# Configuring multi-region backups for VMs

To protect VMs that run in multiple regions while controlling egress costs, use multi-region backup plan and restrict cross-region backups. With this configuration, if Commvault detects that a backup would move data from one region to another, the backup job fails.

## Supported hypervisors

- Amazon EC2

- Azure Virtual Machines

- Google Compute Engine

- VMware vSphere

## Requirements and limitations

- Each region that you include in the multi-region backup plan must have an access node configured in it.

  To view the access nodes that are associated with a region, from the Command Center navigation pane, go to Manage > Regions, and then click the Server tab.

- This configuration applies to regions that are automatically detected from the cloud provider (such as Azure and AWS) or hypervisor.

  If you use custom regions that you created manually, additional configuration is required.

## Workload-specific considerations for the backup plan

Use the following guidance when you add snapshot copies, backup copies, and retention rules.

Amazon EC2

Before you configure multi-region backups and before you disable multi-region backups, verify that each snapshot backup for each affected hypervisor has a corresponding backup copy.

To verify that each snapshot backup has a backup copy:

1. Go to Protect > Virtualization.

2. On the Hypervisors tab, select the hypervisor.

3. On the Jobs tab, click All, then filter the Operation column to show only VM Admin Job (Snap Backup) jobs.

4. If a snap backup job shows N/A for Backup copy job ID, that snapshot backup doesn't have a corresponding backup copy.

Azure VMs

To avoid unintentional cross-region backups (which can incur egress charges), if you add a snapshot copy, also add a backup copy.

Google Cloud VMs

To avoid unintentional cross-region backups (which can incur egress charges), if you add a snapshot copy, also add a backup copy.

VMware vSphere VMs

When you restrict cross-region backups for on-premises VMware vSphere VMs, IntelliSnap isn’t supported with a multi-region backup plan assigned to a VM group. Use streaming backups.

If you want all VMs in a VM group to be retained and pruned according to the same settings, use consistent retention rules across regions for each destination type (primary, snapshot, and backup copy).

## Create a multi-region backup plan

Create a backup plan that includes all the regions where your VMs run.

1. From the Command Center navigation pane, go to Manage > Plans.

2. Click Create plan, and then select Backup.

3. In the Create backup plan wizard, specify whether to create a new backup plan or to use an existing base plan.

4. In Plan name, enter a name for the backup plan, and then click Next.

5. On the Backup destinations page, click Add copy.

6. In the Add copy dialog box, enter a name for the backup destination, select the storage, configure retention, and then click Save.

   You can use the Air Gap Protect cool storage class for creating secondary copies, but not for creating primary copies.

7. Enable the Multi-region toggle, and then select the Region for the destination.

8. Optional: Add snapshot copies and backup copies for the region.

9. Click Add destinations for another region, and then repeat the destination steps for each additional region.

Use the following guidance when you add snapshot copies, backup copies, and retention rules.

Amazon EC2

Before you configure multi-region backups and before you disable multi-region backups, verify that each snapshot backup for each affected hypervisor has a corresponding backup copy.

To verify that each snapshot backup has a backup copy:

1. From the Command Center navigation pane, go to Protect > Virtual machines..

2. On the Hypervisors tab, select the hypervisor.

3. On the Jobs tab, click All, then filter the Operation column to show only VM Admin Job(Snap Backup) jobs.

4. If a snap backup job shows N/A for Backup copy job ID, that snapshot backup doesn't have a corresponding backup copy.

Azure VMs

To avoid unintentional cross-region backups (which can incur egress charges), if you add a snapshot copy, also add a backup copy.

Google Cloud VMs

To avoid unintentional cross-region backups (which can incur egress charges), if you add a snapshot copy, also add a backup copy.

VMware vSphere VMs

When you restrict cross-region backups for on-premises VMware vSphere VMs, IntelliSnap isn’t supported with a multi-region backup plan assigned to a VM group. Use streaming backups.

If you want all VMs in a VM group to be retained and pruned according to the same settings, use consistent retention rules across regions for each destination type (primary, snapshot, and backup copy).

## Assign the plan to VM groups

Assign the multi-region backup plan to each VM group that contains VMs that you want to protect.

1. From the Command Center navigation pane, go to Protect > Virtual machines.

2. On the VM groups tab, select the VM group.

3. In the Summary section, for Plan, click the edit button, select the multi-region backup plan, and then click Submit.

## Restrict cross-region backups for hypervisors

To prevent backups that move data across automatically detected cloud or hypervisor regions, restrict cross-region backups for each hypervisor.

1. From the Command Center navigation pane, go to Protect > Virtual machines.

2. On the Hypervisors tab, select the hypervisor.

3. On the Configuration tab, enable the Restrict cross-region backups toggle key.

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