After setting up the AWS environment, the new tape infrastructure must be configured also in Veeam to take benefit of VTL to AWS feature.
Again, since the VTL solution emulates the on-premises physical tape device, you don't need to change anything in terms of infrastructure and processes.
Blog Series
Veeam 9.5 VTL to AWS Storage: setup AWS – pt.1
Veeam 9.5 VTL to AWS Storage: configure the Tape Backup Job – pt.2
Connect AWS Tape devices
The Backup to Tape process using VTL copies the data from the on-premises production storage to the AWS S3 Storage leaving the option to further move data to most cost-effective Glacier for long-retention purposes.
First step is to establish the connection with AWS tape drives. From Veeam Proxy Server open the iSCSI Initiator to connect the tape device in AWS. In the Targets tab, enter the appliance gateway IP address in the Target field then click on Quick Connect button.
A list of discovered devices is displayed in the Quick Connect window. Select the media changer device and click Connect.
The device has been connected successfully. Click Done to close the wizard.
First device is now connected to the Veeam Proxy Server.
Now proceed with the second device. Select the tape drive 1 then click Connect.
Click OK to establish the connection.
Repeat same procedure to connect all tape drives displayed in the Discovered targets list. Click OK when done.
Once all devices are connected, access the Veeam Proxy Server's Device Manager and expand the Tape drives item. Right cick the first device and select Properties.
Go to Driver tab and ensure the Driver Provider vendor is Microsoft. Click OK to close the window.
Configure Tape Server
Once the tape devices are connected, open the Veeam Server console, select the Tape Infrastructure tab and click Add Tape Server.
In the Choose server field enter the Veeam Proxy Server on which tape drives have been configured and click Next.
Click Next.
If not already present, Veeam tape components are installed in the selected server. Click Apply to proceed.
Components are being installed in the server. Click Next when the procedure has completed.
Enable the Start tape libraries inventory when I click Finish then click Finish to exit the wizard.
The AWS Gateway-VTL 0100 library is discovered and associated tape drives are displayed in the Drives area.
Create a new Media Pool
Now click on Add Media Pool to configure the media pool to use.
Enter a Name and optionally a Description then click Next.
Click Add button to select the tape to use then click OK.
The tape has been added to the new Media Pool. Enable the self explanatory option Add tapes from media pool automatically when more tapes are required then click Next.
Enter a Media set name and select a suitable option for automating the creation of new media set. Click Next.
Select the Never overwrite data as Data retention policy and click Next.
Here you can enable parallel processing and encryption. Select the options you need then click Apply.
Click Finish to create the new media pool.
The new media pool has been created and displayed in the Media Pools area.
Configure Tape Backup Job
Next step is the configuration of the tape backup job. Go to Backup & Replication tab, click Tape Job in the menu bar and select Backups option.
Enter the job Name and click Next.
Click Add button to select virtual machines to backup then click Next.
From the Media pool for full backups dropdown menu select the media pool to use then click Next.
Enable Archive incremental backups to tape option and select from the dropdown menu the media pool to store incremental backups. Click Next to continue.
Enable both Media automation options. Export current media set upon job completion option allows the automatic tape offload to Amazon S3 after backup job is completed. Click Next to continue.
Configure a backup Schedule and click Apply.
Click Finish to create the new Backup to Tape Job.
To start the backup job immediately, from Tape section under Job area right click the just created Backup to Tape job and select Start.
The backup job is executed.
When the backup job has completed successfully, click OK to exit the window.
Analyzing the available Tape backups, the selected virtual machines have been processed.
Looking at the AWS console, you can check in Tapes tab the tape currently used and the space consumed by the backup.
This solution allows the companies to get rid of physical tapes moving to a better cost-effective and scalable solution.
Did you have any issues where there was NO tape when you went to create the Media Pool? Everything was perfect until that step for me, but I see the tape in AWS, but not on Veeam. Any ideas?
I was able to get them to import by right clicking on the AWS Gateway-VTL and clicking import tapes. then my media came online.
Mike
I was missing them too, and this helped. Thank you!
Just a quick note: before moving to Create a new Media Pool step, you need to right click on the AWS Gateway VTL to import tapes that have been created on AWS site.