You can configure EMC Data Domain as Veeam backup repository to increase backup speed up to 50% taking advantage of EMC's DD Boost protocol.
Leveraging on DD Boost protocol, backup jobs result faster since the deduplication process occurs at source-level side optimizing bandwidth usage.
Due to the nature of EMC Data Domain storage (high compression and deduplication ratios), read and random I/O operations may result slow since each block must be recomposed and decompressed. For this reason EMC Data Domain storage should be used in the backup infrastructure as secondary backup repository for long term retention purposes.
If EMC Data Domain is used as main backup repository instead, Veeam recommends the use of Restore entire VM and Restore VM files options for faster recovery capabilities.
Configure EMC Data Domain as Veeam backup repository
Access the Backup Infrastructure area and select the Backup Repositories section. Click Add Repository button to configure a new repository.
Specify a Name and optionally a Description then click Next.
Select Deduplicating storage appliance option and click Next.
Select Dell EMC Data Domain and click Next.
Enter the Data Domain server name and specify the credentials to access the appliance. You must use the account created during the DD Boost configuration step in the EMC Data Domain appliance. Make sure the Data Domain appliance name can be resolved. The Gateway server is used by Veeam to communicate with EMC Data Domain since the Veeam Data Mover Service cannot be installed into EMC Data Domain storage. Click Next.
Veeam establishes a connection with the EMC Data Domain appliance. Click Browse to select the Storage Unit to use created during the configuration of the storage, then click OK.
Now click Populate button to display Capacity and Free space.
Click Advanced button to access available options. Leave default and click OK. Click Next to continue.
Specify the server to use as Mount Server then click Next. The Mount Server is used during VM guest OS files and application items restore improving performance and reducing the load on the network, useful especially over WAN.
Click Apply to proceed with backup repository creation.
When the process has been completed successfully, click Finish to exit the wizard.
The newly created Veeam Backup Repository.
Create a backup job
From Home area, access the Backup section and click Backup Job button. Select VMware vSphere option.
Specify a job Name and optionally a Description then click Next.
Click Add button and select VMs to protect then click Next.
As Backup repository select the EMC Data Domain repository previously created and click Next.
Click Yes to configure advanced settings as recommended for the used repository type. For example, in this step Inline-deduplication option is disabled (useless if use EMC Data Domain) to decrease load on the backup proxy.
Since no application-aware processing is required for this backup job, click Next.
Configure a Schedule then click Apply.
In the Summary window, click Finish to save the backup job configuration.
Right click the just configured backup job and select Start to execute the backup immediately.
The backup is executed and completed successfully.
Veeam Backup & Replication configuration
To optimize performance, Veeam suggests the following configuration settings:
Global options
You may consider/evaluate to disable the Enable parallel processing option since it increases fragmentation in the backup files causing high random read during restore operations affecting negatively the performance.
Job options
Enable inline data deduplication should be disabled since EMC Data Domain has already valid deduplication and compression capabilities.
Storage optimization set to Local target (16TB+ backup files) improves Data Domain’s deduplication process with better performance.
Repository option
Decompress backup data block before storing should be enabled to avoid high load and slow backup jobs.
Use per-VM backup files should be enabled since improves writing and reading data from the EMC Data Domain appliance.
Backup mode
The Reverse Incremental backup mode (it generates high random I/O) can't be used in a backup job if a DDBoost repository has been configured. An error message will be displayed.
Check out KB 1956 for best practices and performance expectations.
