VBR6: How to Configure Replica Seeding in Veeam Backup v6 for Offsite Replication

The procedure for configuring Replica Seeding in Veeam Backup and Replication 6, is different from the procedure used in Veeam Backup and Replication 5. In Veeam v5, there was the tick box under 'Initial replication' for 'Perform initial replication over this removable storage.' In Veeam v6, the seed is taken from a Veeam backup.

Fig.: VBR5 New Replication Job – Replica Destination & Initial Replication

Step by Step Walkthrough

Part 1: Transporting Seed Data to a DR Site

1.1: Create a backup of the server to be replicated.

Note: If you already have a backup, this is excellent, we can use this.

1.2: Copy the relevant vbm and vbk files to removable media (for example USB hard drive.)

Note I: The vbm file is important as this is the file that Veeam Backup reads from a backup repository to determine the backups that are present (if you have not copied the vbm  file it is possible to import the backup from a vbk using the Import Backup function.)

Note II: If using reverse incremental, copying the the vbm and vbk (which holds the latest backup) is enough, the vrb files are not required to be copied also.

Note III: For traditional incrementals, the vib files that proceed the full backup vbk are required to be copied also. If you do not copy the vib files you will see an error like:

Error: Client error: File does not exist. File: [C:\0 Incremental\ExampleBackupIncremental2012-05-27T121234.vib]. Failed to restore file from local backup. VFS link: [summary.xml]. Target file: [MemFs://Tar2Text]. CHMOD mask: [12060536].

1.3: Transport removable media to the DR site, and plug into an available server.

Part 2: Setting up the Seeded Replica

At this stage there are two options:

Option 1: Configure a DR Site Server as a Backup Repository

Option 2: Restore to DR VMware host and Map Replica

2.1: Setting up Replica Seed from DR Site Backup Repository

2.1.1: Add a backup repository on a DR site server.

Note: If you already have a backup repository in the DR site, this is excellent, we can use this.

2.1.2: If not already added, add the backup files to the DR Site repository and rescan the repository so the software can see the backups.

2.1.3.1: Create a New Replication Job ticking the “Low connection bandwidth (enable replica seeding)” box.

2.1.3.2: Follow through the wizard, selecting Virtual Machines, Destination, Job Settings.

2.1.3.3: New Replication Job: Seeding, tick the “Get seed from the following backup repository” box and choose the DR site backup repository

2.1.3.4: Follow through the wizard to completion

2.1.4: Finally, kick of the newly created replica backup job to create the replica from the seed!

2.2: Setting up Replica Seed from a Restore and Map

In this instance, the replica VM is restored from backup – perhaps using a Veeam Backup server located in the DR site – to a DR site host.

Then a replication job is set up similarly to 2.1.3 above, except for at step 2.1.3.3, we tick the “Map replicas to existing VMs” instead, and edit to map the original VM to the replica VM.