Proxmox Backup Server concept

[nmue]

I have a question concerning the Proxmox Backup Server and how to set it up.

My setup is a server wit PVE installed with a direct access to the hardware magnet tape loader. I just now realized that PVE doesn't directly support magnet tape backups but only through PBS. Does the PBS vm/bare metal need to be directly attached to the magnet tape or is it possible to use it if the PVE is attached to it?

 

[oguz]

hi,

it's also possible to install PBS directly on top of PVE [0] by adding the package repositories [1]. you should then be able to directly use the tape loaders from PBS

[0]: https://pbs.proxmox.com/docs/installation.html#install-proxmox-backup-server-on-proxmox-ve
[1]: https://pbs.proxmox.com/docs/package-repositories.html#sysadmin-package-repositories

 

[nmue]

Ok great, but as mentioned this is not the best way, I think I fucked up a bit while ordering my hardware ;-)

Is there an option to install PBS on a seperate physical computer without iSCSI access to the tape loader, and then orchestrate the backup that goes from the PVE to the tape loader (which has a direct attachment). Is this possible?

If not and I go with the proposed solution you mentioned, what are my options if my PVE (with PBS on the same machine) fails and I need to access the content of the tapes again. Can I attach the tape loader to another machine and access the backed up VMs somehow automatically? Is there a way to also update PBS settings so that the PBS installation could be recreated on a new machine with access to the tape loader in this scenario?