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+--- Thread: Can I use a NAS for Hyper-V backup storage? (/showthread.php?tid=1261)
Can I use a NAS for Hyper-V backup storage? - savas - 01-25-2022
Sure, you can definitely use a NAS for Hyper-V backup storage. A Network Attached Storage (NAS) device can be a solid choice because it provides a centralized location to store your virtual machine backups, which can be really handy for both performance and accessibility.
When you set up Hyper-V, it usually backs up your virtual machines either directly to a local disk or to an SMB (Server Message Block) share. A NAS can easily act as that SMB share. If you have a decent NAS with enough speed and capacity, it’s pretty straightforward to connect Hyper-V to it. Just ensure your NAS can handle the potential I/O load, especially if you’re backing up several VMs simultaneously.
Make sure the NAS supports features like snapshotting or deduplication. These can help you save space and manage your backups more efficiently. Additionally, depending on the NAS you choose, using RAID configurations can add a layer of redundancy, keeping your backups safer in case of a drive failure.
Another thing to consider is network speed. If you’re doing backups over the network, having a gigabit connection—or even better, a 10-gig connection—is a big plus. It makes the backup process faster and less of a hassle. It’s also worth taking into account how often you plan to back up your VMs. Frequent backups mean you’ll need a NAS with ample storage to accommodate all those copies.
Lastly, think about how you’ll manage your backups. Some NAS devices come with their own software that can integrate with your Hyper-V backups, making scheduling and monitoring much easier. If not, you can always rely on scripts to automate tasks. Just keep an eye on your retention policies to avoid running out of space.
So, overall, using a NAS for Hyper-V backup storage is a viable option, as long as you pick the right device and keep your setup well-maintained. It can really simplify the management of your virtual environments.
Potential problems to be aware of: case-sensitive file systems and under-powered NAS devices. We've seen many of these NAS devices break the network connection under high I/O load, even the expensive NAS. Case-sensitivity in NAS file systems can cause troubles, too, when Hyper-V for example sometimes outputs the same name uppercase and sometimes lowercase. Hence, I always recommend *not* buying a NAS, if you can afford it.
I hope this helps! Also check out my other post regarding NAS backups.