How to migrate Veeam Backup & Replication or Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager
Veeam Backup & Replication Migration
Details regarding Veeam Backup & Replication migration are now fully documented in the product user guide.
Please review the following documentation:
Other Migration Types:
- Migrating Veeam Backup & Replication Configuration Database to Another SQL Server
- Migrating Veeam Backup & Replication Configuration Database to PostgreSQL Server
- How to Move Veeam Backup & Replication Backup Files
Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager Migration
Migration Terminology Clarification
This article documents migration by moving the Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager software or its configuration database to a different machine. The migration procedures in this article are intended only for moving from and to the same database engine. For information about migrating the Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager configuration database from Microsoft SQL to PostgreSQL, please review KB4409.
Impact of changes in Veeam Backup & Replication/Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager 12
Starting with Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager 12, the installer automatically deploys and uses PostgreSQL. It is possible to customize the installer settings to use an existing Microsoft SQL Instance, but the installer no longer has the option to deploy a new Microsoft SQL Express Instance.
Review the following Limitations & Considerations before migrating Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager 12 or newer to a different machine:
- The database engine (Microsoft SQL or PostgreSQL) used by Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager and all Veeam Backup & Replication servers it manages must match.
- If you are migrating Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager to a new server, and the old Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager install was using Microsoft SQL, you must manually install Microsoft SQL Express on that new machine. During the installation, customize the Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager installer settings to use that SQL Instance. Failure to select an existing Microsoft SQL Instance during the installation will cause the Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager installer to deploy PostgreSQL, causing that new deployment of Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager to be unable to manage the Veeam Backup & Replication servers that are still using Microsoft SQL.
- If you want to use an existing PostgreSQL instance, you must ensure that that instance can use sufficient resources. For more information, see Configuring PostgreSQL Instance.
- If Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager is storing its configuration database on a Microsoft SQL Instance, you must ensure that if you deploy a new Veeam Backup & Replication server, it too must use Microsoft SQL. Failure to match the database engine will prevent Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager from managing that Veeam Backup & Replication server.
Expand the section below that best matches the type of Migration needed:
Migrate Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager and its Configuration Database
Do Not Proceed If
Under the following circumstances, you must contact Veeam Support for assistance with migrating the Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager software:
- If version 12.0 of Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager is installed and the mail server settings are configured.
or - If version 12.1 of Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager is installed.
Moving Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager Will Necessitate Reentering Credentials
Credentials and keysets are encrypted in the configuration database in such a way that they become invalid if the Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager software is moved. Therefore, if you plan to move the Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager to a different machine, you must first export keysets and be ready to re-enter all credentials for connections to Veeam Backup & Replication servers managed by Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager. However, if you only relocate the Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager configuration database, the credentials and keysets will remain valid.
Use case examples:
- Veeam Backup & Replication and Backup Enterprise Manager were installed on the same machine, and you want to move Backup Enterprise Manager off to its own server.
- You want to move Backup Enterprise Manager and its configuration database to a new server.
- Export all Keysets from the old Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager web console. Take note of which keyset was Active
- Stop the following services on the old Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager server.
- Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager
- Veeam Guest Catalog Service
- Veeam RESTful API Service
- Back up the old Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager configuration database.
Refer to: KB1471: How to Manually Back up Veeam Configuration Databases - Uninstall Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager from the old server.
- If Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager was installed on the same server as Veeam Backup & Replication, at this point, all Veeam services on the old server may be started.
- Install Backup Enterprise Manager on the new server.
Critical Note: If the old Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager server was hosting the configuration database on Microsoft SQL, and you are installing Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager v12 or newer, you must select the "Customize settings" option during installation and specify an existing Microsoft SQL Instance. If there is not an existing Microsoft SQL Instance on the machine where you are migrating Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager to, you must install Microsoft SQL Express yourself. - Stop the following services on the new Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager server.
- Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager
- Veeam Guest Catalog Service
- Veeam RESTful API Service
- Restore the backup of the old VeeamBackupReporting database over the new database created during the installation of Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager
- If the configuration database was hosted on Microsoft SQL, use SSMS to restore the backup.
Note: Enable "Overwrite the existing database" in the Restore Database > Options menu of SSMS - If the configuration database was hosted on PostgreSQL, we recommend using pgAdmin to restore the backup.
Note: Enable "Clean before restore" in the Options tab of the Restore Dialog.
- If the configuration database was hosted on Microsoft SQL, use SSMS to restore the backup.
- Using the dbconfig tool on the new server, reconfigure Backup Enterprise Manager to use the restored database. The tool will prompt stating that the database is in use by the old Backup Enterprise Manager server. Select Yes to update the database ownership to the new server.
- Launch the Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager web console and update passwords for each connected Veeam Backup & Replication server. Reference Veeam KB1900 for information about password locations to update in Backup Enterprise Manager.
- At this point in the migration, there will be keysets visible in the Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager web console, but they are invalid. You must do the following to replace each keyset:
- Import Keyset(s) from the old Backup Enterprise Manager server.
- Set whichever keyset was Active in the old Backup Enterprise Manager console to be Active.
- Delete the corresponding invalid keyset that was replaced by the import process.
(Optional) Compare the following registry keys on the old and new Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager servers to identify if there are any custom registry values that need to be brought to the new Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager server.
- HKLM\SOFTWARE\Veeam\Veeam Backup Catalog
- HKLM\SOFTWARE\Veeam\Veeam Backup Reporting
Migrate the Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager configuration database to an existing SQL Instance but keep the software in place.
Use case example:
- You want to keep Backup Enterprise Manager installed where it is, but shift from using the default local SQL instance to a dedicated SQL server's instance. (SQL Requirements | Permissions Requirements)
- Stop the following services on the Backup Enterprise Manager server.
- Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager
- Veeam Guest Catalog Service
- Veeam RESTful API Service
- Back up the old Backup Enterprise Manager configuration database (VeeamBackupReporting).
- Restore the backup of the old VeeamBackupReporting database to the new SQL\PGSQL server.
- For Microsoft SQL, use SSMS to restore the backup.
- For PostgreSQL, we recommend using pgAdmin to restore the backup.
If you want to use an existing PostgreSQL instance, ensure that the instance can use sufficient resources. For more information, see Configuring PostgreSQL Instance.
- For Microsoft SQL, use SSMS to restore the backup.
- This step can be skipped if native SQL\PostgreSQL authentication will be used for the remote connection.
If the database was restored to a Microsoft SQL instance that uses Windows Authentication or a PostgreSQL server that utilizes GSSAPI Authentication, the services associated with Enterprise Manager must be configured to 'Log on as' using an account that has the appropriate permissions to connect to the Microsoft SQL or PostgreSQL server. Below are the services that must be modified, before continuing to the next step:- Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager
- Veeam Guest Catalog Service
- Veeam RESTful API Service
- Using the dbconfig tool reconfigure Backup Enterprise Manager to use the restored database.
- Start all Veeam services on the Backup Enterprise Manager server.
If you have any issue during the migration of Backup Enterprise Manager, create a support case and include logs from
%programdata%\Veeam\Setup\Temp
To submit feedback regarding this article, please click this link: Send Article Feedback
To report a typo on this page, highlight the typo with your mouse and press CTRL + Enter.
To report a typo on this page, highlight the typo with your mouse and press CTRL + Enter.