Procedure to split Veeam Backup & Replication Server and Veeam Cloud Connect Server

In the situation where the same Veeam Server is used to serve both Backup and Replication services, and Veeam Cloud Connect, Veeam is requiring service providers to split these two services into two distinct Veeam servers.

As Veeam Cloud Connect services, especially Replication, involves more components and even more external connections from tenants, the following procedure is designed to keep the existing VBR (Veeam Backup & Replication) server as the Veeam Cloud Connect management platform, and to create a second server to become responsible for the other services.  This also applies to WAN accelerators, Backup Repositories, and Backup Proxies that are managed by the respective Veeam Backup Server. 

Note: This does not apply if you are only using Veeam Cloud Connect for Veeam Managed Backup Portal.

1.    Prepare the new backup server according to the system requirements. The new backup server must run the same product version as the existing server does, in regards of both major version and updates.

Note: The previous backup server and the new backup server must not be registered under the same Enterprise Manager. Consider using separate ones, instead.  If backup encryption is enabled, export keyset from the existing Enterprise Manager to the new Enterprise Manager:

https://helpcenter.veeam.com/backup/em/em_export_import_keys.html

2.    Declare maintenance windows for backup, replication, restore and failover operations and Veeam Cloud Connect service.

Note: During maintenance window tenants might lose access to different services.
 
3.    Stop and disable all jobs on the existing backup server.

4.    Block access to both the existing and the new backup servers from the internet.

5.    Create encrypted configuration backup of the existing backup server: https://helpcenter.veeam.com/backup/vsphere/config_backup_encrypted.html

Note: Encryption is mandatory! Without encryption enabled for configuration backup,  Cloud Connect tenant credentials as well as managed server credentials will be lost.

6.    Close backup console and stop all Veeam specific services (“Veeam*” can be used for convenience) on the existing backup server.

7.    Transfer the configuration backup to the new backup server.

8.    Disconnect the new backup server from the network.

9.    Restore the configuration backup to the new backup server using Migration Mode: https://helpcenter.veeam.com/backup/vsphere/vbr_config_migrate.html

Once the restore is completed, logon to the new server to verify it functions correctly and all jobs have been restored correctly.

Note: If on the existing backup server there are backup jobs that have guest indexing enabled, and you want to preserve guest indexes, follow the procedure described below:

•    On both existing and new backup servers stop Veeam Guest Catalog Service
•    Copy VBRCatalog folder from the existing backup server to the new backup server. Check the corresponding path in registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Veeam\Veeam Backup Catalog\CatalogPath

Default file path: C:\VBRCatalog

10.    On the new backup server remove:

•    all cloud gateways
•    Cloud Connect tenants that are subscribed only to backup resources
•    WAN Accelerators that are not used by local backup and replication jobs

Note: Cloud Connect tenants subscribed only to replication resources or to both backup and replication resources cannot be removed.

WAN Accelerators that have been used in Cloud Connect tenants’ replication jobs cannot be removed. If needed, WAN Accelerator components can be removed manually via Windows Add/Remove programs.

11.    On the new backup server install new non Cloud Connect license.

Note: Once a new license is installed, the Cloud Connect node should automatically disappear along with unremoved Cloud Connect components, if any is left after previous step.

12.    Connect the new backup server to network.

13.    If you have any backups stored on the existing backup server locally, move them to the new backup server: https://www.veeam.com/kb1729

Note: Move only backups created by you; Cloud Connect tenants’ backups should stay intact.

14.    Start all Veeam specific services (“Veeam*” can be used for convenience) on the existing backup server.

15.    Re-enable internet access on the existing backup server.

16.    Enable and test all jobs on the new backup server.

17.    Delete all jobs from the existing backup server.

18.    Perform “Remove from configuration” operation on local backups and replicas on the existing backup server.

Note: Do not use “Delete from Disk” option.

Note: If the existing backup server has been used as a target by one or several Veeam Endpoint Backups, update backup server name on them to reflect IP address or DNS name of the new backup server.

19.    On the existing backup server install new Cloud Connect only license.