Backup virtual machine on esx 3.5. Is it possibible?

[simo79]

I have a "new" question...

Is it possibile so save the whole content of the virtual machines installed on a esx server, on a tape or in a disk?

Thanks

[AntonVZhbankov]

Yes, it is possible and there is "VMware Consolidated Backup" solution aka VCB. Also there are lot of tools intended for virtual machines backup. For ex. Veeam Backup, Vizioncore vRanger.

---

VMware vExpert '2009

http://blog.vadmin.ru

[simo79]

If I don't mistake VCB need to be install in a separate windows server, but If I have only one esx server with a tape driver

which solution can I follow?

[vmmeup]

It is also possible to acheive this by way of scripting. One way would be to mount an NFS share to your esx hosts from a NAS or other device and write a script that snapshots a vm, then copies the vmdks and other relevant files to a folder on the NFS share and then commits the snapshot. Depending on your NAS you could also have the same NFS share mounted to a linux server or present to a windows server as CIFS and backup to tape or disk using your backup agent.

Sid Smith-----

VCP, VTSP, CCNA, CCA(Xen Server), MCTS Hyper-V & SCVMM08

• Don't forget to award points for correct and helpful answers.;-)

[AntonVZhbankov]

Yes, VCB must be installed on Windows Server. But physical server is required in one case only: if you want LAN free fibre channel backup. In this case VCB will work directly with SAN.

All other cases, including network mode for FC can be implemented on virtual machine.

---

VMware vExpert '2009

http://blog.vadmin.ru

[simo79]

<<.. write a script that snapshots a vm...

where can I find a script that take snapshot of my virtual machine?

[AntonVZhbankov]

Take a look at VI Toolkit (Powershell)

---

VMware vExpert '2009

http://blog.vadmin.ru

[vmmeup]

Depends on what language you want to use. You could do it from the Service Console using bash or perl, you can do it remotely from the remote CLI or a windows machine using the VI Toolkit for windows.

VI Toolkit for Windows powershell script to snapshot VM:

connect-viserver -server <server> -user <user> -password <pwd> New-Snapshot -Name <snapshot_name> -VM <vm_name>

connect-viserver -server <server> -user <user> -password <pwd> remove-Snapshot -snapshot <snapshot_name>

Perl Script:

Here is a thread where someone wrote a perl script to do backups http://communities

Service Console using vimsh

create

vmware-cmd <vmx> createsnapshot <snapshotName>

revert

vmware-cmd <vmx> revertsnapshot

Sid Smith

-

---

VCP, VTSP, CCNA, CCA(Xen Server), MCTS Hyper-V & SCVMM08

http://www.dailyhypervisor.com

• Don't forget to award points for correct and helpful answers.

[simo79]

I don't find the command vmware-cmd

It's the same if I use esxi?

[simo79]

If I try

PS C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\VIToolkitForWindows> connect-viserver -server 192.168.0.96 -user root -password 123 New-Snapshot -Name simonesnap -vm 2003

I received this error:

Connect-VIServer : Impossibile trovare un parametro corrispondente al nome 'New-Snapshot'.

In riga:1 car:17 connect-viserver <<<< -server 192.168.0.96 -user root -password 123 New-Snapshot -Name simonesnap -vm 2003

[petedr]

If you want take a look at our product, esXpress, it doesn't require VCB. It is though a backup to disk solution, not to tape.

Pete@esXpress

www.phdvirtual.com, makers of esXpress

[AntonVZhbankov]

simo79, New-snapshot should be a separate command.

---

VMware vExpert '2009

http://blog.vadmin.ru

[dconvery]

Take a look at my VCB "Proven Practice" Guide on VI:OPS -> 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"

[lamw]

You can also use the following: http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-8760

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

William Lam

VMware vExpert 2009

VMware ESX/ESXi scripts and resources at:

[Texiwill]

Hello,

There are a number of options available for backing up from ESX.

Use a VCB Proxy , vRanger, or Veeam backup server

Use esxPress, VISBU, vmbk.pl, vcbMounter direct from the service console of ESX

There are many options available to you for this.

Best regards,
Edward L. Haletky
VMware Communities User Moderator, VMware vExpert 2009
====
Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.
Blue Gears and SearchVMware Pro Blogs -- Top Virtualization Security Links -- Virtualization Security Round Table Podcast