Veeam Snapshot Hunter

Rick Vanover’s presentation on Veeam’s new Snapshot Hunter feature, recorded on October 16, 2014, delves into the necessity and functionality of this tool. Vanover begins by explaining the common issues faced in VMware environments, particularly when backup processes do not go as planned. He highlights that Veeam leverages vSphere APIs for data protection, but sometimes these APIs fail to complete tasks, leading to what is known as a “false report of success.” This issue can result in orphan snapshots that are invisible in the VMware console, causing significant problems like data store crashes due to space exhaustion. Snapshot Hunter was developed to address these issues by identifying and consolidating stuck snapshots, thereby preventing these invisible snapshots from causing long-term problems.

Vanover elaborates on how Snapshot Hunter operates by continuously checking the data store for snapshot file types and attempting to remove them if they are found. This process is automated and runs in the background at the end of every backup job, ensuring that even if vSphere reports a successful snapshot removal, Snapshot Hunter will verify and take corrective action if necessary. The feature is designed to be seamless and requires no additional setup from the user, making it a robust safeguard against the common issue of orphan snapshots. By following a sequence of commands similar to those used by Veeam’s support team, Snapshot Hunter can effectively manage and resolve these issues without user intervention.

The presentation also touches on the broader implications of Snapshot Hunter for businesses that rely on continuous data protection. Vanover emphasizes that features like Snapshot Hunter and Backup IO Control are essential for maintaining the performance and reliability of backup operations. These tools help ensure that businesses can take backups without fear of encountering significant issues, thereby supporting the “always on” business model. The feature is included in all editions of Veeam’s version eight, making it accessible to a wide range of users and providing a critical layer of protection that can prevent performance degradation and data loss due to orphan snapshots.