[Free VMware ESXi Server 3.5.0] How to backup the VMware system (without virtual machines)

[c_bischoff]

Hello,

I am planning to update our ESXi Server from 3.5.0 to 5.1. Before I do this, I would like to have a backup of the current system (VMware ESXi 3.5.0). In case the update would not be successful, I would like to restore the current state of the system by using this backup. There are no virtual machines to backup, only the system.

How can I backup the system? Which tools should I use or do I have to use the command line?

Regards,

Christian Bischoff

(I posted this in "VMware ESXi 4", because no VMware ESXi 3 ist available.)

[Anjani_Kumar]

You only need to backup the configuration of the current host and in case of failure you need to restore it.

Yes you need to use vcli for doing that.

Here is an blog :http://www.empirion.co.uk/vmware/backup-esxi-host-config-using-vcl/

[CoolRam]

Before upgrade please do check the hardware is supported then first you need to upgrade the system to 4.0/4.1 .once this done then you can upgrade to 5.1 line.

Please use any backup toool to take the backup of your datastore.

[c_bischoff]

Hello Anjani_Kumar.

Thanks for your answer. I downloaded vCLI and installed it on a remote PC. Backing up the system does not work.

I got the message "Error connecting to server at 'https://localhost/sdk/webService': Perhaps host is not a vCenter o ESX server" (see screenshot).

Does this mean that vCLI cannot be used with the free ESXi version? If yes, are there other tools (or possibilities) that I could use?

[Anjani_Kumar]

try connecting via ip instead hostname. As i can see you provided just netbios name which can encounter the issue too.

Let me know the output after testing via ip .