Download VM files from SAN Storage as a Backup

[BadrMepco]

Hi,

I want to know that can I download Live VM files into my personal Computer hard disk? NOTE: VM is switched on and placed on the SAN Storage.

Or after switch off the VM that is placed on the SAN Storage can I download complete and If my exising VM crashed so can I upload again on the same location (SAN) will it work?

Actually my concerned is that presently I do not have any backup solution for my VM specially Exchange (VM) that is placed on the SAN Storage so I just want to make a backup copy of this particular VM to avoid a down time after crashing.

Kindly guide me to take immidiate action.

Regards,

Badr.

[rievax]

Hello,

That all depends on your ESX / vSphere versions & editions.

At worse, as you mentioned, you turn off the VM, and copy the files over your PC or duplicate the VM on another SAN LUN.

On vSphere 5 though, VDR is available on all versions: http://www.vmware.com/products/vsphere/buy/editions_comparison.html. In that case, just install it: http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vdr_pubs.html

X.

[BadrMepco]

Thanks,

I am using ESX / vSphere 4.1. Now I turned off the VM and deatached a LUN which was second drive and then made Clone (different name) after deatached a LUN. It have been done successfuly.

Now I want to know that whenever I will need it as a original VM form so what I will have to do?

Or Just run this clone as it having different name and attach a LUN with this VM? Is it? Will it work perfectly?

Regards,

Badr.

[rievax]

Hello,

As long as you can "show" the VM files to the vCenter and you register the "backup" VM back to vCenter, yes, your solution will work...

But what a headheck! Simply use VDR (if it comes with your version of vSphere) or by a third party backup software: for only a few servers, it is not going to cost you a fortune but will save your xxxx if case of a hardware / software failure. Make sure you have redundancy at the ESX and SAN level and invest in an affordable backup solution.

If you want to continue doing it manually, just mount permanently another LUN to your environment and use the integrated clone feature of vCenter to backup your machines... much cleaner, easier and faster!

X.

[BadrMepco]

Hi,

Thanks for your helpful answer.

Now I am planning to install VDR 2.0 on ESX 4.1 as I am not experienced so these days I am reading steps for the VDR Installation properly.

Somewhere I read these below points to Install the VDR.

You can only have 1 VDR VM per CPU host.

Each VDR VM can backup 100 VMs at most.

Each VDR VM can have 2 Destinations at most.

In strict terms, a "destination" is a "deduplication store".

Each destination can be 1 Tbyte at most.

Each destination should be a virtual hard disk stored inside the VM.

Do not use "thin" provisioning for destination vmdk disks.

Do not use independent disks for destination vmdk disks.

Set the SCSI id of each destination vmdk to be (1,0) or (2,0) or (3,0) and so on. The second digit must always be 0.

Now I am confused on the last point of the setup (SCSI) that should be (1,0) or (3,0)

Is it correct that the second digit must always be 0 of VDR?

Also some one says that do not change the time zone during configuration of VDR and somewhere written that change the time zone.

I have seen some different steps on the Internet and now I am confused.

Kindly guide me for the proper installation of VDR as I will implement in real/live environment.

[rievax]

Hi there,

Sorry I was out for a few days. I guess you already install everything, but still...

>> Now I am confused on the last point of the setup (SCSI) that should be (1,0) or (3,0)

>> Is it correct that the second digit must always be 0 of VDR?

Read VMware documentation first! Everything is explained. This is about having enough "slots" to hot-add VMKD to the VDR. Basically, you add the destination drive to you virtual hardware and select a SCSI destination of 1:0, 2:0 etc. This will add a SCSI controller.

>> Also some one says that do not change the time zone during configuration of VDR and somewhere written that change the time zone.

Really? Maybe to avoid issues with time zones and winter / summer times when you are a global compagny... Honestly, I don't know or see any reasons. I just put my local time zone and did not see any problem with that.

Hope everything went OK for you. Cheers,

X.