VMware VDR store on rdm how do I backup to tape

[jaturley]

Using VMware VDR 1.2 had it connected to a VDR store on a CIFS share.  I had problems with performance and integrity checks all the time.  I decided to create a second hard disk for the VMware VDR virtual machine using an RDM on my iSCSI SAN.  The performance and integrity check issues have gone away but now I have a new problem.  How do I get the data in from the RDM to a tape backup. I am using backup exec.  Thanks

[DSTAVERT]

Your RDM is in Virtual Compatibility mode correct? You are using a current BE 2010?

http://communities.vmware.com/thread/264390

[Ward8124]

If the RDM is in Virtual compatibility mode and you have a VCB server you could just run a VCB job and back this to tape that way? I've tested this method and it works a treat.

[tkdunbar]

I am doing pretty much the same thing, my VDR appliance has a disk attached and mounted, that is the destination for all of my backups.  I then backup the appliance to tape using NetBackup.  The data gets backed up ok, but I have not tested restoring and from tape, then restoring a VM.  Has anyone else done that?

[AndreTheGiant]

If you use a RDM disk, then the contend is a Linux filesystem.

You can look for a tool like explore2fs to read this disk (better is to do on a SAN snap of this disk), but it's not simple (and probably it will be too slow).

One idea could be have two destinations: one RDM and one NAS, and simple backup the NAS one.

Or, but it is unsupported, install the BE agent in the VDR VA and use the native agent.

Or, still unsupported, export a samba share of the VDR destination.

Andre

[TBoykin21]

We installed Netbackup on the VDR appliance.  To backup the VDR repositories, we insure nothing is running in the VDR (no backups, no integrity checks, no reclaims) and stop the DataRecovery service.  We then backup the VDR repositories thru Netbackup.