Backup FlashBlade NFS-/CIFS-SMB File Shares from storage snapshot with Veeam Backup & Replication
[ NOTE: machine translation with the help of DeepL translator without additional proofreading and spell checking ]
With Veeam Backup & Replication V10, the eagerly awaited NAS backup functionality has been implemented. NAS backup has been available in Backup & Replication for about half a year now, is very well received and has already proven itself several times with customers.
To ensure that open or "locked" files from file shares can be backed up 100% reliably, it is mandatory to create a snapshot of the share. For a detailed description of the configuration of file share backups, I refer to my blog article "Pure Storage FlashBlade NFS and SMB filebackup with Veeam Availability Suite V10 now possible" from February 18, 2020. Of course, Veeam also offers the possibility to configure "backup from storage snapshot" and thus perform your backups of FlashBlade shares in the best possible way.
In a successfully completed FlashBlade project, Christian Stein (Pure Storage/System Engineer) - a former Veeam System Engineer - created a script that triggers FlashBlade snapshots before file backup jobs and thus allows a reliable backup. We now want to make this script publicly available.
You can get the script and the official README on Christian's (aka st0n1) Github.
The configuration
The script consists of two PowerShell scripts, where one script is responsible for preparing/checking the system requirements. The script for the actual backup is the "RUN-FlashbladeNASBackup.ps1".
For explanation:
Invoke-FlashbladeNASBackup.ps1 makes all the preparations for using the backup script. This script is executed under Powershell 7.
RUN-FlashbladeNASBackup.ps1 contains all parameters and triggers the snapshot creation on the FlashBlade.
Both scripts must be placed inside the same folder/path on the Veeam server (VBR).
HINT: If PowerShell 7 is not yet installed on the Veeam server, this can be done with the following PowerShell command (PowerShell 5):
iex "& { $(irm https://aka.ms/install-powershell.ps1) } -UseMSI"PowerShell 7 is then installed via the downloaded MSI.
In preparation, an API token must be created on the FlashBlade in order to store this later as a parameter in the script.
The API token is created on the FlashBlade via the CLI/SSH.
pureadmin create --api-token
Afterwards we can populate the RUN-FlashbladeNASBackup.ps1 script with the respective parameters.
To be entered here are:
the VIP (virtual IP) or also the DNS of the FlashBlade (management interface)
the API token of the system
the share to be backed up (NFS/CIFS-SMB)
In the shown screenshots we backup the NFS share "pureflashblog".
INFO: the script is also suitable for CIFS/SMB shares in addition to the exemplary backup of an NFS share.
Finally, we need to make appropriate adjustments in Veeam Backup & Replication to the respective file backup job and the added file share.
First, the option "Backup from a storage snapshot at the following path" must be activated in the Advanced Settings (Inventory > File Shares > "your File Share" > Properties > Advanced) of the file share. The snapshot path must be specified (for IP/DNS a DataIP of the FlashBlade must be used!). The snapshots are always stored under the respective file share in the folder ".snapshot". The script always stores the snapshot with its file share name and the suffix ".VeeamNASBackup" by default (if not adjusted in the RUN-FlashbladeNASBackup.ps1 script).
HINT: to use the snapshot functionality on the FlashBlade, the "Snapshot" option must be enabled for the respective file share.
For CIFS/SMB shares, adjust the path to \DataIP\FileShareName\.snapshot\.... must be adjusted.
Finally, we need to select the Pre Backup script in the Advanced Settings (File Backup Job > Edit > Storage > Advanced > Scripts) of the backup job.
The file backup is now performed accordingly based on a FlashBlade Storage Snapshot. We see the corresponding intermediate step also in the job events.
The snapshot created by Veeam/Script is now also visible on the file share. The snapshot will be overwritten/deleted during the next backup run.
Auditing is also possible via the FlashBlade - Settings > Users > Audit Trail.
Here we also see the destroying process (destroying-eradicate) during the next backup run.
Acknowledgement
This blog series was created in collaboration with Christian Stein [XING | LinkedIn].
Christian and I have known each other for some time. Together we already tore the one or other Veeam project. In June 2020, Christian then decided - after 3.5 years of Veeam - to switch to Pure Storage and can successfully contribute his many years of Veeam experience in Pure projects here. A brilliant cooperation and successful projects weld us together more and more.
More info - Links
All officially published setting options in the GUI but also CLI can be read via the "on-board" user guides of the Pure Storage systems.
Click on "Help" in the Purity main menu.
The User Guide is structured like the main menu and can be opened downwards. A search function is also integrated - within here you can also search for keywords.
WEB: Pure Storage (Pure1) support portal - Ticket system and support *(requires registered FlashSystems)
PHONE: Pure Storage phone support: GER - (+49) (0)800 7239467; INTERNATIONAL - (+1) 650 7294088
WEB: Pure Storage OFFICIAL blog