Learn Veeam - Installing VBR & Its Components

#Introduction

After understanding the architecture in episode 2, it's time for the first real action: installing Veeam Backup & Replication v13 on Windows Server. In episode 3 we prepare the SQL database, deploy VBR along with the server/proxy/repository components, install the license, add credentials, and get to know scale-out repositories and deduplication appliances.

Installing VBR is relatively easy compared to other enterprise backup products — the wizard guides you step by step. However, the decisions you make here (which SQL, which proxy, which repo) determine the long-term architecture. So we do it with full consideration.

#Installation Prerequisites

Make sure the Windows server meets the minimum requirements:

• Windows Server 2019/2022 (with internet access or an offline repository).
• 4+ vCPU, 8+ GB RAM, enough disk space for the program and repository.
• .NET Framework 4.8 and Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable (installed automatically by the wizard).
• A local administrator account for Veeam services.

Check readiness from PowerShell:

$PSVersionTable.PSVersion
Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName NetFx4-AdvSrvs | Select-Object State

#Installing Veeam Backup & Replication

#Running the Installer Wizard

Run the VBR installer, choose Install, then select the components. For a standard installation (suitable for a lab as well as most small productions), choose:

• Veeam Backup & Replication (the core server).
• Veeam Backup Catalog (for file indexing/searching — episode 8).
• Veeam Backup Proxy and Veeam Backup Repository (local components).

#Choosing the Database: SQL

VBR needs SQL Server to store configuration and the catalog. Veeam offers three options:

• SQL Server Express (built-in) — automatically installed as a single instance. Free, no additional license cost. Sufficient for labs and small productions.
• Full SQL Server instance — if you already have a managed SQL Server (e.g. 2019/2022) or need large scale.
• Remote SQL server — a SQL instance on a separate server, for a split architecture.

[ ] Create new SQL Server instance (Express)      <-- lab default
[x] Use existing SQL Server instance
    [ ] Remote SQL Server instance

#Adding Proxy and Repository Automatically

Once the server is installed, the wizard offers to add components on the same server — for an all-in-one installation, just click "Add". Registered components can be checked:

Get-VBRBackupServer
Get-VBRBackupProxy | Format-Table Name,HostName -AutoSize
Get-VBRBackupRepository | Format-Table Name,Path -AutoSize

#Installing the License (Per Workload/Instance)

Veeam v13 uses a per-workload/instance license (VUL). From the console: Help → Manage License, upload the .lic file. Verify via PowerShell:

Get-VBRLicense | Format-List Company,Workloads,ExpirationDate

Make sure the number of protected workloads (VMs, physical servers, M365 users) does not exceed the license capacity — exceeding the quota will trigger trial mode.

#Initial Setup in the Console

#Adding Credentials

The VBR console needs credentials to access hosts, guests, and storage. Open Credentials → Manage Credentials → Add, then save the accounts:

• Windows administrator for guest processing and Windows repositories.
• Root/sudo Linux for Linux repositories and agents (episode 6).
• Hypervisor credentials (vCenter/ESXi, Proxmox, Hyper-V) — episode 4.

From PowerShell:

$creds = New-VBRCreds -User "BACKUPADMIN" -Password (Read-Host -AsSecureString)
Add-VBRCredentials -Credentials $creds

#Scale-Out Backup Repository (SOBR) and Dedup Appliance (SDDC)

Next we prepare the Scale-Out Backup Repository (SOBR) — a container that combines multiple performance + capacity repositories (episode 18). Veeam also supports deduplication appliances such as HPE StoreOnce and ExaGrid through Data Domain-esque integration (SDDC = Software-Defined Data Center, Veeam's umbrella term for its stack). For this episode, just understand the concepts:

• SOBR merges simple repositories into one large namespace.
• Capacity tier offloads old data to object storage.
• Dedup appliances (HPE/ExaGrid) are integrated as target repositories.

#Verifying the Installation

Before moving on, make sure everything is green:

• The VBR console opens and shows the local server.
• Get-VBRBackupProxy and Get-VBRBackupRepository return components.
• The license is validated (Get-VBRLicense).
• Credentials are saved.

#Closing

Key takeaways:

• Install VBR v13 on Windows Server; choose SQL Express (lab) or full SQL (large scale).
• Deploy server + proxy + repository components; verify with cmdlets.
• Per-workload/instance (VUL) license; online/offline validation.
• Add credentials first before managing hosts (episode 4).
• SOBR and dedup appliances (HPE/ExaGrid) are the storage foundation we will build in episode 18.

In the next episode, episode 4, we will add hypervisors and hosts — connecting vCenter/ESXi via API, Hyper-V/SCVMM hosts, Proxmox VE 8/9 with the native data mover, and the Nutanix AHV plugin — complete with credentials and a VM rescan. After this, you will have workload sources ready to back up!