Backup Exec and ESXi 4.0 (basic understanding)

[Gonzouk]

Hello,

We have been using VMware for a couple of months now, we have 4 hosts with around 20 servers on them (are they called guests?). We use backup Exec 12.5 to backup our physical servers and also the vm servers on the hosts. I can see from the Symantec Backup Exec web site there any lots of VMware options to backup our VM servers and have been left confused. We basically want to backup our VM servers to tape and treat them link clones and have the option to restore these VM servers from tape at our disaster recovery site or simply back into vCentre as any admin could wrongly delete a server etc.

Basically we want to backup servers to tape as if they were clones and restore them and have the granular option to gone into the backup and restore individual files......so confused

What do I need to do in order to do the above?

[idle-jam]

all you need is Agent Vmware Virtual Infrastructure. it is charged by number of virtualization host. you could backup in VMDK and restore in file level option. you can then configure your backup server to push to a tape. you will need additional agent like sql, exchange if you would like to do a granular restoration like email level or sql database table level.




iDLE-jAM | VCP 2, VCP 3 & VCP 4

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[Gonzouk]

I have download the trial version of Backup Exec and have the Agent Vmware Virtual Infrastructure option installed installed as the trial lets me. But how do I browse to my VM hosts etc, do I need to install an agent on the VM hosts. I just can't see away to find the VM Hosts and then select the servers to backup.

[idle-jam]

It's all shown in the installation guides. Have you read any of those guides?

iDLE-jAM | VCP 2, VCP 3 & VCP 4

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[idle-jam]

this might be dated but certainly helpful.

Please go through some Articles on VMWare Backups

1 : http://support.veritas.com/docs/310739

Introduction to the Agent for VMware Virtual Infrastructure (AVVI) for Backup Exec windows server (BEWS) version 12.5

2 : http://support.veritas.com/docs/310559

About backing up VMware virtual resources

3 : http://support.veritas.com/docs/310558

Backing up VMware virtual resources

4 : http://support.veritas.com/docs/311683

Best practices for Backup Exec 12.5 Agent for VMware Virtual Infrastructure

5 : http://support.veritas.com/docs/311833

Best Practices for Backup Exec 12.5 for Windows Servers - Table of Contents

6 : http://support.veritas.com/docs/310563

Requirements for using the Agent for VMware

iDLE-jAM | VCP 2, VCP 3 & VCP 4

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[Gonzouk]

Thanks, will do!

Looks like I need to install VMware Consolidated Backup (VCB) proxy server on the BE server, is this a free download?

Are you using BE 12.5 or 2010 out of interest?

[idle-jam]

My apology to confuse you. I'm on Backup Exec 12.5 and it requires VCB to be installed. With BE 2010 it will be using vsphere's VADP (vstorage api for data protection) you do not need to do anything it's preinstalled. The admin manual for BE 2010 is here. Look for page 1337 ftp://ftp.entsupport.symantec.com/pub/support/products/Backup_Exec_for_WindowsNT/338514.pdf

iDLE-jAM | VCP 2, VCP 3 & VCP 4

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