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7 Replies Last post: Nov 12, 2009 5:11 AM by AlbertWT  

ESXi 4 - Backup entire VM to NAS box posted: Nov 3, 2009 1:30 PM

Click to view pomiwi's profile Enthusiast
pomiwi
74 posts since
Sep 8, 2008

Hi

I am looking at a solution for a small client. Something like ESXi4 FREE version hosting 3 VMs. Nightly agent backup to tape of VMs and also nightly backup of entire VM to NAS box. We need a stable solution to perform the nightly backup of the entire VMs to NAS box, i.e. not interested in scripting.

Anyone dont anything similar? We want to protect against HW failure, i.e. replace the server with another, configure ESXi 4, restore the entire VMs from NAS box. Maybe something like Shadow Protect?

Re: ESXi 4 - Backup entire VM to NAS box

1. Nov 3, 2009 1:41 PM in response to: pomiwi
Click to view lamw's profile Champion
lamw
2,803 posts since
Nov 27, 2007
Take a look at 100% free scripted solution: ghettoVCB.sh - Free alternative for backing up VM's for ESX(i) 3.5 and 4.0+ else you could look into Veeam Backup/Replication or VMware VDR


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Re: ESXi 4 - Backup entire VM to NAS box

2. Nov 3, 2009 1:44 PM in response to: pomiwi
Click to view DSTAVERT's profile Virtuoso
DSTAVERT
2,418 posts since
Nov 30, 2003
You are limited with the free version since most of the commercial tools do not support the free version. You can have a look at Trilead http://trilead.com

Some other solutions in a document by AndreTheGiant
http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-10780

Re: ESXi 4 - Backup entire VM to NAS box

3. Nov 3, 2009 4:18 PM in response to: DSTAVERT
Click to view pomiwi's profile Enthusiast
pomiwi
74 posts since
Sep 8, 2008

Thanks for all your responses. Quite interested in the Trilead software - been reading their website and its pretty vague :) Has anyone has experience in using it? I have load of questions:

Does it install onto a seperate physical windows hosts and backup the VMs from there, or can it be installed into a VM?

Does it perform backups of entire VMs and how are they stored? I.e. are they stored as VMDK file and can be copied back in case of DR?

Reading the website I understand it can backup from ESX4i FREE hosts to another FREE host, can this be from and to local storage?

Can you perform file level restores from the backups?

Re: ESXi 4 - Backup entire VM to NAS box

4. Nov 3, 2009 4:38 PM in response to: pomiwi
Click to view DSTAVERT's profile Virtuoso
DSTAVERT
2,418 posts since
Nov 30, 2003
I did try it some time ago. It isn't very fast. You can install it on a VM or physical. It can go HOST to HOST. Clone allows you to immediately start the machine. Can compress but it then requires a restore to make a functional VM.

No file level restores but mounting a vmdk allows you to copy off files so anything that allows you to clone a vmdk allows file level restores.

I would really have a look at the ghettoVCB script by lamw. It is a set and forget tool. Under constant development and worth a thousand times what you pay for it (free). A new version is around the corner.

Re: ESXi 4 - Backup entire VM to NAS box

5. Nov 7, 2009 2:29 AM in response to: lamw
Click to view JaapL's profile Novice
JaapL
8 posts since
May 6, 2009
Hi,

How does ghettoVCB cope with MS domaincontrollers ( >1), MS Exchange, MS SQL etc

Re: ESXi 4 - Backup entire VM to NAS box

6. Nov 7, 2009 2:42 AM in response to: lamw
Click to view JaapL's profile Novice
JaapL
8 posts since
May 6, 2009

Hi,

How does ghettoVCB cope with MS Domaincontrollers, MS Exchange, MS SQL ans MS SBS. Or MS clusters?

Open files and open databases, synchronization?

Does ghettoVCB take snapshots first and after ghettoVCB is done commits thos snapshots?

Or am I just babbling ? ?:|

With regards,

Jaap

It should be clear I 'm a newbie to VMware :|

Re: ESXi 4 - Backup entire VM to NAS box

7. Nov 12, 2009 5:11 AM in response to: DSTAVERT
Click to view AlbertWT's profile Expert
AlbertWT
456 posts since
Apr 7, 2009

Yes, Ghetto script is able to performs automated VM replication to another datastore, but of course if you're using Free ESXi then the VM will be backed up as Crash-consistent only without quiesce method (transaction consistent).

Kind Regards,
AWT

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