Workflow Guide

As with any Veeam File Share backup, one can backup to a local disk repository, a network share and/or native S3 storage (including on-premise, AWS, GCP and more). 

Steps

In this example, we will complete the following steps:

1. Configure a backup of a LucidLink Filespace
2. Use a local direct attached disk volume as our backup repository
3. Restore to an on-premises NAS appliance

Configuration Steps

First, we will mount the LucidLink Filespace as a UNC path on the Windows OS Veeam Backup Server in the LucidLink Control Panel. This can be done by either a LucidLink administrator or LucidLink standard user account who has read access to the data that is to be backed up. 

The UNC path can be whatever name you wish. In our example, we will use \\LucidLink\Filespace . 

Connect to the filespace

Set the filespace mount point within a command prompt to use a UNC path.

lucid3 config --local --set --FileSystem.MountPointWindows \\LucidLink\Filespace

Disconnect and reconnect to the filespace using the LucidLink application.

Once you have reconnected to the Filespace, the Filespace will be mounted as a network share.

In the Veeam Console, we will now add a Backup Repository to our direct attached storage if you haven’t any backup repositories already.

In Backup Infrastructure, choose “Backup Repositories” and then select “Direct attached storage”.

For this example, we’ll name our Backup Repository, “LocalDiskRepository”.

Select “Populate” and then the desired volume that will be used. In this example, we’ll select the F: drive. 

For the path, we’ll enter F:\LucidLinkFilespaceBackups and then select “Next”. 

If you receive this prompt, you can select “Yes” to proceed. 

We’ll leave the defaults for our example and select “Next”. 

Select “Apply”. 

After the following processing is complete, select “Next”. 

Select “Finish”. 

You have successfully configured a Veeam Backup Repository. 

Next, go to Home, right click on Jobs, select Backup and then select “File share…” to create a new file share backup job. 

You will then be prompted to “Add at least one file share first”. Click “Yes”. 

On this screen, select “File share”. 

Enter in the UNC path for our LucidLink Filespace. (i.e. \\LucidLink\Filespace )

Sels

Select “Apply”. 

After processing, select “Next”. 

Select “Finish”.

Now, we will be prompted to name our backup job for the LucidLink Filespace. Here we’ll enter “LucidLink Filespace Backup Job” for our example and select “Next”. 

Here, we can select to backup the entire Filespace by selecting the root level (i.e. \\LucidLink\Filespace ).

Or, we can choose to backup only certain folders and/or files. Each folder or file we select to be backed up will be a single object. 

When done, select “Next”. 

Here, you can select your backup retention and even additional Backup Repositories (i.e. locations). In our example here, we will choose the defaults. When done, select “Next”. 

This screen provides you with the ability to configure long-term archives for your backups in the Backup Repository of your choice. 

For our example, we will skip this step for simplicity and select “Next”. 

Here, we will select how often to run our backups. In our example we will run every hour. 

When done, select “Apply”. 

You will then be provided with a summary of your backup job. In our example, we’ve chosen to run the backup immediately after clicking “Finish”. The first backup will be a full backup of the objects we’ve chosen to backup in our Filespace. Subsequent backups will be incrementals. 

Our backups will run hourly as scheduled. For our example, we’ll do a restore to an on-premises NAS appliance. 

Navigate to Home -> Backups -> Disk, click on the backup job name, right click on the Filespace mount point and select “Entire file share…”. 

Highlight on the restore point of choice and select “Next”.  In this example, we only have one showing since only one backup has been run thus far since we’ve configured it.

Here, we’ll select “This server:” and then click “Add”. 

Here, we’ll select “File share”.

Here, select “SMB share”. 

Since we are restoring to a local on-prem NAS appliance, we will enter the UNC path to that appliance. (i.e. \\LocalNAS\Filespace )

Click “Apply”.

Some processing will occur, and when complete, click “Next”. 

You will be presented with a summary of the creation of the SMB share restore point which we will use. Click “Finish”. 

Note that now our NAS appliance’s UNC path populates the restore location.  

Click “Add”. 

For our example, we will select the defaults and click “Next”. 

You will be presented with a summary screen. Select “Finish”. 

The log screen in the Restore Session will show you the real-time progress of the restore and when it has successfully been completed. 

Click “Close”. 

On the Veeam Windows machine, we can then see and test our LucidLink Filespace data that has been restored from backup. 

Also note that one can run LucidLink as a service to ensure the mount point of the Filespace as a UNC path has persistence on reboots. To run LucidLink as a Windows service, see the following KB:  LucidLink as a Windows Service