Veeam PN can be used as a VPN for DR access for Veeam Cloud Connect.
In this guide, I will walk through the steps to download, install and configure the appliance. It will then be replicated to your Veeam Cloud Connect provider and pre-configured by YOU, ready for any failovers. This is a four-step guide, with a new document published every week.
Depending on your environment (VMware / Hyper-V), this process to import the appliance will be a little different. I will demonstrate the process to import the appliance for both hypervisors, but will show the configuration on VMware.
Hyper-V Appliance Import
I will have shared a ZIP file with you containing the ‘vhdx’ required to build the appliance. Once you have downloaded the file onto your Hyper-V server, you are ready to begin.
The first step is to create a new VM. We will name it ‘VeeamHUB’ for this demonstration:
This VM should be configured with the following specifications:
- Generation 1
- 1024MB of RAM
- 1 virtual processor
- Connected to the same network as the VMs being replicated.
When it comes to connecting the ‘Virtual Hard Disk’, you should select ‘Use an existing virtual hard disk’ and select the VHDX, which was included in the ZIP file provided.
You are now done and the VM should boot as normal ready for the OS configuration.
VMware Appliance Import
The VMware appliance importation is simpler than the Hyper-V import. To begin with, save the .OVA file to an accessible part of your network. Once that is done, you can begin the import process. This can be done in the vSphere Web Client of the vSphere Client. For this demonstration, we will deploy the appliance through the normal vSphere Client.
First, select ‘File’ and the ‘Deploy OVF Template’
You can then browse to the location you saved the OVA file:
The name, host and cluster can be chosen by yourself. Once again, please ensure the Veeam PN appliance is located on the same network as the VMs you are replicating to the Veeam Cloud Connect platform. Once finished, please power on the appliance ready to begin the configuration.
Configuring Veeam PN appliance network settings
Once the appliance has booted, you can login with the default credentials. Once logged in, the first thing we need to change is the network settings.
This can be done by editing the ‘interfaces’ file using the following commands: vi/etc/network/interfaces. Once you are in the ‘Interfaces’ file, press ‘I’ to ‘insert’ and edit the file as follows:
Once you have finished editing the file press ‘Esc’ then ‘:wq!’ (To write the changes and quit) I find a reboot is required sometimes to confirm the network changes, implement if required.
Part two in this series will show how to configure the Veeam PN appliance portal settings.
If you’d like any assistance configuring your Veeam Cloud Connect solution, please contact the support team on 03453 888 327 or send us an email using the form below.