VMware Communities: VCB with NTBackup

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6 Replies Last post: May 13, 2009 3:15 PM by dconvery

VCB with NTBackup

May 6, 2009 2:52 AM

ShanVMLand 247 posts since
Mar 6, 2009

Hello,

I have configured VCB with NTBackup. I am trying to backup a Windows system for a particular folder. However, the backup runs without any error. But, it is not backup any files there. If I select the entire C drive, backups all. Looks like that it cant backup a particular folder. Is there anyway to backup a specified folder?

Also, I tried to write (paste) some files into mounted Virtual Disk drive. It shows as copied. But, appearing the VMs. Is that mounted virtual disk readble only?

Thanks in Advanced.

Shan

Tags: vcbmounter, ntbackup

Reply Re: VCB with NTBackup May 6, 2009 5:20 AM

wardb0071 15 posts since
Mar 4, 2009

Hi Shan,

I just did a test for you with a file mounted VM using NTbackup, had no problems selecting and backing up a specific folder, you should be able to backup a folder without any problems, if you can access the mounted folder via windows explorer, you should be able to back it up using almost any backup program.

You cannot write to this, as its a read only copy of the VM.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Brian

Reply Re: VCB with NTBackup May 6, 2009 9:52 PM

in response to: wardb0071

ShanVMLand 247 posts since
Mar 6, 2009

Hi Brian,

Thanks a lot. I was using Windows XP (where i installed VCB) to backup and unable to select the specified folder. Today, I tried with Windows 2003 system. Now, able to select the specified folder. It might be a limitation with Windows XP.

I got into another problem. After I dismounted the VM, again I tried to mount it. It not mounting at all. I opened datastore and see the VMs folder. VCB created some VMDK and Snapshot files. Even after dismounted the VMs, those files not deleted from the VM folder. Is there anyway to force the dismount and remove those files.

Thanks in advanced.

Shan

Reply Re: VCB with NTBackup May 7, 2009 2:27 AM

in response to: ShanVMLand

ShanVMLand 247 posts since
Mar 6, 2009

Hi Brian,

Finally, I end up with using VMWARE-CMD command to remove those snapshot. Now, I dont have any important snapshot to be protected. Worrying about the situation where we have many snapshots which are critically needed. Anyway, I am seeing VMCLEAN.BAT in VCB folder. Any idea what it does exactly.

Thanks,

Shan

Reply Re: VCB with NTBackup May 7, 2009 4:54 AM

in response to: ShanVMLand

wardb0071 15 posts since
Mar 4, 2009

Sorry for the late response, must be in different time zones or you work long hours

VMCLEAN.BAT is a very usefull batch file instead of unmounting each snapshot individually you can use this batch file to unmount all your VCB snapshots in one go.

I use a pre script that mounts my 30 VM's individually then run my backup program (I use Arcserve instead on backup NT) then after the backup I call the VCB clean up script wich automatically unmounts all the VCB snapshots in one go.

so you don't have to specify each VM.

Quick note on VCB and BackupNT - you can't do differential or incremental backups as the mounted directory is read only and BackupNT can't set the archive bit.

for VCBCLEAN to work you must modify the config.js file in the /config folder accrodingly.

P.S. I Used server 2003 to test the NTBackup (should have mentioned that and saved you a bit of time

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Brian

Reply Re: VCB with NTBackup May 7, 2009 11:57 PM

in response to: wardb0071

ShanVMLand 247 posts since
Mar 6, 2009

Hi Brian,

Thank you and appreciating your help on this. I am working from India.

Awarded the points to you

Thanks,

Shan

Reply Re: VCB with NTBackup May 13, 2009 3:15 PM

in response to: ShanVMLand

dconvery 1,865 posts since
May 10, 2006

I have published a Proven Practice Guide on VI:OPS to explain everything about
VCB. I think it does a better job than the VM Backup guide. Take a look -> http://viops.vmware.com/home/docs/DOC-1392

Dave Convery
VMware vExpert 2009
http://www.dailyhypervisor.com

Careful. We don't want to learn from this.
Bill Watterson, "Calvin and Hobbes"

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