NAKIVO Backup & Replication 8.5

Paul Schnackenburg Mon, Jun 17 2019 backup, hyper‑v, virtualization, vmware 0

In October 2018, we looked at NAKIVO Backup & Replication 8.0; in this article, we'll dive into the new 8.5 version. Please have a look at the earlier review though—it covers how NAKIVO works, how to deploy it in large, complex networks, and how service providers can use it to provide backup as a service (BaaS).

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Paul Schnackenburg

Paul Schnackenburg works part time as an IT teacher as well as running his own business in Australia. He has MCSE, MCT, MCTS and MCITP certifications. Follow his blog TellITasITis.

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Contents of this article

Nutanix
Do-it-yourself backup appliance
Other enhancements
Conclusion

The 8.5 upgrade adds Nutanix Acropolis Hypervisor (AHV) support, the ability to create a backup appliance on FreeNAS, Windows Server 2019 support, and automatic updating. Perhaps the most interesting addition is being able to run it on a Raspberry Pi for a portable backup appliance. The feature that lets you replicate (for disaster recovery) from your backed-up virtual machines (VMs) is also very useful. Take a deep breath, and we'll dive in.

NAKIVO Backup & Replication main console

Nutanix ^

If you're using AHV on Nutanix's hyperconverged infrastructure, you can now use NAKIVO to back up AHV VMs. The backups use Nutanix Changed Region Tracking for fast incremental backups, and it's application aware for transactional consistent protection. Just like other platforms, Nutanix support offers network acceleration by compressing data sent between Transporters (NAKIVO-speak for a VM channeling backups from clusters to backup servers or appliances). It also offers bandwidth throttling for busy WAN links.

Backups are deduplicated and compressed; you can optionally encrypt them. Note that you need a Transporter to be running on the Nutanix cluster. Support for replication of Nutanix VMs isn't yet available.

Adding my Hyper V cluster to NAKIVO Backup & Replication

Do-it-yourself backup appliance ^

This new feature makes it possible for small-to-midsized businesses (SMBs)—and their service providers—to create a NAS-based backup appliance easily with a few clicks. Download FreeNAS and set it up on appropriate hardware:

16 GB+ boot device—SSD recommended
at least 8 GB of RAM
64-bit CPU
directly connected (non-RAID) disks

Then install NAKIVO from the app store in the FreeNAS web interface. It's the full version of NAKIVO, so you'll be able to protect Hyper-V, VMware, and Nutanix VMs, along with Amazon Web Services (AWS) Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) instances.

This new functionality is in addition to the support already present for Synology, QNAP, ASUSSTOR, Western Digital, and Netgear NAS devices in NAKIVO.

If a full-blown NAS isn't for you, another option is to install NAKIVO 8.5 on a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ with at least 1 GB (+250 MB per job) memory and 16 GB free space (although you're going want a bit more to store the backups). A blog post here covers the process and thinking behind it. It certainly is a very portable solution (especially if you use a 128+ GB flash disk for storage, but even a 2.5" 1 TB+ HDD is still easy to carry). Yet I don't think it is really a business-grade solution.

Creating a backup job

Other enhancements ^

You can run NAKIVO 8.5.2 on Windows Server 2019, but curiously there's no support yet for Hyper-V in Windows Server 2019 as a source platform. The automatic update feature is a nice addition; it means a button will show up in the UI when a newer version is available. Click this button, review the release notes, and click the Download & update button. It will automatically update the Director installation first and then any Transporters connected (up to 20 in each batch). After the update, the UI will report it as completed. To me, this shows another way NAKIVO is working to make management of backup and replication easy.

I really like the combination of backup and replication in the same product—it makes perfect sense and provides both types of protection against different risks to your workloads. Up until this version, however, that necessitated running two snapshot jobs on the source VMs, adding to the load on the Hyper-V or VMware hosts. New in this version—and probably the most important feature for larger NAKIVO customers—is the ability to run the replication from backed-up VMs. This should noticeably reduce the load on your host machines and is another sign of how I feel NAKIVO is approaching data protection—making it easy to deploy and maintain.

Version 8.5.2 also adds support for VMware vSphere 6.7 Update 2.

Retention policies for a backup job

Conclusion ^

This updated version adds useful features to an already strong backup solution. Combined with easy management and configuration along with broad platform support, this makes NAKIVO a robust choice for data protection. I wish they would add support for Azure VMs rather than just AWS, but we'll see what 9.0 brings.

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Michael C. Cook Sr. posted an update 6 hours, 42 minutes ago
I'm making some radical updates to this project 'Hybrid - Desired State Controller', wanted to showcase this GUI/networking module that will integrate the MDT/Image Factory/PSD Master project in addition to automating the configuration of IIS, DNS, DHCP, and Certificate based services.
It's still a long way from being complete, however, you can scope out the tool I made for Active Directory Domain Controller Promotion ( DCPromo ).

Project is located here.
https://github.com/mcc85s/PSD-Remaster
This is as PowerShell based/focused as it is a System Administration and Network Security Engineering. (putting my old school MCSE stuff to the test...)
Will have my website relaunched soon, probably with Blazor. If you haven't heard of Blazor... well, it's sort of like if a ninja had a baby with a viking. Takes 2 cool things like ASP.Net and Razor/WebAssembly, and makes it possible to do C# instead of Javascript. And... I think it's cool cause I don't like JS.
- MC
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TomH commented on Convert Windows Server 2019 Evaluation to the retail edition 9 hours, 13 minutes ago
Thanks for the reply. I'm reading of folks unable to do the in-place upgrade. And I've seen multiple examples of that, where they tried to do it, and it did not give them the option. Since I'm on, effectively, a trial copy of 2012R2, I think I fall into that category, where it will not allow me to upgrade from eval to eval.
The quote I get on one response was: You cannot in-place upgrade to a higher version of windows in any of these scenarios from licensed to evaluation, evaluation to licensed, evaluation to evaluation. That makes a kind of sense.
Again, thanks for the response. Time to reboot my mind and take a different approach.
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Vladan Seget commented on Convert Windows Server 2019 Evaluation to the retail edition 10 hours, 7 minutes ago
Good question, simply download an eval from Microsoft, and then apply the license number you've got when you bought the product.
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TomH commented on Convert Windows Server 2019 Evaluation to the retail edition 10 hours, 35 minutes ago
So if I want to do an in-place upgrade from 2012R2 to 2019, how do I download a copy of 2019 that does that? When I buy the 2019 license 16core, will that include the software or a link to download it?
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murat commented on 10 reasons for using PowerShell ISE instead of the PowerShell console 10 hours, 47 minutes ago
Guys does someone know why a module (PM1) works in ISE but not in the PS Console.
Its a little script what I wrote to logon on 365 what write the credentials in the registry.
Don't get error messages.
Strange thing is that the same script works within the console when I save it as PS1.
So not working as PM1 but as PS1 no problem.
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Alon Or commented on Install fonts with a PowerShell script 10 hours, 47 minutes ago

I use the following code to install Fonts on remote PCs, no need to logoff or reboot. Tested on 1909.

#Computers to install fonts to
$ComputerArray = @("Pc1","Pc2","Pc3")
#A Share containing only the fonts you want to install
$FontDir="FileServerSharesHelpdeskSpecialFonts"
#Wil be created on remote Pc if not exists, fonts will be copied here and deleted after install.
$PcStagingDir="c:tools"

foreach ($pc in $ComputerArray) {
If((Test-Connection -ComputerName  $pc -Count  1 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) -and ($Winrmstatus=Test-WSMan -ComputerName $pc -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
$RemotePcStagingDir = "$pc$($PcStagingDir.replace(':','$'))"
$DisabledSvcs=@()
$ServiceName = @("WinRM")
foreach ($svc in $ServiceName) {
        $i=0
        while(((Get-Service -ComputerName $pc -Name $svc -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).status -ne "Running")-and($i -lt 10)){
            if((Get-Service -ComputerName $pc -Name $svc -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).StartType -eq "Disabled"){
            Write-Host "Try $i , Setting service $svc StartType to Manual on $pc ..."
            $DisabledSvcs+=$svc
            Set-Service -ComputerName $pc -Name $svc -StartupType Manual -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue}
        Write-Host "Try $i / 10 , Starting $svc Service on $pc ..."
        $commandz="sc "+$pc +" Start "+$svc
        & cmd.exe /c $commandz | Out-Null
        $i++
        sleep 3}
        if($i -ge 10){break}
    }
if($i -ge 10){Write-Host "Could NOT start service $svc, Skipping Computer $pc" -ForegroundColor Red}else{
if ( -not (Test-Path -Path $RemotePcStagingDir)){New-Item -Path $RemotePcStagingDir -ItemType Directory -Force}
$RemoteWinDir=Invoke-Command -ComputerName $pc -ScriptBlock {return $env:windir}
foreach($FontFile in (Get-ChildItem -file -path $FontDir)){
    if(-not(Test-Path "$pc$($RemoteWinDir.replace(':','$'))Fonts$FontFile")){
        Copy-Item "$FontDir$FontFile" -Destination $RemotePcStagingDir -Force
        Invoke-Command -ComputerName $pc -ScriptBlock {
       $filePath="$using:PcStagingDir$using:FontFile"
       $fontRegistryPath = "HKLM:SOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionFonts"
       $fontsFolderPath = "$($env:windir)fonts"
    # Create hashtable containing valid font file extensions and text to append to Registry entry name.
    $hashFontFileTypes = @{}
    $hashFontFileTypes.Add(".fon", "")
    $hashFontFileTypes.Add(".fnt", "")
    $hashFontFileTypes.Add(".ttf", " (TrueType)")
    $hashFontFileTypes.Add(".ttc", " (TrueType)")
    $hashFontFileTypes.Add(".otf", " (OpenType)")
    try
    {
        [string]$filePath = (Get-Item $filePath).FullName
        [string]$fileDir  = split-path $filePath
        [string]$fileName = split-path $filePath -leaf
        [string]$fileExt = (Get-Item $filePath).extension
        [string]$fileBaseName = $fileName -replace($fileExt ,"")

        $shell = new-object -com shell.application
        $myFolder = $shell.Namespace($fileDir)
        $fileobj = $myFolder.Items().Item($fileName)
        $fontName = $myFolder.GetDetailsOf($fileobj,21)
        
        if ($fontName -eq "") { $fontName = $fileBaseName }

        copy-item $filePath -destination $fontsFolderPath

        $fontFinalPath = Join-Path $fontsFolderPath $fileName
        if (-not($hashFontFileTypes.ContainsKey($fileExt))){Write-Host "File Extension Unsupported";$retVal = 0}
        if ($retVal -eq 0) {
            Write-Host "Font `'$($filePath)`'`' installation failed on $env:computername" -ForegroundColor Red
            Write-Host ""
            1
        }
        
        else
        {
            Set-ItemProperty -path "$($fontRegistryPath)" -name "$($fontName)$($hashFontFileTypes.$fileExt)" -value "$($fileName)" -type STRING
            Write-Host "Font `'$($filePath)`' $fontName $($hashFontFileTypes.$fileExt) installed successfully on $env:computername" -ForegroundColor Green
        }

    }
    catch
    {
        Write-Host "An error occured installing `'$($filePath)`' on $env:computername" -ForegroundColor Red
        Write-Host "$($error[0].ToString())" -ForegroundColor Red
        $error.clear()
    }
    }
     }
     Remove-Item "$RemotePcStagingDir$FontFile" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
foreach($DisabledSvc in $DisabledSvcs){
    Write-Host "Setting service $DisabledSvc StartType to Disabled on $pc ..."
    Set-Service -ComputerName $pc -Name $DisabledSvc -StartupType Disabled -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    $commandz="sc "+$pc +" Stop "+$DisabledSvc
    & cmd.exe /c $commandz | Out-Null
}
}else{if($Winrmstatus){Write-Host "No Connection to Remote Pc $pc" -ForegroundColor Red}Else{Write-Host "No Connection to WinRM service on Remote Pc $pc" -ForegroundColor Red}}
}

tmack liked Using PowerShell type accelerators. (So far, This post has 5 likes) 11 hours, 15 minutes ago
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Swapnil Kambli commented on Manage Azure role-based access control with PowerShell 11 hours, 16 minutes ago
here is an example for creating custom role
$role = [Microsoft.Azure.Commands.Resources.Models.Authorization.PSRoleDefinition]::new()$role.Name = 'custom access role'$role.Description = 'custom role.'$role.IsCustom = $true$perms = 'Microsoft.Network/networkInterfaces/read','Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/read'$role.Actions = $perms$subs = '/subscriptions/hjhjhjhjhjhjhjhjh'$role.AssignableScopes = $subsNew-AzRoleDefinition -Role $role
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Paolo Maffezzoli replied to the topic Issue posting news in Community Forum 13 hours, 56 minutes ago
From the last few days it takes more time than usual.
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Michael Pietroforte replied to the topic Issue posting news in Community Forum 14 hours, 33 minutes ago
Since when do you experience this problem?
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Paul Schnackenburg

Latest posts by Paul Schnackenburg (see all)

Nutanix ^

Do-it-yourself backup appliance ^

Other enhancements ^

Conclusion ^

Leave a reply Click here to cancel the reply

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NAKIVO Backup & Replication 8.5

Paul Schnackenburg

Latest posts by Paul Schnackenburg (see all)

Nutanix ^

Do-it-yourself backup appliance ^

Other enhancements ^

Conclusion ^

Leave a reply Click here to cancel the reply

Follow 4sysops

Subscribe to post notfications

Leaderboards

Reviews

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