Possible to backup a virtual server to a removable disk to take offsite?

[Gonzouk]

Hello,

We have a server that is virtualised and I was wondering how I backup the server to a removable drive and take it offsite to our DR centre to do some testing? I heard I can just take the server and just running it from the desktop of a server at our DR site, is that correct?

We have VM Data Recovery, but have yet to find the time to use it.

Thanks

[Gonzouk]

I think the part I'm getting confused with is how I run the VM at our DR site, it looks like I have a lot of options (snapshot, clone etc) and take the files to site, but how would I bring the server "up"? I'm not sure what the basic pre-requisites are. We have a few servers with just Windows 2003 and 2008 sitting there with nothing on them, can I run the VM's off one of those?

Should I buy a copy or 2 of VM Worstation?

Thanks

[ash0573]

Gonzouk,

I'd check and see if any of the physical servers could be re-purposed as ESX servers for your DR site. IE Dell Power Edge t610 as a primary and a Dell Pe 2950 as a DR offsite. They are not the same but close enough. The 2900 can not do any pass through devices but the CPU and chipset are close enough that the VM's don't know they are on a different machine. The CPU architecture and chip-set are important, but not critical, as long as they are close then the DR VMs should run just fine on lesser servers. Apples to Apples, even if they are red to green, but not apples to oranges, IE Intel to AMD.

You can run the free version of ESX w/o paid support at your DR site until you get it hammered out then once you have a proof of concept upgrade the licensing and your good.

I do not recommend using vmware workstation as a DR unless it's the last thing you have left to do. It's great to save money and even harder to get a good budget these days but running on the cheep can bite you in the 'arse' when it counts. Trust me I've had clients that we've had the "I told you so" talk and I refuse to ever do it again. Ones own sanity is not worth it.

Ash

[jcwuerfl]

You can format the servers out there and install ESXi and could start with the Free VMware Hypervisor and then go from there. Once you have ESXi installed you can do the reverse of downloading the VM. Aka go to your Datastore Browser from the main status page and upload the VM from your harddrive or wherever you saved those VM's to from downloading them. You should be able to start them up in the same way. It may prompt you to answer a question if you copied or moved the VM. You can just say you copied them.

[Gonzouk]

This free version of ESX sounds like a great idea, do you have a link? How can it be free!

that way I can run this up at DR (I guess boot from ISO) then restore my clones which are scheduled by VM Data Recovery?

[jcwuerfl]

http://www.vmware.com/products/vsphere-hypervisor/index.html

Just remember to test everything.

[Gonzouk]

Thanks, how is it free? are there any limitations against our full paid live version?

[jcwuerfl]

Check out the comparison chart: http://www.vmware.com/vmwarestore/vsphere_purchaseoptions.html

[Gonzouk]

I thought it was free, I'm confused? They all have a cost.

I have installed 4.1 and have gone to https://x.x.x.x and downloaded and installed vsphere and connected to this host and it also says it's a 60 evaluation

Thanks.

[jcwuerfl]

It will say that until you put in a code which you should get when you create an account here:

https://www.vmware.com/tryvmware/index.php?p=free-esxi&lp=1

and your right that other link didn't list the features for just the hypervisor but basiclly it doesn't include any of the features from standard on up.

http://www.vmware.com/products/vsphere/buy/editions_comparison.html

[Gonzouk]

Thanks, I have the license code now, where do I add it to make this version free?

[jcwuerfl]

Login with the vCenter client to the host, then goto Configuration Licensed Features, click edit and put in the number. Notice what you have before/after.