nutanix ndes has a lightweight Windws Veeam Prxy VM. All VM data is read via netwrk mde ver the 10Gb NICs via VADP. It leverages CBT t reduce read peratins t nly new blcks f data. The cmpressed and deduplicated data is then sent ver the netwrk t the Veeam Repsitry server lcated n a secndary Nutanix system (partial shwn). Veeam% Repsitry Veeam% Prxy%1 User%VM(s) Veeam% Prxy%2 User%VM(s) Hypervisr VM%I/O Hypervisr VM%I/O... Hypervisr VM%I/O SCSI%Cntrller Cntrller% VM SCSI%Cntrller Cntrller% VM SCSI%Cntrller Cntrller% VM SSD SSD SSD SSD SSD SSD NDFS%Secndary%Cluster NDFS%Prductin%Cluster SCALE Figure 2 Virtualized Veeam Deplyment Mdel If a 100% virtualized slutin n Nutanix is deplyed, then placing the Veeam repsitry server in a secndary Nutanix cluster is recmmended. This prvides maximum prtectin frm a cmplete prductin cluster failure and allws scaling ut the backup repsitry independent f the prductin VMs. Nutanix is the ideal slutin if yur rganizatin has multiple remte lcatins that need t be replicated t a centralized repsitry. 3.3.2 Veeam Server As an alternative t deplying a virtualized Veeam repsitry, Figure 3 shws a ntinal tplgy fr a physical Veeam cnfiguratin. In this example, all Veeam rles (backup, prxy, and repsitry) are c-lcated n a single server. This tplgy can be used when tape backup is required because that requires a physical server t hld the dedicated "Tape server" rle. Additinal hybrid deplyments are pssible where just the repsitry and tape rles are deplyed n physical ndes, while the Veeam server and prxies are virtual machines. As stated previusly, each Nutanix nde shuld have the ESXi management interface cnfigured t use the 10Gb NICs. This enables ptimal backup perfrmance cmpared t using the 1Gb NICs. The physical Veeam server shuld als have dual 10Gb NICs and be cnnected t the same layer tw netwrk as the ESXi management netwrk. The physical server shuld meet the minimum Veeam sizing requirements, based n the number f VMs yu are backing up and cncurrent jbs. In larger envirnments, multiple Veeam physical machines may be required t meet backup windw r strage capacity requirements. 9

Nutanix(Prductin(Ndes ESXi%Management%Netwrk 10Gb 10Gb Figure 3 Veeam Server Tplgy Veeam%Physical%Prxy/ Repsitry 3.4 Veeam Restre Optins The jint Nutanix and Veeam Backup & Replicatin slutin ffers a variety f ptins t easily recver and verify yur backups and replicas. These features are implemented using Veeam vpwer technlgy. The Veeam vpwer NFS service is a Windws service that runs n a Windws-based backup repsitry server and enables it t act as an NFS server. vpwer NFS allws Veeam Backup & Replicatin t munt a cmpressed and deduplicated backup file as a regular VMDK file directly t the ESX(i) hst via NFS, s ESX(i) hsts get transparent access t backed up VMware VM images. The vpwer technlgy is used t perfrm the fllwing tasks: Recvery Verificatin (SureBackup, SureReplica) Instant VM Recvery Multi-OS File-Level Recvery Universal Applicatin-Item Recvery (U-AIR) Nutanix and Veeam Backup & Replicatin enables yu t perfrm bth image-level and filelevel restres f backups and replicas. Yu can restre a virtual machine as a whle t start it n the target ESX server, recver nly VM hard disks, VM files (.vmdk..vmx and s n), r VM guest OS files and flders and save them n yur lcal machine. VMs r files can be restred at any f the available restre pints. All restres are perfrmed via the netwrk and n special prcedures are required t restre yur data n the Nutanix platfrm. 10

4 Best Practice Checklist The Veeam Backup & Replicatin v8 n Nutanix best practices can be summarized int the fllwing items: General When deplying Veeam Backup & Replicatin servers, use the latest supprted Windws perating system fr yur envirnment. Nutanix and Veeam recmmend using Windws Server 2012 R2, but this is nt required. Cnfigure the ESXi management interface n the Nutanix ndes t use the 10Gb NICs, nt the 1Gb NICs. The 1Gb NICs culd be cnfigured as standby t prvide management resilience. The fllwing figure shws tw active 10Gb NICs and tw standby 1Gb NICs fr the ESXi management interface. This is nt a required a cnfiguratin and nly an example f ne f the many pssibilities. If yu have ESXi Enterprise Plus and are using the DVS, cnsider using lad-based teaming fr the 10Gb interfaces. If using a physical Veeam prxy, use dual 10Gb NICs and place the server n the same layer tw netwrk as the ESXi management interfaces. Start with a PC, test, ptimize, iterate, and scale. Veeam Cmpnents Use Veeam Backup & Replicatin v8 patch 1 (build 8.0.0.971) r later. Prefer the new frever frward incremental backup methd. In general, avid active full backups. Use netwrk mde fr all Veeam prxies t enable the mst reliable backups. D nt backup the Nutanix CVMs r any virtual Veeam servers. Cnfigure the Veeam jbs t back up mre than ne VM t enable parallel prcessing and enhanced deduplicatin ratis. Nutanix Cmpnents Upgrade clusters t 3.5.3.1 (r later) fr ptimized NFS and snapsht perfrmance. 11

5 Cnfiguratin Details This sectin prvides specific instructins n hw t cnfigure Veeam Backup & Replicatin t fllw best practices fr a deplyment n the Nutanix Virtual Cmputing Platfrm. A basic familiarity with Veeam and VMware is assumed. When deplying the Veeam servers, use the latest apprved 64-bit Windws perating system fr yur envirnment. Nutanix and Veeam recmmend using Windws Server 2012 R2, but this is nt required. 5.1 Veeam Cnfiguratin Optimizatin 1. Install Veeam Backup & Replicatin v8 patch 1 (r later) n the backup server, versin 8.0.0.971. (See Veeam KB1982 fr mre details.) 2. If yu are using a virtualized repsitry server, use a secnd SCSI cntrller cnfigured with the VMware PVSCSI cntrller. This can reduce CPU lad n the ESXi hst and ptimizes disk perfrmance. 3. If yu are using a physical backup/prxy server, use dual 10Gb NICs and put the server n the same layer 2 netwrk as the ESXi management interfaces. This ptimizes the backup traffic and avids ptential bttlenecks created by ruting. 5.2 Veeam Backup Prxy Cnfiguratin 1. If virtualizing the prxies, prvisin a new Windws Server VM with apprpriate virtual hardware specificatins, per sectin 3.2. 2. Launch Veeam Backup & Recvery and navigate t the Backup Infrastructure windw. Right click n Backup Prxies and select Add VMware Backup Prxy. 12

3. Click n Add New and enter the DNS name f the first prxy. If nt already cnfigured, add a Managed Accunt which has lcal administratr rights n the Veeam backup prxy. 4. If a firewall is running n the Veeam Prxy hst, verify that 137/UDP, 138/UDP and 139/TCP are pen. If yu are using the Windws firewall, enable the fllwing three rules shwn in green: 5. Click thrugh the rest f the wizard and wait fr the prxy t be installed. 6. After the backup prxy is installed, change the Transprt mde t Netwrk. Leave the Max cncurrent tasks at 2 if using a virtual prxy. This can be increased fr physical prxy servers. 7. Accept the defaults fr the remainder f the wizard. 5.3 Veeam Backup Methds Veeam and Nutanix recmmend using the new frever frward incremental backup methd. This is the new default methd fr newly created jbs in Veeam Backup & Replicatin v8 and can be selected als fr existing jbs if upgrading frm previus versins. In this scenari, a full backup is perfrmed n day ne, then incremental backups 13

are perfrmed fr all subsequent days. The day-ne backup may have lwer thrughput, due t reading all f the VM data that may be in the strage tier, versus the perfrmance SSD r RAM tiers. Hwever, thrugh the use f CBT, all subsequent backups will nly read changed blcks. These changed blcks are likely n Nutanix perfrmance tiers. Figure 4: Frever Frward Incremental Backup This backup methd ffers the ability t execute frever incremental backups n the prductin strage, thus lwering at a minimum the lad n the Nutanix cluster. At the same time, it ffers the best space utilizatin n backup repsitry, since nly ne full backup file is stred at any time. When reaching the desired retentin perid, the ldest incremental file is injected int the full backup file. This additinal disk activity is created int the backup repsitry itself, while any vsphere snapsht has already been remved. In this way, n additinal lad is created n the prductin Nutanix cluster. Refer t the Veeam dcumentatin n the ther advanced settings fr Backup & Replicatin v8 including the ptins fr vsphere integratin fr cnsistency. 5.4 Veeam Jb Cnfiguratin When cnfiguring yur backup jbs, exclude the Nutanix CVMs and all Veeam Backup and prxy servers (when virtualized) frm the schedule. These VMs d nt need t be backed up; yu nly need t save Veeam Backup Cnfiguratin using a specific cnfiguratin ptin inside Veeam Backup Server which is enabled by default. Cnfigure yur jbs t backup multiple VMs s that parallel prcessing can be enabled increasing backup perfrmance. Als, Veeam-native deduplicatin can be higher with an increased number f VMs inside the same jb. There is n need t manually cnfigure which prxy is used fr VM backup peratins. Veeam Backup Server will autmatically distribute the VMs t be prcessed t all available prxies. 14

5.5 Nutanix Cnfiguratin N special Nutanix cnfiguratin is required, hwever upgrading the cluster(s) t 3.5.3.1 (r later) is recmmended. NFS ptimizatins were incrprated int this release that increase snapsht perfrmance and reliability. 15

6 Cnclusin The Nutanix and Veeam Backup & Replicatin v8 slutin prvides the best f many wrlds: industry-leading perfrmance with the ability t scale ut yur backup slutin as yu grw yur Nutanix slutin. Of the cnverged architectures in the market tday, nly Nutanix can truly prvide the ptimal cnfiguratin fr all wrklads and allw scale-ut backup perfrmance. As part f its determinatin t always deliver the best pssible slutins, Nutanix will cntinue t research int the fllwing areas: Benchmarks Perfrmance Optimizatins Scale Testing 16

7 References Table f Figures Figure 1 Veeam Backup & Replicatin Repsitry Optins... 8! Figure 2 Virtualized Veeam Deplyment Mdel... 9! Figure 3 Veeam Server Tplgy... 10! Figure 4: Frever Frward Incremental Backup... 14! Table f Tables Table 1: Backup Cmpnents... 6! Table 2: Backup Technlgies... 7! Table 3: Veeam Sizing Recmmendatins... 7! 17

8 Abut the Authrs Derek Seaman is a senir slutins and perfrmance engineer at Nutanix, Inc., VMware Certified Design Expert (VCDX) #125, and a multi-year VMware vexpert. In this rle, Derek helps design architectures cmbining applicatins with the Nutanix platfrm, creating slutins that help slve critical business needs and requirements while disrupting the infrastructure space. Prir t jining Nutanix, Derek was an IT architect at the glbal leader in wireless chip technlgy, where he was fcused n deplying secure infrastructure slutins t supprt the develpment f slutins fr the U.S. Gvernment. In these spaces, he has develped methdlgies, reference architectures, and framewrks fcusing n the design and transfrmatin t agile, scalable, and cst-effective infrastructures which can be cnsumed in a service-riented r clud-like manner. Fllw Derek n Twitter at @vdereks Luca Dell Oca is an EMEA evangelist at Veeam Sftware. Based in Italy, Luca is a ppular blgger and an active member f the virtualizatin cmmunity. At Veeam, Luca creates and publishes valuable infrmatin abut the latest technlgies and business trends in virtualizatin, with a deep fcus n VMware, strage, and data prtectin fr service prviders and large enterprises. He engages custmers and peers during webinars and public events t help them learn abut mdern data prtectin, and hw Veeam slutins can help them. Luca s career started in infrmatin security befre fcusing n virtualizatin. Prir t jining Veeam, Luca was a data prtectin manager and virtualizatin architect at a service prvider, where he refined his skills and knwledge abut always-n business and the requirements f such demanding envirnments, while helping custmers t embrace the clud revlutin. Luca hlds VCAP5-DCD and CISSP certificatins, and he has becme the first wrldwide VMCE (Veeam Certified Engineer). Fllw Luca n Twitter at @Dellck6 18

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