Using vMA 4.0 to backup ESXi 4.0 host setting ?

[AlbertWT]

Hi All,

I've installed vMA 4.0 and able to ping the ESXi01 hostname from the root console,

but when I try to execute the following command: # vicfg-cfgbackup --server ESXi01 -s BackupESXi01

where can i get that backup file from ?

Kind Regards,

AWT

[lamw · Accepted solution]

If the command executed successfully, your backup file is saved in the current working directly and should be named BackupESXi01 as you've specified with -s param

=========================================================================

William Lam

VMware vExpert 2009

VMware ESX/ESXi scripts and resources at: http://engineering.ucsb.edu/~duonglt/vmware/

Twitter: @lamw

vGhetto Script Repository

VMware Code Central - Scripts/Sample code for Developers and Administrators

VMware Developer Comuunity

If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".

[AlbertWT]

Ah yes, you're right William.

May I know how to transfer it to my desktop or it is better off inside the vMA appliance ?

Kind Regards,

AWT

[lamw]

scp or ftp will work. vMA is just a RHEL system that you can login to, so you can of course download/upload files. Do a search for winscp if you're on a Windows system else look at using scp

=========================================================================

William Lam

VMware vExpert 2009

VMware ESX/ESXi scripts and resources at:

Twitter: @lamw

VMware Code Central - Scripts/Sample code for Developers and Administrators

VMware Developer Comuunity

If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".

[AlbertWT]

Thanks for the reply William,

I'm using Filezilla usually to transfer file more visually appealing.

Cheers !

Kind Regards,

AWT

[DSTAVERT]

You can also add a full path to a datastore. If the datastore is shared storage it is available to be restored to any host that has access to the storage or downloaded via the datastore browser.

[AlbertWT]

Hi All,

Sad news ;-| I've saved the ESXi 4 settings into my vMA and then I've installed the ESXi4.0 build 164009 fresh install from the CD, when I tried to load up the backed up config. file, it give me error like the following:

# vicfg-cfgbackup --server ESXi01 -l BackupESXi01-withoutUSB

Enter username: root

Enter password:

The restore operation will reboot the host.

Type 'yes' to continue:

yes

Uploading config bundle to configBundle.tgz ...

Performing restore ...

Restore failed: fault.InvalidBundle.summary

Exiting maintenance mode ...

#

FYI: This is clean install ESXi 4.0 while thebackup was taken from the most up to date build 193498.

I've setup the mgmt network IP address, root credentials and not add it to my vCenter yet (since the SSH hash is different).

Am I missing something here ? (does vicfg-cfgbackup command from vMA is enough to restore / clone the settings of the whole ESXi ??

Kind Regards,

AWT

[Dave_Mishchenko]

Have you tried this with the backup file in quotes?




Dave

VMware Communities User Moderator

New book in town - vSphere Quick Start Guide -http://www.yellow-bricks.com/2009/08/12/new-book-in-town-vsphere-quick-start-guide/.

Do you have a system or PCI card working with VMDirectPath? Submit your specs to the Unofficial VMDirectPath HCL - http://www.vm-help.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=21.

[AlbertWT]

Hi Dave,

Do you mean running it once again with the quotation mark as the filename ? same thing happens, it failed still.

Am I missing something here ?

Kind Regards,

AWT

[Dave_Mishchenko]

You have a dash in the filename that could be an issue. Have you tried updating the firmware and then a config restore.




Dave

VMware Communities User Moderator

New book in town - vSphere Quick Start Guide -http://www.yellow-bricks.com/2009/08/12/new-book-in-town-vsphere-quick-start-guide/.

Do you have a system or PCI card working with VMDirectPath? Submit your specs to the Unofficial VMDirectPath HCL - http://www.vm-help.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=21.

[AlbertWT]

Hi Dave,

Thanks For the reply, Yes Idid try with double quote and single quote and I'm aware of thedash char. in the file name,

So this time My last resort is to update it using Host update utility to the latest (same build) and then try it once again.

and I shall let you know

Cheers,

Kind Regards,

AWT

-

---

# vicfg-cfgbackup --server ESXi01 -l "BackupESXi01-withoutUSB"

Enter username: root

Enter password:

The restore operation will reboot the host.

Type 'yes' to continue:

yes

Uploading config bundle to configBundle.tgz ...

Performing restore ...

Restore failed: fault.InvalidBundle.summary

Exiting maintenance mode ...

# vicfg-cfgbackup --server ESXi01 -l 'BackupESXi01-withoutUSB'

Enter username: root

Enter password:

The restore operation will reboot the host.

Type 'yes' to continue:

yes

Uploading config bundle to configBundle.tgz ...

Performing restore ...

Restore failed: fault.InvalidBundle.summary

Exiting maintenance mode ...

#

[AlbertWT]

To All,

Finally I was able to resolve this problem, it is very simple, AllI need to do is just to

1. install the blank USB with ESXi 4.0 CD which will install build 164009 by default and then,

2. Configure the mgmt. network IP manually to be the same as the previous ESXi (so that the Host update Utility can patch this ESXi)

3. Add this new ESXi into the VMWare Host update utility and patch it to be the same as the backup image (193498)

4. connect to vMA and then perform restore (as shown in the bottom of this reply thread).

5. Add the ESXi host to the vCenter from vSphere client.

All of the settings and VM start utility will be the same as the backup image, no need to follow additional steps to backup the oem.tgz (as in bootbank/oem.tgz")

Kind Regards,

AWT

==========

# vicfg-cfgbackup --server ESXi01 -l BackupESXi01-withoutUSB

Enter username: root

Enter password:

The restore operation will reboot the host.

Type 'yes' to continue:

yes

Uploading config bundle to configBundle.tgz ...

Performing restore ...

#