How to backup vmdk in virtual machine?

[shootingstar]

As above. Can we backup the vmdk without shutting down the virtual machine using the

"Browse the datatstore, where the virtual machine is stored" using the download methiod?

Any recommedations/pratices?

[marcelo_soares]

You can do this way, without need to shutdown the VM. Just take a snapshot of it, and download the VMNAME.vmdk file to your local computer (you will notice that a VMNAME-000001.vmdk file exists too, but this is the snapshot). After downloading, you can delete all snapshots and the VM will keep going transparently.

Marcelo Soares

VMWare Certified Professional 310/410

Virtualization Tech Master

Globant Argentina

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[TomHowarth]

Create a snapshot of the machine and copy the original file, this is effectively what you are doing with VCB and VDR, Veeam, vizioncore, esXpress etc

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Tom Howarth VCP / vExpert

VMware Communities User Moderator

Blog: www.planetvm.net

Contributing author on "[VMware vSphere and Virtual Infrastructure Security: Securing ESX and the Virtual Environment|http://www.amazon.co.uk/VMware-VSphere-Virtual-Infrastructure-Security/dp/0137158009/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256146240&sr=1-1]”.

[sarank]

Hi,

You can backup the vmdk file in two methods.

1.Directly you can export the vmdk file from "Browse data store" to your local desktop or specified location.

2.Take snapshot and back up the vmdk file from where you taken snapshot.(eg "VMNAME000001.vmdk)

I hope the 1st method is very easy way to take the backup,however will take more time to export the file in to your local disk.

Saravanan.k

MCSA,CCNP,MCTS,VCP 3/4

[AntonVZhbankov]

Recommendation: use VMware Data Recovery or 3rd party commercial backup tools. I prefer Veeam Backup.

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MCSA, MCTS, VCP, VMware vExpert '2009

http://blog.vadmin.ru